Creamy Spinach Sweet Potato Skins
A classic with a twist, these sweet potato skins swap out regular white potatoes for the more nutritious sweet version.
On top of which, they pack in a protein punch in the form of cottage cheese (or make it less protein-y but more creamy and smooth by choosing sour cream), and there is barely noticeable but highly nutritious spinach to factor in, too.
What is more, these are beautifully sweet and inoffensive, making them a great nutritious dinner for kids (and adults!).
You can choose to use fresh spinach if you like, but part of my aim in developing this recipe was coming up with something that was not only nutritious, but also really affordable, which the end result most definitely is!
Our family nearly always has a bag of frozen chopped spinach in the freezer. It is dirt cheap and the best bit about it is that it is barely noticeable in anything, so if you have any picky eaters or simply green-veg-skeptics in the house, this is a great way to include it in your family’s diet. Anytime I make any dish that involves a sauce, particularly a tomato sauce, I throw a few servings in. It breaks into tiny little pieces that are impossible to pick out of the sauce, and you can’t taste it. All of our family enjoys greens, but if one of the kids is going through a slightly pickier phase, this is my go-to to keep the greens packed into our meals. And it adds instant extra unnoticed nutrition to any meal. So (yay) bonus!
I do think my kids will eat virtually anything if I stuff it inside a sweet potato, so this is my nutritionally superior (and more tasty!) spin on potato skins or even jacket potatoes, that won’t leave you feeling bloated and heavy. A perfect weeknight meal that contains no sugar and costs pennies. Literally.
A twist on white potato skins packed with nutrition. Sugar and gluten free.
- 4 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed clean and pierced all over with a sharp knife
- olive oil
- sea salt
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese or sour cream
- 1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- fresh chopped coriander or parsley and crumbled feta, to serve
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Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas 6.
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Rub the sweet potatoes in a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of sea salt. Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 mins, or until soft all the way through.
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Allow to cool slightly, then halve lengthways and scoop out the sweet potato filling into a bowl, leaving just the skins. Drizzle in a tiny bit more oil and salt, then put the skins back into the oven and turn it down to 180C/350F/gas 4 for 10 mins while you make up the filling.
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Mash the sweet potato and mix with the thawed spinach and the sour cream or cottage cheese. Add the spices and season to taste.
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Fill the skins with the filling and put back in the oven or under the grill for 5 mins until heated through.
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Serve as a main (for 4 - it's great on its own or with salad and/or bread) or a side (for 8) sprinkled with seasoning, fresh herbs and feta, if you like.
