Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos

We found this recipe a few weeks ago, and I decided to make it for lunch today. It was pretty refreshing, and I enjoyed it even though I'm not the biggest sweet potato fan. It's also vegetarian, and vegan if you go cheeseless.

I didn't have fresh poblano, so I just seasoned it with paprika and a dash of cayenne, which took out a bit of the bright crunch that would have taken the dish to another level, but it was still delicious. I subbed in whole wheat tortillas for health and green onions instead of yellow onions to suit my tastes. I also added a bit of carrot I had left over from the cheesy quinoa bites I made as a side dish, and they added a nice crunch. Make sure you drain the black beans, or the taco filling will become more of a paste instead of a medley. Original recipe here.

1 large sweet potato

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt, fresh ground pepper, chili powder, and cumin, to taste
1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup green onion, minced
4 whole grain tortillas

1/3 cup diced poblano pepper
Hand-shredded cheese

Optional garnishes:
Shredded lettuce or cabbage
Sliced avocado
Lime wedges for squeezing.
Cilantro
Sour cream

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Dice the sweet potatoes, leaving the skin on, and toss on a baking sheet with the olive oil until lightly coated. Season to taste with the salt, pepper, and chili powder, and cumin. 

3. Roast the sweet potatoes for 15-30 minutes (depending on size of dice), stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown.
4. Meanwhile, saute the green onion for 5 minutes. Add the poblano and saute for an additional 3 minutes. Stir in the black beans until heated through. 

5. Stir in the sweet potato, taste, and adjust seasoning.

6. Spoon onto the tortillas and top with shredded cheese and your choice of garnishes. (I used shredded lettuce and cilantro.)

Serves two to four.

Don't forget to roooooooll it up!

Quesadillas

My Aunt Judi taught me this recipe last summer. It's pretty quick and easy, and the salsa, avocado, and zucchini give the quesadillas this amazingly fresh, healthy taste while the whole grains and mushrooms keep it filling. Plus, it's super tasty.

The only thing that takes a while is roasting the bell pepper and waiting for it to cool. If you like, you can roast and peel it beforehand and save it in the fridge until you're ready, but it's way better fresh, in my opinion.

If you have a meat lover in your life (like my Uncle Norm) or just want a protein boost, you can throw in some sliced or shredded cooked chicken, but otherwise, this recipe is vegetarian. That's one of the nice things about quesadillas-- pleasing picky eaters is easy, just swap out the fillings.

4 whole grain tortillas
3/4 cup shredded cheese (I like sharp cheddar)
1 zucchini
4 cremini mushrooms
1/4 c fresh salsa
1 orange or red bell pepper
cilantro, fresh or dried
1 cooked chicken breast, seasoned and sliced or shredded (optional)
fresh sliced avocado or guacamole (optional)

1. Cut the pepper in half and remove the stem and seeds. Place on aluminum foil and roast in an oven or toaster oven at 450 for about 30 minutes. Set aside to cool. Once cool, peel off the skin of the pepper and slice the flesh.
2. Meanwhile, remove the stem from the mushrooms and slice the caps and the zucchini (about 1/4 inch thick).
3. Once all veggies are prepped, heat a skillet over medium-high heat on the stove until a drop of water sizzles in the pan.
4. Place a tortilla in the pan and sprinkle half of its surface with cheese. Add zucchini, mushroom, bell pepper, and chicken (if desired) in a single layer on top of the cheese.
5. Drizzle with salsa, sprinkle with cilantro, and then add a second layer of cheese over the top. Carefully fold tortilla closed, and flip to the other side with a spatula. Cook for 30-60 seconds longer, allowing cheese to melt. The tortilla should be golden brown on both sides.
6. Remove quesadilla from pan and slice. Repeat 3 times.
7. Optional: Top with fresh avocado or guacamole.

Serves two.

I want fish in mine!

Happy Birthday, Tessa!