Happy October, friends! Isn’t October just the best? This month is always stupendously busy for us, and this year is no exception. We’ve got weddings and birthdays and events, oh my! Being busy with love-filled, fun-filled outings is a good problem to have. I’m excited to enjoy this beautiful month with everyone I love!
October is also so important in my family because it is Breast Cancer Awareness month. While I think there are a lot of worthy causes that need our attention, for me, the fight against breast cancer is a cause that is near and dear to my heart. My life has been touched so closely by breast cancer on so many occasions, and I’ve had the joy of witnessing firsthand the power research dollars have on a cancer patient’s life. So I’m a big advocate of the influx of awareness and research dollars in October.
That’s why I am really excited to announce to you guys that I will be partnering with Pink Ribbon Produce and Meijer during the month of October to showcase some delicious ways to use produce that makes a difference. Never heard of Pink Ribbon Produce? Well, let me give you the details on this amazing organization.
Pink Ribbon Produce works with growers of the produce you love (mushrooms! peppers! avocados! oh my!) and the grocery stores you love to shop at (Meijer! Harris Teeter! Price Chopper! oh my!) to raise awareness about the importance of a healthy diet in relation to cancer prevention.
In stores all this month, you’ll find educational materials, signage, and special packaging that explains the benefits of eating a veggie-packed diet. Did you know that the American Cancer Society recommends eating at least 2 1/2 cups of fruits and vegetables each day to help lower cancer risk?
And, the really unfortunate part, the CDC found that less that 9% of Americans eat that many vegetables in a day. There are a lot of things we can’t control when it comes to our cancer risk, but this is one thing the majority of us can fix right now. You can start eating more fruits and vegetables today. And start reducing your cancer risk. TODAY. Isn’t that amazing?
The awesomeness of the Pink Ribbon Produce campaign doesn’t stop with nutritional educational, though. In order to display the Pink Ribbon Produce information, stores and produce companies pledge direct donations to breast cancer awareness organizations. Pink Ribbon Produce has raised over half a million dollars since 2006! This year’s beneficiary is the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
The money goes to directly fund research, screenings, and eduction. That’s enough money to fund over 5,000 mammograms to women in need! If you see the iconic pink ribbon on that veggie you grabbed in the produce section, you can feel good that you are buying from a company who supports the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
The first recipe I’m sharing with you guys featuring Pink Ribbon Produce is one of our favorite ways to fancy-up baked sweet potatoes. These veggie-packed stuffed sweet potatoes are really filling, super flavorful, and even kid-friendly (ask my toddler who was shoveling the filling into her face by the fist-full the other night).
We usually serve these up as a side dish, but with a good-sized sweet potato, they’d also make for a wonderful vegetarian main dish. Heck, I even think something like this would make for an excellent vegetarian Thanksgiving main dish!
These stuffed sweet potatoes are made using Pink Ribbon Produce partners Highline Mushrooms and Pero Family Farms Mini Sweet Peppers! This combo gives these sweet potatoes such a meaty, rich tasty to them. I chose to use baby portabella mushrooms, but you are welcome to use the HighLine mushroom variety of your choice! Enjoy.
Portabella Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Up your side dish game with these veggie-packed Portabella Stuffed Sweet Potatoes. They feel fancy, but take less than a half hour to make!
Ingredients
- 4 medium sweet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 clove garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 12 ounces Highline Baby Portabella Mushrooms, chopped
- 4 Pero Family Farms Mini Sweet Peppers, diced
- Salt and pepper, to tasted
- 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°.
- Pierce the skin of the sweet potatoes three or four times with a fork, and then either cook in the microwave (on high, for 7-8 minutes) or the oven (for 20-30 minutes) until very soft and tender. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the garlic and onion, and cook until just tender and fragrant, about three minutes.
- Add in the mushrooms and sweet peppers, plus salt and pepper, and cook until all vegetables are tender, about eight minutes.
- Slice the cooked sweet potatoes lengthwise, and use a fork to fluff up the flesh. Place each fluffed sweet potato in a baking dish.
- Spoon the mushroom filling into each sweet potato, heaping on top. Sprinkle the cheese on top of the sweet potatoes.
- Bake in preheated oven for 7-10 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 servingAmount Per Serving: Calories: 312Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 308mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 6gSugar: 10gProtein: 12g
At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.
This post is sponsored by Pink Ribbon Produce. To learn more about Pink Ribbon Produce, visit their website or follow along on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. All content and opinions are my own.
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