Can you say delicious? This was one of my favorite recent creations and I can’t stop making it! It’s so satisfying as a meal – sweet potatoes are full of fiber along with the chickpeas and lentils which also are filled with plant based protein.  The balsamic tahini glaze also has hints of honey and dijon mustard giving an all around great flavor. 

SWEET ON SWEET POTATOES

Sweet potatoes are probably my favorite starchy vegetable, and I love roasting them with contrasting yet blending flavors like cinnamon, cumin, and paprika. Their high vitamin A content gives them their orange hue (pre-formed Vitamin A as beta carotene, which is found in all plant sources of Vitamin A). Roasting them in the oven makes them crispy on the outside yet soft on the inside. This is a great way to meal prep over the weekend or at the beginning of the week to pair with meals like this, or enjoy with some high quality wild fish, chicken, turkey, etc and vegetables (aim for 1/2 your plate!)

Lentils are another great option to have on hand (as you saw I love from my Lentil Carrot & Raisin Salad) to boost the nutritional value and fiber of any meal.  Here I had them in the fridge, but feel free to omit if you don’t have on hand.

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Balsamic Tahini Drizzle 

Serves: 3-4
Time: ~40 minutes (including roasting the sweet potatoes – prep before for a quicker meal!)

Ingredients:

SALAD
-3 sweet potatoes, washed and diced
-1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
-1 tsp. each of cumin, cinnamon, paprika
-3 oz. grass fed cheddar cheese, diced
-1 15 oz. can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
-1/2 cup of cooked lentils
-4 cups of romaine lettuce
-1/2 zucchini, or more
-sea salt and pepper to taste

BALSAMIC TAHINI DRIZZLE
-1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
-3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
-1 tsp. raw honey
-2 tbsp. tahini
-1 tsp. dijon mustard
-1 tsp. each garlic powder, oregano
-sea salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 425 F. Chop the sweet potatoes and toss with olive oil, and spices listed above. Add sea salt and pepper to taste. Roast for about 35-40 minutes, until they begin to crisp on the outside. Meanwhile, chop the lettuce and zucchini, drain and rinse the chickpeas, and add all ingredients to a large bowl. Place all of the dressing ingredients in a large jar and shake vigorously until combined. Enjoy!