Football season is finally here! Ok, so I admit I actually only know this because I saw a game on while I was browsing through the tv channels on the elliptical at the gym. I’m not actually a huge football fan, and much to my brother’s horror, I’ve never tailgated at a college football game (I went to a small division three college where we sat on the grass to watch football games), but I can be convinced to watch a bit if it means I have the excuse to whip up some football season munchies!
I decided to make these loaded sweet potato skins last night to enjoy with our gin and tonics. I topped the crispy sweet potato skins with a black bean sauce, cheddar cheese, and turkey bacon. These were really tasty and I used the leftover mashed insides of the sweet potatoes for another treat that will be up in my next post!
Loaded Sweet Potato Skins
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
4 sweet potatoes, scrubbed
6 pieces turkey bacon, sliced into small pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
Juice of half a lime
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400˚F. Poke holes in the sweet potatoes and bake for an hour at 400˚F or until soft. Allow sweet potatoes to cool slightly and then cut them into quarters. Scoop out some of the insides of the sweet potatoes, leaving a 1/2-inch shell.
Meanwhile, place bacon in a medium skillet over medium high heat and cook 7 minutes or until crispy. Drain bacon on paper towels. To make the black bean sauce, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the same skillet over medium heat and sauté onion for 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and sauté an additional minute. Place onion mixture, black beans, lime juice, cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor and pulse until smooth.
Mix remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl and use a pastry brush to coat both sides of each potato skin with olive oil. Bake potato skins on a large greased cookie sheet for 10 minutes at 400˚F. Flip potato skins over and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until skins are crispy. Evenly top crispy potato skins with black bean sauce, shredded cheese, and turkey bacon. Bake 2 to 3 minutes at 400˚F or until cheese is melted. Makes 16 loaded sweet potato skins (8 servings).
Nutrition: 258 calories, 12.2g fat, 6.4g fiber, 10.6g protein per serving
Cost: $0.85 per serving
Those look awesome. I honestly cannot remember the last time I’ve had a potato skin, but sweet potato skins sound even better. It makes me wish sweet potatos would pop up in my CSA share. We’ve been getting potatoes so I am going to have to keep my fingers crossed.
Ha… I pay a little attention to football but mostly love it for the munchies too! This looks like a great version of potato skins… I love sweet potatoes!
I love this recipe! Sweet potatoes and black beans are a wonderful pair, and this is such a healthy take on loaded potato skins.
I went to Lafayette College for undergrad, which is also a small division three football school. We never had night games, and I think I attended less than 10 games during my 4 years there. Oh well ;).
Oh my goodness you are my hero! I LOVE loaded potato skins but love sweet potatoes more. this is sooo perfect cant wait to make!
Sweet potatoes seem to tbe the veggie of the day. I’m craving them now but I cut them all up to give to our rabbit!
Can’t wait to see wha tyou made with the gloriously orange flesh!
Perfect combo the gin tonic with these. They look so yummy.
I’m strangely not a big fan of potato skins, but I LOVE sweet potatoes and definitely think I would love these. The picture already has me drooling
You are right! This is the perfect football game appetizer. I like how you ‘healthified’ it with sweet potatoes and black beans. Plus, the turkey bacon would be less greasy than regular bacon, yet still as flavorful. Now all we need to do is pair your recipe with Lauren from foodForliving.wordpress.com’s Chili Cheese Fries and we are ready to go!
Sweet potato skins are a great idea!
I have never tailgated either, nor have I ever been to a college football game. MIT’s team was division three and I don’t think anyone even knew when their games were held. From what I can tell, though, potato skins are a CLASSIC football indulgence. That and nachos.
I love that you used sweet potatoes and black beans on these!
Yummie snacks!!! I so love your lovely flavours!!!
Such delicious treats!! Love the black bean sauce. Don’t feel bad – I’ve never tailgated either!
Yum. Sweet potato skins would be so much more flavorful than regular potato skins.
Sweet potatoes! Genius.
Life without tailgating!! Oh no! Football fan or not, you’ve definitely mastered the snacking aspect!
I LOVE your blog… Great fun. I actually found you with the rice ball post from yesterday, but wanted to be current for my forst comment.
Well done, i will be following you!
Those look awesome with cheddar, beans & bacon! Definitely perfect for a football sunday!
YUM! These look great! Love the turkey bacon of course
I only know it’s football season because of my husband, the huge Bears Fan! I made him a game day treat today too!
COME OVER to my kitchen please! I shall welcome you with WIDE open arms! these look SO freaking good! Not a big fan of football, so I shall do my cheering for these little babies!
I adore sweet potatoes, and I’m always scheming about new uses for them. I’m drinking a gin and tonic at the moment, and I really wish a plate of these were sitting next to me…
love the idea
i love sweet potato!! shud try this sometime sooner!
cheers!
Delicious…Slurp!
Just wait ’til you have some boys of your own. You’ll know all about the various sports’ seasons and when they start and end. Whether you want to or not. My twins boys have programed all the TVs to come n to ESPN.
These look yummy. I love loaded anything.
~ingrid
I like this version of potato skins! This is a great mix of toppings. I don’t watch foot ball either.
Great recipe! I’ve been buying organic sweet potatoes, so I don’t mind using the skins. Can’t wait to try these.
I agree, loaded potato skins go perfectly with football. I posted that on Super Bowl Sunday (but without a recipe). Yours is one I am gonna try! Roz
I like your addition of black beans on the potato skins! I bet these are freakin good!
Yum! These are calling my name – they look perfectly delicious.
I just found your blog and I love it! You’ve got so many interesting recipes
-Mini Baker
These look heavenly! I love black beans and with bacon and sweet potatoes–even better.
I figured out I just can’t comment at work. The computers are retarded up there anyway!
We didn’t have a football team… too many computer nerds 😉 But I do love my Giants. These look like a sure winner!
Now that’s a reason to watch football.
Couldn’t think of a better way to enjoy a gin and tonic!
I love the black bean sauce in these! They look so tasty!
What a great idea. They look so delicious!
Ooooh – what a fabulous idea!! I love sweet potatoes, not a huge fan of regular potatoes (weird, I know!), so this is really for me. Yum!!
Awesome game time treat,not to mention so nutritious:D
I love sweet potatoes and black beans together-what a great appetizer! I am going to have to try this- they look wonderful
what a nice combination. and i love that these can easily be made vegetarian.
This looks fabulous! I love these types of appetizers at restaurants! Glad to have a recipe so I can make them at home!
Kerstin, this sweet and savory taste from the filling sounds so good. Such a fab idea!
Awesome. Delish but healthful.
Thanks everyone! These are perfect to enjoy with a beer, whether football is on or not
yeah, these are definitely loaded, but instead of the usual sour cream drek that’s usually used, you’ve done something much more appealing. black beans are one of my FAVORITE foods, so i’m immediately a major fan of what you created!
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