STUFFED SWEET POTATOES WITH BALSAMIC-DATE GLAZE

I love sweet potatoes, one of the healthiest foods on the planet. The purple ones are the best, and you can usually find them at Asian markets and specialty natural groceries. They’re so good I send them out in the mail as holiday gifts. After all, what is more comforting on a wintry day than a nice, warm, steamy sweet potato? Here’s a recipe for a stocking stuffer you can stuff.

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Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C/gas mark 6. Place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or baking parchment. Prick each potato with a fork in two or three places and bake until tender, about 1 hour.

Step 2

When the potatoes are done baking, transfer them to a work surface and allow to cool slightly. Cut each sweet potato in half lengthwise and scoop out the insides of the potatoes into a bowl, leaving about ¼ inch/5mm of potato attached to the skin. Add the peas and chives and mix well. Spoon the mixture into each half and return the stuffed sweet potatoes to the oven for about 15 minutes to heat through. Sprinkle with almonds, drizzle with Balsamic-Date Glaze, add a few grinds of black pepper to taste, and serve hot.

Step 3

PEAS Like edamame, raw English peas (also known as shell or garden peas) can be a great au naturel snack. I fell in love with peas in the pod when I first picked them off the vine at a farm my brother and I spent time on one summer as kids. They were like candy. Every year, I look forward to the few weeks I can find them fresh. The rest of the year, sugar snap peas can substitute as a good vegetable finger food.

Step 4

Daily Dozen Foods X OTHER VEGETABLES X NUTS AND SEEDS

Step 5

MAKES: ABOUT 1 CUP/250ML • DIFFICULTY: easy Drizzle this rich sauce over Stuffed Sweet Potatoes (here), your favorite roasted vegetables or grain dishes, salads and fruits, such as watermelon or strawberries.

Step 6

Soften the dates by soaking in warm water for about 10 minutes. In a blender, combine the dates and their soaking water with the balsamic vinegar. Blend until smooth.

Step 7

Transfer the mixture to a small saucepan and bring to a boil; then reduce the heat to low. Simmer on low until the glaze is reduced and thickened, stirring frequently.

Step 8

DATES Growing up, I never liked dates. I thought they were dry and kind of waxy. But then I discovered there were soft, plump, moist varieties that didn’t taste like the chalky ones I remembered. Bahri dates – my favorite – are wet and sticky, and when frozen, acquire the taste and chew of caramel candy. Dates are healthy, too: a 2009 study found that eating four to five dried dates per day may improve the antioxidant power of your bloodstream while bringing down triglyceride levels.