What a delicious side dish this is!  It would grace any holiday table and in fact in might become the star of the meal.

Roasted Grape Filled Sweet Potatoes

Servings: 4-8

Ingredients:

  • 4 medium sweet potatoes
  • 2 cups seedless  grapes
  • 2-3 tablespoons maple or agave syrup

for the vegan cheese sauce:

  • 8 ounces plain soy yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons cashew butter
  • 1 teaspoon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon miso
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • dash nutmeg
  • splash lemon juice
  • pinch sugar
  • dash black pepper
  • splash Tabasco

Roasted Grape Filled Sweet Potatoes with Vegan Cheese Sauce and Maple Syrup

Directions:

to bake the potatoes and grapes:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F / 177 C.
  2. Wash the potatoes and dry.
  3. Prick the outside skins overall with a fork and make a large X on the top side of each potato.
  4. Lightly oil a cookie sheet or prepare with baking parchment, as the potatoes will drip some liquid as they bake.
  5. We did not wrap them in aluminum foil as it is not good for the environment, and not really needed to cook the potatoes.
  6. Bake the potatoes in the oven for about 40-60  minutes (depending on size and thickness) or until they are soft.
  7. Twenty minutes before the potatoes are done, wash the grapes, remove from the stems and place in an oven proof baking dish.
  8. Drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons cooking oil a pinch of salt and pepper and bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until they have popped and become soft.

While the potatoes and grapes are baking make the vegan cheese sauce.

to make the vegan cheese sauce:

  1. Place the soy yogurt in a cheesecloth lined, fine sieve, over a bowl.
  2. Allow the soy yogurt to drain for half an hour.
  3. After the liquid has drained off from the soy yogurt, place it in a bowl.
  4. Add the cashew butter and mix well.
  5. Add the miso and other ingredients and mix well.
  6. Season to taste with additional salt if you feel it is needed.
  7. Place in the refrigerator until needed.

to assemble the dish:

  1. Remove the potatoes and grapes from the oven.
  2. Allow to slightly cool, then slice in half.
  3. Place the halves on a plate “loosen” the inner flesh of the potato slightly, add 2 or 3 dollops of the vegan soy cheese mixture and drop a few grapes on top and on the side as well.
  4. Lightly drizzle with maple syrup or agave.
  5. Serve warm.