Honey-Lime Sweet Potato & Black Bean Tacos

Sweet potatoes. Eh. Never been a huge fan. At Thanksgiving I place that nasty marshmallow covered pan far away from me. But I’m definitely making progress on learning to like them. The trick for me? Cook them savory, not sweet. And cook them in a way that they get a little crispy. A bit of texture goes a long way with me. Baby food sweet potato mush does not appeal. Give me some crunch!

This recipe went down as a big check in my sweet potato “like” column. The beans and other veggies add texture, the spices add some savory to balance the sweet and roasting the potatoes added some crispy edges and nice chewy texture. It all added up to an out of the ordinary, and very delicious taco!

Honey-Lime Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos

Honey-Lime Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos
(From Cooking Classy)

1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled if desired and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/8 – 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small onion, diced (1 cup)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14.5) oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen yellow corn, thawed and drained
3 Tbsp honey
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
Corn or flour tortillas
Taco toppings of your choice, such as romaine lettuce or purple cabbage, cotija or feta cheese, lime wedges, diced avocados, fresh salsa or pico de gallo and hot sauce (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil then place sweet potatoes on foil. Drizzle with 3 Tbsp olive oil and toss to evenly coat. Sprinkle evenly with cumin, paprika, coriander, cayenne pepper and season lightly with salt and pepper to taste then toss to evenly coat. Bake in preheated oven 15 – 20 minutes until tender, removing from oven and tossing once halfway through baking.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute until caramelized (golden brown on edges and tender), about 5 – 6 minutes, adding in garlic during last 30 seconds of sauteing. Reduce heat to medium-low, add in drained black beans, corn, honey and lime juice. Heat until warmed through. Toss in roasted sweet potatoes and cilantro. Serve in warm tortillas with desired toppings.

 

Roasted Chile Turkey Burgers

I love hamburgers.  But I also like variety, and I’m always looking for (or making up) healthy and interesting variations.  Turkey burgers are a great way to go for something different.  The problem I have with some turkey burgers is that the meat is so lean the burgers can get dry.  My solution?  Lots of veggies to add moisture, flavor and texture.

For these I was in the mood for a little southwestern flavor, so I made some modifications to my usual recipe and changed this one up a bit.  Don’t be alarmed if the mixture is a little looser than your normal burger mixture, they cook up quite nicely without a hitch.  Bun or no bun, they are pretty darn yummy!

Roasted Chile Turkey Burgers

Roasted Chile Turkey Burgers

1 egg
1/3 cup red onion, chopped finely
2/3 cup bread crumbs (I usually just crumble a slice of bread or bun)
1 pound ground turkey
4 oz. mushrooms, chopped
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 oz. can of diced green chiles (or you can roast extra peppers and chop them up)
2 green onions, sliced
4-6 Anaheim peppers
Cotija cheese, crumbled

Put whole chiles on a cookie sheet under the broiler.  Broil on both sides until skin is blackened.  Remove from heat and put in a paper or plastic bag to cool and steam.

In a large bowl, mix breadcrumbs, red and green onions, egg, salt, pepper and cumin with a fork until well blended.  Add turkey, mushrooms, diced green chiles.  Mix well (I use my hands for this part) until everything is combined.  The mixture will be fairly wet and loose.  Heat a drizzle of olive oil in large skillet or grill (do not use an open grill, the patties aren’t firm enough to sit on top without falling through) over medium high heat.  Form 6 large balls of mixture.  Flatten slightly and lay in the pan.  Cook about 5 minutes on each side, until patties are firm and cooked all the way through.

Peel peppers, remove stems and seeds and slice into thick strips.  Serve burgers with or without a bun, top with roasted peppers and cotija cheese.  Serves 6.