Sweet & Savory Black Bean Tacos

The other day I had a hankering for tacos, but not just the average Mexican taco most of us have eaten several times in our lifetimes. Those tacos are full of unhealthy and artery clogging fats, simple carbs, and almost zero vitamins or nutrients. No.. I wanted a transformed healthy version of a taco, but it had to taste AMAZING.

As I looked online for ideas to incorporate into my new melt-in-your-mouth tacos, I kept seeing a couple food combos over and over again: sweet potato and black beans, black beans and avocado, black beans and lime. But I never saw anything that had all of these flavors placed together into one dish. I had my idea for a new, healthy, delicious taco! This is how the Sweet & Savory Black Bean Tacos came to be... full of sweet potato, black beans, & avocado with a squeeze lime. 

For just 323 calories, 9g of heart healthy monounsaturated fat, and 13g of fiber, you get two filled to the brim flavorful tacos per person. I chose to use Mission super soft corn tortillas (they hold up very well when filled up without falling apart unlike other corn tortillas with only 100 calories for 2 tacos), but you can choose to use hard corn tortillas or one very large flour tortilla in their place (I do not know the nutrition facts for those).

The secret to making this a super fast dish to throw together on a weeknight is to cook the sweet potatoes a night or two before needing them while relaxing at home with your family. Cook sweet potatoes in a covered baking dish in an oven at 350F degrees for 90 minutes. Let them cool and store them in a covered container for up to three days. When ready to use them, just grab them out of the fridge and quickly heat them up either in the microwave or on the stove. Easy Peasy! :)

The avocado is simply cut in half, scooped out, and smashed on top of the sweet potato.

The beans can be from a can or cooked 2-3 days before and stored in the fridge until ready to use. Then when the time comes to make this dish, you only have to quickly heat them up just like the sweet potatoes.

The tomatoes can also be bought already diced in a can or fresh and cut by you. You only need 1/2 beefsteak tomato or 1 plum tomato (1/2 cup chopped), and it will take a mere minute to prepare it to eat.

Throw some cleansed romaine lettuce and cilantro on top of the pile, and finish this amazing dish with a squeeze of fresh lime on top.

With just a little bit of planning ahead, you can have a healthy, finger-licking dinner on the table in minutes to fill those hungry tummies after a long day.

Sweet & Savory Black Bean Tacos
(Can be gluten free, dairy free, egg free, nut free, soy free, added sugar free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Serves 2 (Can easily be doubled for 4 or tripled for 6)

Ingredients

• 4 Mission Super Soft Corn Tortillas (or 4 hard corn tortillas or 2 large flour tortillas)
• 1/2 cup cooked sweet potato (2 Tbs per taco)
• 1/2 of a ripe avocado (1/8 per taco which is about 1 Tbs)
• 1 cup romaine lettuce strips (about 1/4 cup per taco..use your judgement how much will fit)
• 1/2 cup diced tomatoes: can use 1/2 beefsteak tomato or 1 plum tomato (2 Tbs per taco)
• 1/2 cup cooked black beans (2 Tbs per taco)
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro (2 Tbs per taco) (optional)
• 2 tbs or more of fresh or bottled lime juice (1/2 Tbs per taco) 

Directions

1. Prepare, cook, and store the sweet potatoes in the fridge ahead of time.
2. Soak and cook the black beans ahead of time and store in fridge if using fresh beans.
3. When ready to make the dish, heat up 1/2 cup of the sweet potatoes and 1/2 cup of black beans either in the microwave or in a pot on the stove.
4. Dice the tomato until you have 1/2 cup or open the can of prepared diced tomatoes. 
5. Chop the romaine lettuce until you have about 1 cup of strips. 
6. Tear off the cilantro leaves and throw away the stems. 
7. Cut the avocado and lime in half.
8. Spray a pan and heat up each tortilla one at a time on each side until slightly browned. 
9. While heating each tortilla, cover the cooked ones on a plate to keep warm.
10. To make taco lay tortilla down, rub 2 Tbs sweet potato on top, scoop out 1 Tbs avocado, and mash onto potato.
11. Lay down 1/4 cup of lettuce, 2 Tbs of tomato, and 2 Tbs beans in that order.
12. Garnish with cilantro if desired and squeeze lime on the very top. 
13. Fold and take a tasty bite :)

Nutrition Facts:
(for 2 tacos)
Cals-323, Fat-9g, Carbs-54.5g, Fiber-13g, Sugar-7.5g, Pro-10g