TACOS +SWEET POTATOES=LOVE
You know you love tacos. That’s a given. Let’s just acknowledge that we want to eat tacos and nachos every night. These are trying times. A mouthful of spicy, savory taco goodness goes a long way toward comforting the soul. For even more comfort, I took away the shells and swapped in a soft, lovable sweet potato. Taco sweet potatoes are the comfort food I want, right now.
Taco sweet potatoes are the ultimate meal prep, too, giving you even more to love about this recipe. Just throw the sweet potatoes in the oven when it’s convenient, and keep them in the fridge until you are ready to taco.
Best Mashup Ever: Taco Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are a go-to in Fall, as we crave the grounding energy of root vegetables, and that creamy sweetness of the orange tuber. As you can see, sweet potatoes aren’t just orange anymore. The Stokes Purple is available in most grocery stores, these days, after a few years of being hard to find. I’ve been obsessed with them for years, you can check out my Purple Sweet Potato Pie, Purple Sweet Potato Gnocchi, and even Hasselback Purple Sweet Potatoes. The deep purple pigments really make a splash on the plate.
Sweet potatoes are perfect for these anxious times, because they are comforting, and also help build immunity. The abundant carotenoids in orange sweet potatoes convert to Vitamin A in the body, helping boost your immune system. Fiber, antioxidants, it’s all in a sweet potato.
This is one of those recipes that is so easy, you won’t need a recipe after you make it once. It’s also a good one to keep in your back pocket (or pinterest board) and then roast some sweet potatoes every weekend. You might make this, or use them in any of the many delicious recipes that make the most of their goodness, like these Cranberry Sweet Potato Scones.
For your taco sweet potatoes, you’ll just scoop out about half of the flesh, chop it, and saute the white parts of your scallions. Garlic, black beans, spices, and in minutes, you have a savory filling to stuff back into your sweet potato skins. Bake them or microwave them as you make the quick salsa, and top with melty cheez.
You can add more heat, of course, and if you have already had beans every day this week, sub in some ground “beef” crumbles or minced seitan.
Above all, you are engaging in the tastiest form of self-care, in the form of a taco sweet potato.
Brava for you!
Taco Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 small sweet potatoes 8 ounces apiece
Salsa
- 2 large yellow tomatoes chopped
- 2 large jalapenos chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro torn
- 4 large scallions chopped, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Filling
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 cups cooked black beans drained
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 4 ounces non-dairy cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. Place the sweet potatoes on a sheet pan, and pierce the top of each with a paring knife. Bake for about 30 minutes, until tender when pierced with a paring knife. Take out and let cool on a rack. Can be done up to three days ahead of time, and refrigerated, tightly covered.
- Make salsa: Combine the tomatoes, jalapeno, cilantro, the green parts of the scallions, and the salt. Stir and reserve.
- Preheat the oven to 400 F, unless you are going to microwave the sweet potatoes. For the sweet potatoes, place the potatoes on an oven safe platter and slice the top open lengthwise and then across, making a cross, then peel back the skin.Scoop out about half of the flesh, place on the cutting board, and chop.Reserve. Place the sweet potatoes in the oven to heat for about 15 minutes. Alternatively,you can microwave the sweet potato skins until hot, about 2-3 minutes on high.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil briefly over medium-high heat and add the white parts of the scallions. Stir for a few seconds, until they start to sizzle, then reduce the heat to medium low and add the garlic. Stir for a few seconds. Add the crumbles (or beans, if using) and chopped sweet potato flesh and stir until heated through, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with chili powder,cumin and salt and stir to mix. Take off the heat.
- Take the hot sweet potato skins out of the oven and fill with the sauteed mixture,then top with shredded cheese and salsa. Serve immediately.
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