Sweet Potato Chickpea Bowls

INGREDIENTS

For the Sweet Potatoes:

• 20 oz (2 bags) Stahlbush Island Farms frozen chopped sweet potatoes
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp salt

For the Chickpeas:

• 15 oz chickpeas
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp raw sesame seeds
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• pinch of red chili flakes, optional

For the Sesame Ginger Sauce:

• 4 tbsp tahini
• 3 tbsp soy sauce (or sodium reduced) use tamari to make it gluten-free
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp ginger, minced or microplaned
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

For the Noodles and Fresh Vegetables:

• 8 oz rice noodles
• 1 English cucumber, sliced
• 8 radishes, sliced
• 2 avocados, sliced
• handful of cilantro, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

• For the Sweet Potatoes:
  • Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  • Toss the sweet potatoes with olive oil, maple syrup and salt on a parchment lined (or greased) large baking sheet. Make sure they are well coated and that the pieces are not touching each other. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
• For the Chickpeas:
  • For crispy seasoned chickpeas: On a separate unlined baking sheet, (or the same one as the sweet potatoes if your baking sheet is big enough) toss the chickpeas with the oil, sesame seeds, spices and salt. Bake for 20 minutes, tossing once. If you like them crispier, bake 5-10 minutes longer. If baking these at the same time as the sweet potatoes, set the oven racks so they are arranged as far apart as possible to prevent the bottom tray from steaming.
  • For softer seasoned chickpeas: Toss the chickpeas with the oil, sesame seeds, spices and salt in a bowl. Wrap them up in a piece of tin foil and place them on the baking sheet with the sweet potatoes for 20 minutes.
• For the Sauce:
  • While the sweet potatoes and chickpeas are roasting, cook your noodles according to the package directions. Do not overcook – for rice noodles, I recommend cooking them a minute or 2 less than most package directions . Drain and rinse with cold water to remove the starches and to stop the cooking. Toss with a bit of oil if not serving immediately to prevent them from sticking together as they sit.
• For the Sauce:
  • Whisk all of the ingredients together in a bowl, or shake together in a jar. The thickness of tahini varies between brands – if your tahini is a bit thicker, you can add a bit of water to get the desired consistency. Add the water in 1 tablespoon increments so you don’t over-dilute it.
• To serve:
  • Toss the noodles with the sauce (use 3/4 to start and then taste before adding the rest). For each bowl, top the noodles with roasted sweet potatoes, chickpeas, the sliced veggies and cilantro.
  • Keep leftovers refrigerated up to 5 days, storing the fresh veggies in a separate container to prevent sogginess. The sauce freezes well on its own.