1. Preheat oven 200°C fan forced. Scrub the sweet potatoes under water with a clean brush. Pat dry. Pierce them all over, at least 8 times with a fork. Rub the skins all over with oil and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

2. Put onto an oven tray and roast 40-55 minutes or until they are tender all the way through to the centre.

3. Meanwhile for the spiced rice and quinoa, heat the rice and quinoa following packet directions. Combine oil, lemon rind, juice and spice blend in a large bowl, season then whisk until well combined. Add the warm rice and quinoa and raisins, stir to combine. Just before serving stir in the almonds, olives and parsley.

4. Split the sweet potatoes down the centre with a sharp knife and ease open. Spoon in spiced rice and quinoa salad. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil to serve.

Tips

Un-pitted olives have much better flavour. To pit, place olives one at a time onto a board, set the flat side of a cooks knife on top, and press down on the knife with the palm of your hand. The force splits open the olive and frees the pit. Wipe the knife blade often as it gets oily and slippery.

To get maximum juice from your lemons heat whole lemon in the microwave for 15-20 seconds, removing it once the skin is warm to the touch. The lemon should not be hot to hold, though. The active water molecules make the flesh softer and weaker, which makes the lemon easier to squeeze and the membranes holding the juice easier to burst.