March is Orange Month with Yam Boats with Chickpeas, Chard and Cashew Dill Sauce

March Cooking By Color – Orange

Orange you glad it’s March? Hehe. I can’t believe how fast the year is going! It’s running away from me and I can’t seem to catch up! But hey it’s another month and another color here on the blog. We’ll be cooking from the orange family of foods and boy do we have some delicious things planned for you!

What are your favorite orange foods?

So orange foods have a wealth of health properties! They are most well known for their vitamin C and beta-carotene content, which are linked to building strong immunity, fighting cancer, are great for eye health, protects skin from aging, and protects against cardiovascular disease. Should you be eating orange foods everyday? YES!

Yams in particular come in over 200 varieties! Yams and sweet potatoes are often mistaken for each other so we will just throw them in the same category. Not only are they a good source of vitamin C then are high in vitamin B6 and potassium.  And they are naturally sweet! So if you are trying to get off sugar it’s a good idea to up the sweet vegetables in your diet.

I got the idea for a yam boat from Kasey at PowerCakes on Instagram who does some cool stuff with Heather of For The Love Of Kale. Their yam boat recipe looks awesome too. You should totally follow them and their blogs for super awesome inspiration!

I hope you enjoy my creation. It’s probably the best thing I’ve made in a long time and so easy. After making this my mind went wild on all the different fillings and yam boats I could make. I’ve been eating them many times a week since! Endless possibilities here. Feel free to up or change the spices and it you want to make the filling spicy throw in some cayenne to the filling!

Yam Boats with Chickpeas, Chard and Cashew Dill Sauce
Makes 1 large serving

1 large sweet potato/yam
1/4 cup veggie broth or water
1 tablespoon chopped shallot
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Pinch sea salt
1 cup packed chopped chard
1 cup cooked chickpeas
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Cashew Dill Sauce
1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked 1 hour
1/4 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk + 2 tablespoons
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Sea salt, if needed

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut yam in half and place on a lined cookie sheet face down. Bake for about 25 minutes until fork tender. Meanwhile, make your filling and the Cashew Dill Sauce.

For the filling, heat up a skillet with veggie broth until bubbly. Add the shallot, salt and spices and saute for a few minutes. Add in chard and chickpeas and cover with lid. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Scrape out most the innards of the yam and stir into the greens mixture. Season with sea salt and pepper as needed.

For the sauce, blend in a blender or food processor until well combined (I use my Magic Bullet since it’s a small amount). Season to taste. To serve: fill up the yam boats with the filling and drizzle cashew dill sauce on top. Serve immediately.

What are some things you want to fill your yam boat with? Share with us in the comments!