Meatless Supper Club Meal #6 - SW Sweet Potato Chickpea Casserole

There are tons of reasons to love this recipe. First of all it's super quick to put it together. It takes a while to bake (a little over an hour) but only about 10 minutes of active work by you! Aside from a sweet potato I usually have all the other ingredients in the cupboards, so it doesn't require extra grocery store excursions. Plus it is super easy to double or triple the recipe and it freezes really well. I always at least make a double batch and save one dish for the following week.

It's pretty simple to adjust the spices based on the taste of your family. The little mouths in our family tend to prefer things not so spicy so we rarely add the red peppers and if we do we just add a tiny bit. Of course you could always go the other way and add some extra zing as well. The chickpeas are my kids favorite element to this dish so we sometimes add an extra handful.

This dish has always gotten a big thumbs up from parents and kiddos alike. It has even been requested by friends, vegetarians and meat lovers. It's a nice alternative dish when you are looking for a Southwest flavor.

Check out the Meatless Supper Club over at Enviromom for more delicious meal ideas.



Ingredients:
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 jar salsa
1 16 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 can corn
1 1/2 cups crushed yellow corn tortilla chips
1 medium white onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 cup cheese, grated (any variety of cheddar will do)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
fresh chopped cilantro (optional)

Directions:
Combine all ingredients; reserve a small handful of cheese. Spread into a shallow casserole dish. Cover with lid or foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil, stir, and top with remaining cheese. Bake another 20 minutes or so, until the sweet potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork. (Watch carefully, as the top will get crispy fairly quick, and you may need to stir occasionally to prevent burning.)

If desired, sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro right before serving.