My husband is a big inspiration to me. He made a resolve to take his fitness seriously, and keeps me on the right track when I am tempted to go off the rails. As I was searching online for dinner inspiration, he looked over my shoulder and said, “OOH, I want THAT!” It sounded weird and unappetizing to me, but I humored him and made it anyway. What was it? Sweet Potato Pizzas!
And boy am I glad I listened to him! Whether you are craving pizza or just want a healthy, fun side dish, this is the way to go! For the sweet potatoes, choose medium-sized ones that are not too skinny. They should be about the size of your hand. I recommend using Italian sausage, because the fennel seed adds a fantastic contrast to the sweet potato. Use any toppings you like – kids love pepperoni! In the summer, I microwave the sweet potatoes and then finish them in the toaster oven, but you can do the whole thing in your regular oven if you like.
We eat these as a side dish, with a salad and baked chicken breasts. Take a chance, like I did, and try this tonight!
Sweet Potato Pizzas
(Makes 2 servings)
Ingredients:
- 2 medium — large sweet potatoes
- 1 cup tomato sauce, canned or homemade
- 1/2 pound ground Italian sausage
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 small can sliced black olives
Directions:
- Wash the sweet potatoes. Scrape off any eyes or weirdness on the outside, then poke several times with a fork. Wrap in a slightly damp dish towel and microwave until done. (My microwave takes about 6 – 10 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes. You’ll know they’re done when you can squeeze them and they yield to your hand – kind of squishy inside.) Remove from the microwave, unwrap and let cool a bit.
- While the sweet potatoes are cooking, crumble the sausage into a frying pan. Cook until no longer pink. Drain away any grease, then add the tomato sauce. Heat over low heat until the sauce is hot.
- Slice the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. Place them on a foil-lined baking sheet, and mash up the insides. (I kind of cut-and-fluff them.) Spoon half the sausage-sauce mixture over each potato. Cover with shredded mozzarella, then sprinkle with black olives. Bake or broil until the cheese melts. Serve hot!
Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana
To view even more of Dana’s unique recipes, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!
