How to Make Baked Sweet Potato with Lime, Sour Cream, & Crunchy Chickpeas

SERVINGS: 4

PREP TIME: 5 MINUTES

COOK TIME: 40 MINUTES

SKILL LEVEL: EASY

MEAL: LUNCH-DINNER

EAT IN: SPRING, AUTUMN-WINTER, SUMMER

How Does This Ayurvedic Recipe Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

From the softness of sweet potato, to the crunchiness of chickpeas, and the freshness of spring onion and citrusy sour cream, this is a recipe to delight the senses and satisfy the stomach. It is perfect for a filling yet light lunch.

This delicious, nourishing recipe contains all six of the Ayurvedic tastes (salty, sour, sweet, bitter, astringent, pungent), supporting true satisfaction and fewer cravings through the rest of the day.

Digestion-Supporting Toppings

Because of fiber, 75% of the chickpea remains undigested as it reaches the colon where it bulks stool and encourages healthy elimination. This makes these crunchy chickpeas a good option for those with fast digestion, loose stools or sluggish elimination.

Small but potent, the spices chosen for this recipe act as powerful digestive aids. Chili powder, paprika and cumin ignite the digestive system (agni) and encourage the movement of food through the digestive tract. Beyond this, fiery chili also acts as an anti-inflammatory painkiller, which might seem counterintuitive if your tongue and lips are experiencing its tingling effects!

Common black pepper, a hero spice in Ayurveda, is renowned for its ability to encourage healthy digestion, destroy mucus and expel gas. Combined, this spice mix allows those with more sluggish digestion to enjoy this hearty recipe without bogging down their system. The hot and spicy blend is particularly beneficial to those with a Kapha-dominant constitution which can often use a little invigoration. Meanwhile, Pitta people may do better by swapping out the hot spices for more cooling cilantro and fennel.

Finally the sourness of the dressing encourages gastric secretions which supports the effective breakdown of food all the way through the digestive tract.

Comforting and Nourishing

Sweet potato is a fulfilling choice. Baked with delicious digestive spices, it's easy-to-digest nourishment means it supports depleted Vata bodies.

Sweet potatoes are rich in complex carbohydrates, which means these tubers can satisfy the appetite for long stretches. This means it can even be enjoyed as a healthy carbohydrate by Kapha-dominant individuals due to it's lighter nature.

Chickpeas also offer a soothing, comfort food feeling. They have a higher amount of tryptophan than other legumes. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that helps to regulate sleep and emotions.

Chickpeas' astringency, and sweet potato are naturally cooling. However, fiery Pitta may want to minimize paprika, chili powder, and sour cream, as these all aggravate fire.

Supports Healthy Cholesterol and Blood Sugar Levels

Studies conducted on sweet potato show that it may be a good option for stabilizing blood sugar levels. This is because their relatively low glycemic index means they release sugar into the bloodstream slowly, unlike other starchy foods. This supports the body in controlling the blood sugar levels.

Sweet potato has also been shown to reduce cholesterol, particularly LDL and triglyceride levels.
Similarly, chickpeas are known to support healthy cholesterol levels, as is common with many high fiber foods. It is thought that this is linked to chickpeas' flushing effect on the gallbladder.

This makes these ingredients good options for those with high Kapha in the body as they may need support in balancing their blood sugar and cholesterol.

WHY EAT AN AYURVEDIC DIET?

Eating Ayurvedically makes you feel nourished and energized. An Ayurvedic diet is tailored to your individual body type and the specific imbalances you are working with at any given time. Ayurveda shows you your specific body type’s needs and what should be favored in your Ayurvedic menu. Watch as you eat less but feel more satisfied because what you are eating truly nourishes you. Since Ayurveda believes all disease begins in the digestive tract, food is your first medicine. By eating a healthy diet that’s ideal for your body, you experience optimal health.

LEARN MORE

Is Baked Sweet Potato with Lime, Sour Cream, & Crunchy Chickpeas Good for My Ayurvedic Diet?

Find out by taking this free, easy quiz. You'll learn your body type, and whether Baked Sweet Potato with Lime, Sour Cream, & Crunchy Chickpeas is a good fit for your body type. Time to complete: approximately 1 minute. What is the biocharacteristic theory of medicine?

INCREASES Increases These Biocharacteristics (Gunas) Functional Ayurveda helps you assess imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics (gunas). Aggravating these characteristics weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which characteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct imbalances before you get sick. Every characteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite characteristic. Learn More

HEAVY ABOUT HEAVY BIOCHARACTERISTIC Heavy is identified by sedation, sluggishness, or increased weight. LEARN MORE ABOUT HEAVY CLEAR ABOUT CLEAR BIOCHARACTERISTIC Clear refers to anything that cleanses or flushes out wastes, or that digests ama. LEARN MORE ABOUT CLEAR EASY ABOUT EASY BIOCHARACTERISTIC Easy refers to anything easy to digest, or digests quickly. LEARN MORE ABOUT EASY

DOSHAS The Three Doshas / Body Types According to the biocharacteristic theory of medicine, people tend to get sick, over and over again, due to habitual causes and imbalances that are unique to the person. Your body type summarizes this tendency, showing you the 'type' of conditions and imbalances that frequently challenge your health & wellness. Using body type, you can also identify remedies likely to improve your strength and resiliency. Your body type identifies physical and mental characteristics as well as your personal strengths and weaknesses. The calculation of your body type is based on your medical history. The 3 functional body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha). Catabolic individuals tend to break down body mass into energy. Metabolic individuals tend to burn or use energy. Anabolic individuals tend to store energy as body mass. Catabolic people tend to be easily stimulated, hyperactive, underweight and dry. Metabolic people tend to be rosy-cheeked, easily irritated, focused, driven, and easily inflamed. Anabolic people are heavy, stable and grounded, but if they store too much energy, they could gain weight easily and have congestion. Learn More

PACIFIES AGGRAVATES

Joyful Belly is a recognized school of biocharacteristics medicine.