Let It Grow
By Tammy Thornton
Winter break means we get to enjoy extra time with a houseful of children who have returned home. But the gang needs to eat, and after filling ourselves with cheese and sugar cookies, it’s high time to seek healthier fare. Sweet potatoes are rich in nutrients and minerals such as vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and antioxidants. Top them with a colorful salsa, and you’ll have a healthy, filling meal that’s sure to please a crowd. As an added bonus, you can also serve this to your vegetarian family members.
When it comes to cooking for family and friends, anything that can be prepped in advance is a time-saver and winner in my book. For this dish, you can make the salsa topping the day before you want to serve it as a meal. The only risk is that it’s so good that your kids might want to keep sneaking bites, and you’ll run out before the sweet potatoes are ready.
This brings us to a matter of debate. How do you prepare your sweet potatoes? Since I’m more of a purist, I prefer to bake my potatoes in the oven. But if you’re in a hurry, no judgment for using the microwave or air fryer. If using the traditional method, prick each sweet potato with a fork or knife, brush the skin with a small amount of olive oil, and wrap it individually with aluminum foil. Bake in a 400° oven for about an hour, or until the potatoes are tender. You can cook your potatoes in advance and just reheat them before serving.
The best part of this dish is the topping. Throughout the years, I have made different variations of black bean salads that my family has enjoyed. The beauty of this salsa/salad is that it’s very forgiving, and you can substitute or omit ingredients based on your own family’s preferences and what you have available in your refrigerator. This black bean recipe will make enough to fill eight to nine sweet potatoes. You can cut the recipe in half if you are serving a smaller group, but the next day, you will wish you had leftovers. Don’t sweat the measurements for the ingredients. The taste will not be dramatically altered if you use one red pepper or one can of black beans instead of two. If your family likes spicy food, add more chili powder. Recipes should be guidelines to get you started, then you make it your own.
Side note: Whenever I add corn to a black bean salad, I brown it first, which adds an extra layer of flavor. Doing this can even make frozen corn taste fresh. Simply toss frozen white corn into a frying pan with a splash of olive oil, a few dashes of salt, a little fresh ground pepper, a sprinkle of white or brown sugar, and a bit of chili powder or paprika. Cook over medium heat until the corn is slightly browned.
For the basic black bean salad/salsa recipe: In a large serving bowl, mix two 10.5-ounce cans of (rinsed and drained) black beans, two cups of chopped cherry tomatoes, one cup of cooked corn (see above), one cup of chopped cilantro (make life easier and use kitchen scissors to chop your herbs), 1/2 cup of diced red onion, one to two chopped red peppers, two to four cloves of garlic, 1/4 cup of lime juice plus zest, 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, two tablespoons of honey, 1/2 tablespoon of cumin, and chili powder (to taste).
Serve your cooked sweet potatoes on a colorful dish and load with the black bean salsa. You can also top them with guacamole and Cotija cheese. For your vegan friends, omit the cheese and drizzle the loaded sweet potatoes with a mixture of dairy-free yogurt and lime juice. This dish will pack enough protein to serve as a main dish or make a perfect side dish for chili night. The salsa also tastes great with tortilla chips.
Tammy Thornton lives with her husband, children, and crazy pets while enjoying a life of gardening, cooking, and going to the beach.
