Loaded Sweet Potatoes with Barbecue Sauce

My newest book came out this week, The Microbiome Cookbook; 150 Delicious Recipes to Nourish Your Microbiome and Restore Your Gut Health. I am often asked what my favorite recipe is in each book I write, and this recipe for loaded sweet potatoes may be my favorite recipe of any book I've written. Think cowboy nachos without the cheese or corn chips. Seriously, I find a way to sneak some rendition of it onto my family's dinner menu nearly every week.

In The Microbiome Cookbook, the recipe calls for crumbled tempeh, which yields a gluten-free, vegetarian entree loaded with prebiotics, which give your gut bugs something to feast on, and probiotics to bolster the population of good bacteria.

I usually make it for Rich with tempeh. Personally, I prefer crumbled bacon, for a filling paleo entree. The smokiness of the bacon and barbecue sauce contrasted with the tangy coleslaw and caramelized sweet potatoes is addicting. I've also made it with other proteins, such as shredded chicken or spicy Italian sausage. It would also work with pan-seared tofu.

I will be chatting about The Microbiome Cookbook this weekend with Mimi Stoneburner on Body Talk Health show on K-Tip radio. It will stream live on Saturday, August 13, from 2 to 3PM Pacific. Or, you can catch it in the archives after it airs.

Until then, enjoy these recipes for Loaded Sweet Potatoes and Barbecue Sauce. Enjoy!

Loaded Sweet Potatoes with Barbecue Sauce

Serves 2 to 4

Prep time 15 minutes

Cook time 40 minutes

2 to 3 sweet potatoes, unpeeled

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Sea salt

One 8-ounce package tempeh

1 cup Barbecue Sauce (recipe follows) or store bought sauce

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 teaspoon ground cumin

4 cups shredded cabbage  

1.     Preheat the oven to 400°F.

1.     Slice the sweet potatoes lengthwise in ¼-inch-thick pieces. Place them on a sheet pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil and toss gently to coat. Season with salt. 

2.     Roast uncovered for 40 minutes, or until the bottoms are browned and the tops are shrunken.

3.     Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large skillet. Crumble the tempeh and sauté over medium heat until browned, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the barbecue sauce and cook until just heated through.

4.     In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lime juice, and cumin. Add the cabbage and toss to coat thoroughly.

5.     To serve, place the sweet potatoes into individual serving bowls. Top with a generous scoop of the tempeh and then the cabbage. Serve immediately. 

Barbecue Sauce

Yields 2 cups

Prep time 5 minutes 

Cook time 25 minutes 

Although it’s certainly easier to reach for a bottle of commercially prepared barbecue sauce, most are loaded with sugar or high fructose corn syrup, neither of which is good for a healthy gut. Try this naturally sweetened low-sugar version instead. 

1 yellow onion, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

Sea salt

2 garlic cloves, minced

One 15-ounce can tomato sauce

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 fresh dates, pitted and diced

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon cayenne

Freshly ground pepper

1.     Cook the onion in a small sauce pan along with the olive oil and a pinch of sea salt until soft and nearly caramelized, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.

1.     Add all of the remaining ingredients and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes to allow all of the flavors to come together.

2.     Adjust seasoning. For a smooth consistency, use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. 

BBQ Chicken Pizza

I have the slightest obsession with the show Chopped on Food Network. Contestants, most of them professional chefs, receive a basket of mystery ingredients and have to transform them into an appetizer, entree, or dessert within 20 to 30 minutes.

That's pretty much how I feel every time I open my refrigerator to prepare dinner on the last day before I go grocery shopping.

Tonight I had some leftovers that needed to be put to good use: roasted chicken and potatoes, caramelized onions, and a half bottle of Cabernet. I also had a handful of fresh rosemary that Cole picked from our neighbor's yard. I feigned frustration. Want me to carry that home for you darling?

Have I mentioned how much I love California? Food grows everywhere here!

So this is what I came up with, a gluten-free pizza crust slathered in a Cabernet reduction barbecue sauce and topped with roasted chicken, sliced potatoes, caramelized onions, and fresh rosemary. It is lovely without cheese, but it would be absolutely epic with fontina.

As I ate it, I imagined Chris Santos saying it was the best bite he had enjoyed all day. Hey, a girl can dream. 

Yields 1 pizza

1 tablespoon olive oil 
2 tablespoons minced onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup cabernet
1/2 cup tomato ketchup
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper

1 gluten-free pizza crust*

1 cup cooked chicken, roughly chopped
1 cooked potato, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1/4 cup caramelized onion (from about half an onion)

*I prepared my pizza crust from scratch from the cookbook Gluten Free Baking Classics by Annalise G Roberts. It is my go-to for gluten free baking recipes.

1. To make the barbecue sauce, cook the onion and garlic in olive oil with a pinch of salt over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until soft. Add the wine and cook down until almost completely reduced. Add all of the remaining ingredients and cook for another two minutes until the flavors come together. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Ladle the barbecue sauce over the pizza crust . Top with the chicken, potato, onion, cheese (if using), and rosemary.
3. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes, or until heated through and the cheese has melted.