Roasted Sweet Potato Black Bean Tacos

It\u2019s been almost eight months since I made the New Years\u2019\nresolution to read two books per months. I have read half of a book since\nthen.  Recognizing how big of a shame\nthis is, I sheepishly entered the public library the other day for the first\ntime in 3+ years. It took me about five seconds to pick out my book despite the\nfact that I was anxious, overwhelmed by options and felt like a bull in a china\nshop. This is the same feeling I get in self-serve frozen yogurt shops.\nExcited, nervous and in serious need of direction lest I make a bad decision\n(as if that\u2019s even possible with books and frozen dessert).

Why Everyone Loves\na Good Train Wreck, by Eric G Wilson is the book I chose to check out. It\u2019s\nliterally about the human desire to see and/or experience pain. Who needs help\npicking out books? Me. First on the agenda: read the second half of the book I\nbegan months ago. Next on the agenda: read the book about the rubber necking\nfascination people have for hurt and wreckage. Then on the agenda:  ask you (yes you!) advice for good books.  I have 4 months to read 23.5 books, so let\u2019s\nkeep them page turners. As much as I want Calvin and Hobbes to count, it doesn\u2019t.\nDanielle Steel doesn\u2019t count either. What books should I read, friends?   

Taco Talk Time:  I\nlove roasted vegetables to begin with and putting them in a tortilla with black\nbeans, corn and cheese gives me an ear reaching grin.  You could put a banana in a tortilla and I\u2019d\nbe happy, but a veggie treat taco is heavenly. I do eat meat {a lot} but it can\nbe nice to take a meat hiatus and change up the taco with fresh produce. You\ncan add all sorts of yums like chipotle sour cream, guacamole, your favorite\nsalsa, cilantro, etc but keeping it simple and fresh is delicious as well!

Ingredients:

• 1 small sweet potato, chopped
• 1 pasilla pepper, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• \u00BD red onion, sliced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1 tablespoon grapeseed or olive oil
• 4 tablespoons chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 ear corn, boiled and kernals removed
• 1 can black beans, drained

Toppings:

• Queso fresco or Goat cheese
• Green onion
• Avocado

To Make:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a casserole dish, add\nthe chopped sweet potato, pasilla pepper, bell pepper and onion. In a small\nbowl, combine the chicken stock, oil and vinegar. Mix to combine and pour evenly\nover the vegetables. Sprinkle the chili powder, cumin, paprika, and salt over\nthe veggies and stir.  Bake in for 30 minutes.\nRemove the casserole dish from the oven, stir everything well, increase oven\nheat to 400 and bake 7 to 10 more minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool\nslightly.

While the vegetables are roasting in the oven, you can\ncook the corn by boiling it in hot water for 5 to 7 minutes or grilling\nit.  Carefully remove the kernels with a\nsharp knife. Heat the black beans in a sauce pan. Chop the goat cheese.

Heat your favorite tortillas, place desired amount of\ningredients in the tortillas and add extra goodies such as guacamole, salsa and\ngreen onion if desired.

","engine":"visual"}” data-block-type=”2″>It’s been almost eight months since I made the New Years’ resolution to read two books per months. I have read half of a book since then.