Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Scrub sweet potatoes clean. Pierce each potato several times with a fork. Rub lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place directly on an oven rack or on a baking sheet. Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until very tender when pierced with a fork.

While potatoes bake, prepare the u0022Max Flavoru0022 filling. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until deeply browned and no pink remains. Browning is key for flavor. Drain any excess fat.

Reduce heat to medium. Add chopped onion to the skillet and cook for 5-7 minutes until softened and translucent, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Add chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika (if using), cayenne pepper (if using), salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. This step, called blooming the spices, is crucial for unlocking their full aromatic potential and deepening the flavor of the filling.

Stir in the tomato paste. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes, allowing it to slightly caramelize and develop a richer, less acidic flavor. This adds incredible depth.

Pour in the water or broth, scraping up any remaining browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer and let it cook for 5 minutes, allowing all the flavors to meld together into a rich sauce.

Stir in the frozen green peas and cook for 2-3 minutes until heated through. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Remove from heat.

Once sweet potatoes are cooked, carefully slice each potato in half lengthwise. Scoop out most of the soft flesh into a bowl, leaving a thin border attached to the skin to maintain the potato's shape. Mash the scooped-out sweet potato flesh with a fork.

Add about 1/2 cup of the prepared meat and pea filling to the mashed sweet potato flesh. Mix gently to combine. This adds another layer of flavor and texture to the potato base.

Spoon the mashed sweet potato and filling mixture back into the potato skins, creating a generous mound. Top each stuffed sweet potato with additional meat and pea filling.

Garnish each stuffed sweet potato with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt and a sprinkle of fresh chopped cilantro before serving.