Sweet Potato Tacos

You guys must think I'm a big liar. I start off by saying how much I hate Mexican food, yet I am constantly making it! I feel like I can't break out of the habit saying that I don't like it, because I still wont go out to a Mexican restaurant. I used to really dislike beans and corn, but I am slowly starting to like them. As long as I determine what goes into my Mexican meal, I guess I can say I like Mexican food.

I was looking for something a little different to cook. Lately I have been feeling like I'm in a cooking funk. I have been making a lot of the same foods around here, and I thought it was time for a change. I spotted a recipe for sweet potato tacos, and I went ahead and gave it a try!



What you need:



3 Medium sweet potatoes, pealed and diced
1 Can of corn
1 Can of black beans
1 Pack of taco seasoning
16 10-inch tortillas
3 Tbsp olive oil
3 Cloves of garlic, diced
3 Tbsp honey
3 Tbsp lime juice
Cilantro
Cheddar cheese to sprinkle on top
Salt and pepper

What do to:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with foil and arrange the sweet potatoes on the sheet.
Drizzle to coat the potatoes in olive oil.
Sprinkle the salt, pepper, and taco seasoning on top.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, until potatoes are soft, tossing a few times as they cook.
While the potatoes are baking, begin sauteing the garlic in an oil coated pan over medium heat.
Add in the corn, black beans, honey, and lime juice until heated.
Toss in the sweet potatoes and cilantro.
Pile on warmed tortillas and sprinkle with cheese.









The sweet potatoes, corn, and honey definitely added a lot of sweetness to the dish. The cheese was the perfect contrast so to cut the sweetness and I loved the sharpness of the cheddar. It had just a hint of heat, with some Mexican flavors. I wouldn't call this super authentic, but the beans had a nice bite, adding  protein to make it a complete meal.

I thought this was a great creation. Another Mexican meal to add to the list!

Will you try out these sweet potato tacos? What is your favorite take on a Mexican classic?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

Spicy Lentils with Veggies

I have mentioned around here a few times that I have been trying to make better food choices. Cheese is probably my weakness, along with other dairy foods. I have been doing lots of thinking about my egg and dairy intake. While I would love to be able to be a vegan, I am just too weak. I tried vegan Mondays, but that failed too. I started making conscious choices to cut down all animal products; no eggs in my fried rice, no cheese on my veggie burger.

Eventually, these choices weren't conscious anymore. I found that so many times I would be halfway through a meal that I cooked, and realize that it is completely vegan! Now that I am supporting myself, I am cooking more and ordering take out less, which made it a lot easier to cut out dairy. I used to rely on bagels and pizza when I was living in New York. I guess one TINY good thing about being away from home is that I am away from the most tempting of dairy products.

I have seen lots of "one-pot" meals, but it was only as I was cooking this that I even realized this meal was vegan! I love that making the right food choices has become so instinctual.



Inspired by Eat Live Run.

What you need:



2 cups of lentils
2 bunches of kale
2 sweet potatoes
2 cups of chopped carrots
2 serrano peppers
4 cups of vegetable broth
3-4 cloves of garlic
salt/celery salt to taste
oil for cooking

What to do:
Chop up the kale, serrano peppers, garlic, and peal and chop the sweet potatoes.
Heat the oil in a large pot and add the carrots and sweet potatoes. Cook until softened.
Next, add in the garlic and kale, until the kale starts to wilt.
Add in the peppers, lentils, salt, celery salt, and vegetable broth.



Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer, until the lentils are soft and the water has been absorbed.
Serve hot.











These lentils were chewy and hardy. I was nervous that the pepper would be too spicy, but it added the perfect amount of heat. The sweet potatoes and carrots were nice and soft, and added an element of sweetness. The kale was mild, and the veggie broth and celery salt added lots of different flavors. This ended up tasting just like how I would have described my grandma's cooking: comforting and healthy!

How easy is it for you to eat vegan? Will you try this one pot lentil meal?

Bye from the Veggie Side!