Sweet Potato Boats with Turkey, Fennel and Mushrooms

These sweet potato boats are an easy go-to weeknight dinner.

If you know me, you know that I always have sweet potatoes in my kitchen; because

1. They keep for a long time,

2. I am always excited to eat them, and

3. I’ll always feel good about the choice.

I usually have them for lunch on the weekends, sliced up to make toast, and topped with avocado and tuna. Sometimes, I’ll slice them up, toss in a little avocado oil, and make oven fries, or I’ll cube them to use as a side dish for my weekly chicken meal. I have even in the past, made them for breakfast, and top with peanut butter and chocolate. But, to be honest, most of the time, I make what I like to call sweet potato boats.

This week, I felt adventurous, and opted to topping my sweet potato with a little bit of ground turkey spiced with cinnamon, and cumin, and a bunch of mushrooms.

These super easy boats never take longer than half an hour to prepare, and are an easy go-to weeknight dinner. Steam the sweet potatoes while you sauté the mushrooms with spiced ground turkey, quick-pickle fennel and onions, and dinner is ready!

The pickled fennel adds a nice crunch with acidity, that balances out that earthy richness with a pop of brightness, and gets some more vegetables into my bowl.

My recipe serves 5 (4 if you're super hungry) — because if you’re making one you might as well make enough for everyone else. You can assemble it all right away, or you can store the elements separately in the fridge and reassemble at a later time (tomorrow, for your second dinner, whatever really).

I’m never mad about eating this one two nights in a row. It’s warm and comforting and so beautiful, and it’s all mine.

SWEET POTATO BOATS WITH TURKEY, FENNEL AND MUSHROOMS

Serves 4-5

INGREDIENTS

1. ½ tsp sea salt

2. 2 large sweet potatoes (about 2 lb.), halved lengthwise

• 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced

• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

• ½ cup apple cider or unseasoned rice vinegar

• 6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

• 1 lb ground turkey

• 2 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 16 oz wild mushrooms, sliced into ¼" slices

• 4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

2. On a large baking sheet, place the sweet potato with cut side down. Roast for 25-30 minutes, until soft.

3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss sliced fennel, onion, vinegar, and ¼ tsp. salt. Let sit, tossing occasionally (10-30 minutes).

4. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add turkey, cumin, cinnamon, and ½ tsp. salt and press into an even layer. Cook, undisturbed, until well browned on the bottom (about 4 minutes). Break up into pieces with a wooden spoon and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 1–2 minutes.

5. Push mixture to one side of skillet and add mushrooms in an even layer; season with salt. Cook, undisturbed, until beginning to brown and soften (about 3 minutes).

6. Stir together with turkey mixture. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are golden brown, about 2 minutes.

7. To assemble, divide potato halves between bowls and mash slightly with a fork. Top with mushroom mixture. Lift the fennel and onion out of the vinegar and scatter over bowls; discard vinegar. Top with fennel fronds.

Serve and enjoy!

NOTES

You can use any type of ground meat that you'd like. I can imagine that this would also be good with a meat alternative like seitan.

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