Step 1

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Step 2

Poke fork holes into the sweet potatoes, then rub a bit of oil onto each one. Place them on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes, or until very tender.

Step 3

While the sweet potatoes are in the oven, make the rest of the items.

Step 4

Sauté diced onion in a saucepan on medium heat. When tender, add the garlic, mushrooms, wild rice blend, rosemary, thyme and vegetable broth. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer. Place a lid over the pan, keeping it ajar, and cook for 30 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Season with salt and pepper and add more to taste if necessary. Set aside and keep warm until ready to fill sweet potatoes.

Step 5

Once the cooked sweet potatoes are out of the oven and cool enough to handle, cut them in half. Scoop out the center of each sweet potato––about half of the flesh––and set it aside.

Step 6

Into a blender add the roasted red pepper, 2 tbsp of sweet potato, garlic, smoked paprika, lemon juice, and salt. While it blends, pour in the olive oil.

Step 7

Toss the pecans with olive oil, rosemary, garlic powder, and salt.

Step 8

Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Roast pecans for 10 minutes, or until fragrant and golden.

Step 9

Assembling the sweet potatoes: Fill the scooped out sweet potatoes with the wild rice filling, and top with red pepper sauce. Serve with herb roasted pecans.