Fun Food Friday - sweet potatoes!

Thanks to the beautiful weather we have been having, I really miss the beach. A lot. I never made it there last summer, or in the sun much at all, because I was on some crazy medicine that basically forbid sun exposure. But, when I have traveled to the beach over the years we typically went to Destin. Our vacation would always consist of a meal (or two) at The Back Porch. As my side dish at T.B.P., I would always order the twice baked potato. YUM! It was amazing. Lots of cheese, white potato, sour cream....all mixed together in a warmed goodness. It really was the best twice baked potato I had ever had.
Now, let me connect the dots....beautiful weather = beach = twice baked potato; therefore, I have really been craving a twice baked potato lately. Problem is, I don't eat cheese, white potato's or sour cream anymore. What's a girl to do? Why, make a twice baked SWEET potato! I have no idea why this thought has never occurred to me before. But seriously, it never crossed my mind that I even COULD make a twice baked sweet potato. But that's exactly what I did, and it was divine. Really. Absolutely wonderful. So wonderful, in fact, that I had only planned on eating half of it for dinner - and I ended up eating the whole thing.  Oops :-)


Ingredients:

• 3 sweet potatoes
• 6 strip's of bacon, diced (high quality!)
• 1 cup basil leaves (fresh is best!)
• 4 Tbsp EVOO
• 1/4 cup dry roasted almonds
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 Tbsp cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Cook the sweet potatoes. I always buy the microwavable kind and zap them for a handful of minutes, but some people are crazy and think microwaves will kill them and would rather use the oven. That's fine. Preheat it to 425 degrees, poke holes in the S.P. and cook for approx 30 minutes. *Even if you choose the microwave method, you still need the oven preheated to 425.*
2. While the S.P. is cooking, throw diced bacon in a skillet and cook until crispy. Once done, remove skillet from heat
3. Add basil and almonds to your food processor (invest in one!) and pulse until  almost combined. Slowly add in olive oil and pulse continuously until well combined. Then add your lemon juice and salt/pepper and pulse a few more times.
4. When the S.P.'s are done cooking, let them cool until you are able to handle them. Slice the sweet potato lengthwise and remove flesh. Try not to tear the skin away. 
5. Put the inside's of the S.P.'s in the pan with the bacon. Mash and mix together. Add cinnamon and basil pesto. Combine well. 
6. Scoop the sweet potato mix back into the sweet potato skins and top with a little extra cinnamon, if you'd like.
7. Put the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and pop in the oven for 9 minutes.
8. Consume

I did snap a picture, but showing it wouldn't have done it justice. Just believe me when I say, again, how amazing it was. This is a recipe that was adapted from Juli at PaleOMG! And if anyone wants to head to the beach, lake, or pool, just let me know! :) Until next time, Happy Friday!