Baked Stuffed Sweet Potatoes With Chickpeas and Cheddar
Baked stuffed potatoes are an easy, weeknight crowd-pleaser, but the starchy white spud can quickly become a fat trap when you pile on sour cream and loads of cheese. Sweet potatoes are full of beta-carotene A, plus they pack more fiber. The chickpeas also provide a healthy dose of fat.

4 sweet potatoes or garnet yams
2 cups chickpeas, cooked (from scratch, or canned if you must!)
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, freshly grated if possible—or better yet, goat-milk cheddar cheese (my favorite)
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp dried parsley
Dash of oregano
Dash of cayenne pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Prick sweet potatoes with a fork and bake for about 45 minutes to an hour, or until tender. Remove from oven and set aside.

2. Heat the chickpeas in a pot on the stove and add seasonings (plus salt and pepper). When hot, remove from stove and mix in the cheese, gently mashing the chickpeas with the back of a fork and mixing until the cheese has semi-melted in with the beans.

3. Slice each sweet potato open down the center and gently mash up center. Scoop a half cup of chickpea mixture into center of each potato and serve.

Grilled Chicken Sausage Dogs With Caramelized Onions and Peppers
Every kid loves hot dogs—but parents generally don’t love all the chemicals and fat that come with them. Try this healthy spin on a kiddie classic. I bet they’ll love this version even more!

4 chicken sausage links, preferably organic and all natural (Trader Joe’s makes some good ones!)
4 whole-wheat hot dog buns (I use Ezekiel sprouted wheat buns)
1 onion, sliced thin
1 tbsp olive oil
2 bell peppers, green and red, sliced thin
Ketchup, mustard, hot sauce

1. Prepare grill (or, alternately, you could cook the sausage in simmering water) and place hot dog buns in foil and set in a 300° oven to keep warm.

2. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a skillet. Add onions and peppers and cook on medium/low for about 15 minutes or until golden and caramelized. Remove from heat and set aside.

3. While onions are cooking, grill chicken sausage. Prepare each hot dog with onions, pepper, and condiments.

Read Jenna’s daily food and fitness blog, Eat, Live, Run.