Feb 22nd is National Cook a Sweet Potato Day!

To help you celebrate National Cook a Sweet Potato day, here's one of our favorite ways to eat them!

This is a fabulous Meatless Monday meal, and takes under half an hour to prepare if you've cooked your sweet potato ahead of time. Serve with a green salad for a complete meal! 

This meal is high in fiber and provides adequate protein from beans and cheese (add a dollop of Greek yogurt if you're looking for extra protein!) Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of fiber, potassium, and vitamins A & C. This is a great example of improving the quality of the carbohydrates you are consuming.

Sweet Potato Black Bean Quesadillas

Ingredients:

1-2 medium sweet potatoes

1 15-oz can of black beans

4-8 oz of sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 clove of garlic

3-4 scallions, chopped 

1/2 cup chopped cilantro (optional)

Small splash of milk (if necessary)

1/2 tsp each of ground cumin, smoked paprika, and ground coriander

Pinch of salt

Whole wheat tortillas 

To serve (optional): salsa, cilantro, additional scallions, plain Greek yogurt or sour cream, lime wedges

Prep:

1. Cook your sweet potato(es).
   Wash and pop into the oven whole on a foil-lined baking sheet for easy clean up. 
   -For the sweetest sweet potatoes, cook low and slow to caramelize: 300 degrees for 2-3+ hours. 
   -For faster results, cook at 400 degrees for 1 hour or until very soft when poked with a fork.
   Hint: for a fast and easy dinner, pop the sweet potatoes in the oven the night before or the morning of the day you plan to eat them.
   
   
2. While potato cools, drain and rinse your canned black beans. 
   
   
3.  Peel and mash cooled sweet potato in a medium mixing bowl. Add beans and continue to mash, mashing some beans and leaving some whole. You may add a small splash of milk if it looks very dry. 
   
   
4.  Stir in minced garlic, spices, scallions, cilantro, and salt to taste. 
   
   
5.  Stir in about half the shredded cheese (2-4 oz)

To assemble:

1. Heat a cast iron skillet or a griddle over medium heat. 
2. Lay one WW tortilla in the skillet or arrange several on the griddle (no need to add oil)
3. Sprinkle a thin layer of shredded cheese on the tortilla
4. Spread a 1/2 inch layer of potato/bean mixture on top of the cheese
5. Sprinkle a second thin layer of shredded cheese on top of the potato/bean layer. (the extra cheese on the insides of the tortillas helps the potato/bean mixture to not slide out of the tortilla)
6. Top with a second WW tortilla
7. Cook until the tortilla is golden brown underneath, then flip and cook until the other side is also golden brown and the cheese has melted
8. Serve with any combination of salsa, more cilantro, plain Greek yogurt or sour cream, additional scallions, and lime wedges.