Rating: 💋 💋 💋
Who doesn't love a good sweet potato?
My mom, actually. She is not a good sport about them at all. For this reason, I did not make these for my family when Reilly cried out for my cooking last week, because we don't do individual meals in our house. If one person is having it for dinner, we all are. It's a shame too, because I think my Dad was interested, but c'est la vie. Honestly, I had been enjoying the bowls the whole week prior, so I didn't mind. Tough loss for Reilly though. I'll cook something for her one day.
I found this recipe to be super tasty and versatile, so I am excited to share it with you!
Sweet Potato Taco Bowl
Serves: 4 Total Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp barbecue seasoning
- 1 tbsp turmeric
- 2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
* Option to add 1/2 tsp cayenne powder to spice mix as well
- 2 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed, peeled, and diced
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 lb ground turkey (or lean ground beef, if preferred)
- 1 14 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 handfuls watercress, spinach, or other preferred dark green
- 12 oz package frozen edamame, thawed
- 2 large tomatoes, diced
- 1 medium avocado, sliced
* Option to add 1 cup corn kernels from a can or two freshly shucked ears of corn, if desired
Toppings: Ranch dressing, Sour Cream, Jalapeños, Sliced Green Onion, Chopped Cilantro, Lime Wedges, Crumbled Feta, Parmesan, Cotija, etc.
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees while prepping veggies
- In a small bowl, stir together all of the spices to create a mix
- On a foil-lined baking sheet, place the sweet potato chunks and toss them with the vegetable oil and 2 tbsp of the spice mix. Bake for 20-25 minutes until soft with slightly crisp edges
- While the potatoes roast, add the turkey to a medium-sized skillet and cook over medium-high heat until cooked through, approximately 8 minutes. Top with remaining spice mixture and the black beans, stir to distribute evenly, and cook until the beans are fully heated.
- To serve, place greens in the middle of each plate with vegetables surrounding, then top with the turkey, beans, and sweet potatoes. Add desired garnishes, mix up, and enjoy!
It tasted so delicious, with the perfect fusion of spicy and sweet, that I am sure I will be making it often! I love how easily you can swap in and out different vegetables, suiting the dish to your preferences and creating some variety. The spiced ground meat - bean mixture and sweet potatoes are the only ingredient musts, but they taste so good that's no problem. Who knows? A taste of this might even get my mom on the sweet potato train!
Bowls like this are great because they pack well and are easy to reheat, tasting just as good on the fourth night as they did on the first. I recently started a new job with hours that cover lunch and dinner time, so I am living for recipes like this that make it easy for me to pack fresh and tasty meals for work. I am super excited about my new job too! It is very dynamic, requiring a lot of hard work and running around, but I am so ready for the challenge. I really believe in the work that we do and I am so proud of what we create, and that is such a game-changer when it comes to going to work each day. The fact that I get to use the "we" pronoun, that I get to be included in that process with the company, is absolutely thrilling. Plus, the team is awesome. It turns out it is indeed possible to have fun while still working hard. How groovy is that? Not to mention, I might have to eat lunch and dinner on the job, but they provide silverware, plates, bowls, and cups that I am allowed to use. Tupperware no more! It's dangerous really. Now that I have tasted luxury, there is no going back. In all seriousness though, I think this is a positive step forward, and I am excited to see what comes next!
I do have one final bit of advice for you guys so take careful notes: make sure to buy the bottles of dressing that squeeze. My current bottle of ranch just kind of dumps dressing at will, which does NOT create an even distribution. It is very frustrating. I sincerely hope that I don't make the mistake again when purchasing groceries because it really killed my presentation, as seen in the second photograph. Also, ranch is not something you want to mess with - too much totally kills the meal. It did not happen this time, but I live in fear of the day.
Anyway, I hope you are all having a fabulous week. I'm sending positive vibes that the coming spring brings good your way, with whatever you wish for most right now, be it a positive career shift, a prom date, a family matter, a catch-up with friends, etc. Big or small, the season is changing, which gives us all a nice excuse to declutter and refocus our lives on what we really need and want. Keep going after your goals. I believe in you guys!
XX,
MK