Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos

This is another recipe that I’ve been making for awhile…I bookmarked it back in 2012. I actually have no idea where I got it, but it is a wonderful vegetarian meal that I have put into my regular dinner rotation. The combination of the sweet potatoes and the black beans is so different and interesting. You might think it sounds strange, but it’s incredible! Even though the sweet potato takes a long time to roast, once that’s done this recipe comes together very quickly. And I know it doesn’t look very appetizing…but trust me, it’s worth trying!

Serves: about 8 small tacos

Time: 1 hour to roast the potato, then about 15 minutes to cook the rest of the recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 medium sweet potatoes
• 1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained, then mashed with a fork or potato masher
• 1/2 Tbsp canola oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup bell pepper, finely chopped (any color)
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
• about 2-3 Tbsp water
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• corn tortillas (I like the corn and flour combination tortillas from Trader Joe’s because they don’t break apart like regular corn tortillas do!)
• salt & pepper

Directions:

1) Bake the potato: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Bake the sweet potatoes for about an hour. I like to wrap mine in foil and bake it right on the oven rack, but you can also put them on a rimmed baking sheet. You want them to get really sweet, so that they are almost oozing and caramelizing a little bit. While this is baking, you can prep your other ingredients. When the potatoes are done, peel and mash them, then keep them warm.

2) Heat up a large skillet and add your oil. When it flows like water, add your onions and peppers. Saute until the onions are almost translucent, then add your garlic. Cook until the onions are translucent and the peppers are soft.

3) Add a pinch of salt, then add the mashed beans and 2 Tbsp water. Stir and cook until heated through. If it seems dry you can add a couple more tablespoons of water as needed.

4) Add the soy sauce, dijon, cumin, and cayenne, and stir. Everything should be smooth and creamy. Add a little more water if it’s really dry.

5) If your sweet potatoes need to be warmed up a bit, you can push the bean mixture to the side and add the sweet potatoes to the other side of the skillet. If you like your tortillas warmed up, you can do that in a microwave or nonstick skillet, or in the warm oven, which is what I usually do. You can always check the label of your tortillas for what they recommend.

6) To assemble the tacos, put equal amounts bean mixture & sweet potato in each taco. (Or you can change the ratio if you like.) If you want to add hot sauce, feel free, but I think the flavors are perfect as is!