Sweet Potato And Black Bean Tacos With Avocado Crema And Cilantro Recipes

AVOCADO SWEET POTATO TACOS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400° F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Toss the sweet potatoes with olive oil, chili powder, salt and pepper, and spread onto the baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Make the avocado yogurt sauce: In a small food processor, combine the yogurt, avocado, garlic, lime juice, and a few generous pinches of salt and pepper. Pulse until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings. Chill until ready to use.
• Assemble the tacos with a scoop of the sauce, the roasted sweet potatoes, black beans, and desired toppings. Season with salt, pepper, and squeezes of lime.

SWEET POTATO AND BLACK BEAN TACOS

Steps:

• Roast the sweet potatoes: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up. Toss the prepared sweet potatoes with the olive oil, cayenne pepper (if using) and salt. Arrange in a single layer and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, tossing halfway, until the sweet potatoes are tender and caramelizing at the edges.
• Prepare the black beans: Warm the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and a sprinkle of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened and are turning translucent, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the cumin and chili powder and cook for about 30 seconds while stirring. Pour in the beans and water. Stir, cover and reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
• Cook for 5 minutes, then remove the lid and use a potato masher or a fork to mash up at least half of the beans. Remove from heat, stir in the vinegar, season with salt (I added over 1/4 teaspoon) and pepper, and cover until you're ready to serve.
• Make the avocado dip: First, toast the pepitas in a skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until they are fragrant and starting to make little popping noises, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• Scoop the avocado flesh into a food processor or blender. Add the cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, lime juice, water and salt. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides of the processor/blender as necessary. Add almost all of the pepitas (reserve a few tablespoons for garnish) and process just until the pepitas are chopped into small pieces (some remaining texture is desirable). Taste, and add more salt if necessary. Transfer the dip to a small bowl for serving.
• To warm the tortillas, heat a large skillet over medium heat and warm the tortillas in batches, flipping to warm each side. Alternatively, you can warm them directly over a low flame on a gas range. Stack the warmed tortillas on a plate and cover with a tea towel to keep warm.
• To assemble the tacos, spread black beans down the middle of each tortilla, then top with some sweet potatoes and avocado-pepita dip. Garnish with feta, pepitas, and anything else that strikes your fancy. Repeat with remaining tortillas and serve.

VEGAN CILANTRO-LIME, SWEET POTATO, AND BLACK BEAN TACOS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Cut sweet potatoes into 25 to 40 smaller "French fry"-shaped pieces.
• Place sweet potato pieces in a bowl. Coat with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Mix until sweet potatoes are evenly coated; transfer to a large baking sheet.
• Place pumpkin seeds into the same bowl. Add 1/4 tablespoon olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Spread pumpkin seeds onto a small baking sheet.
• Place sweet potatoes and pumpkin seeds in the preheated oven. Bake pumpkin seeds for 2 minutes; remove and let cool. Bake potatoes, flipping halfway through, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add black beans, cumin, chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, a small squeeze of lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine. Cook until heated through, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Combine vegan sour cream, remaining lime juice, 2 tablespoons cilantro, regular paprika, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and salt to taste. Whisk until sour cream flavor is mostly gone and lime-cilantro taste is dominant but not overpowering.
• Warm tortillas in pairs in the microwave, 15 to 20 seconds.
• Place 2 spoonfuls of beans onto each pair of warmed tortillas. Add 4 sweet potato pieces, a spoonful or two of sour cream mixture, some pumpkin seeds, and some cilantro.