Sweet Potato Taco Bowls

If you liked the Sweet Potato Fajita Bowls, try these - it's a variation on a similar theme. They go together quickly, too, especially if you use a food processor to shred the sweet potatoes. I used leftover Slow Cooker Southwestern Beans in this, which was great, but you can also use plain black beans. And for this or any other purpose, if you happen to spot Sidehill Farm sour cream, buy some!! It is the best sour cream I've ever tasted.

Olive oil
2-3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and shredded
1 lb ground beef
Salt and pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
3-4 cups cooked black beans, plain or seasoned with cumin and chili powder

Toppings (use what you like):
Shredded lettuce or other greens
Guacamole
Sour cream
Pickled red onions
Pickled chili peppers
Salsa
Hot sauce
Shredded cheddar

Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet. Add the shredded sweet potatoes and saute over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until tender. Set aside.

Cook the beef in a medium skillet. Add cumin and salt and pepper to taste.

Heat the black beans. Reheat the sweet potatoes if needed.

To serve, place sweet potatoes in the bottom of each diner's bowl, then add spoonfuls of beef, beans, and toppings.

Serves about 4.

Sweet Potato Fajita Bowls

These were a big success. I really like the bowl form factor - you get different combinations of flavors and textures in each bite, plus they look pretty. This one came together pretty quickly, too. A food processor makes quick work of shredding the sweet potatoes. It's a great use for leftover cooked beef or chicken, or you can cook some up specifically. Leftover Spicy Latin-Style Vinegar-Braised Beef would be especially excellent. Be sure to serve with at least some of the recommended toppings.

Olive oil
2-3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and shredded
4-5 cloves garlic, minced (or shred with the sweet potatoes)
2 medium onions, sliced lengthwise
2 large sweet peppers, cut into strips (2 inches or so is good)
1 tsp ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
2-3 cups cooked beef (steak, pot roast, etc) or chicken, diced or shredded and heated

Toppings:
Sour cream
Guacamole or diced avocado
Pickled hot peppers
Salsa
Hot sauce
Lime wedges

Heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil in a large skillet. Add the shredded sweet potatoes and garlic and saute over medium high heat until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove the sweet potatoes from the pan.

Add a little more oil to the pan, then add the onions and peppers. Saute over high heat, stirring frequently, until the onions soften and both onions and peppers are nicely browned and a bit charred in places. Stir in the cumin and salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Make sure all elements of the bowls are hot before serving. To assemble the bowls, place a good serving of sweet potato in the bottom, then top with spoonfuls of peppers and onions and meat. Add desired toppings at the table. At least one creamy-textured topping (i.e. guacamole or sour cream) strongly recommended.

Serves about 4.

Lentil Soup with Sweet Potato, Cabbage, and Roasted Red Peppers

Adding to my ever-growing collection of different lentil soup recipes. Always a good bet for a winter night. You can substitute standard brown lentils for the lentilles du puy if you like; they will just need a bit longer to cook. I make roasted red peppers in the early fall and stash some in my freezer - they make a great flavor boost to dishes like this throughout the winter. And of course sweet potatoes and cabbage are winter storage staples, readily available at farmers markets or in winter CSAs. This makes a large batch and freezes well.

3 cups lentilles du puy (the little green ones)
Several cups of water and/or vegetable stock
1 Tbsp salt, or to taste
1 bay leaf
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
Olive oil
2 large shallots or a small onion, finely chopped
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chopped green cabbage
6 ounces roasted red peppers, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar

Place the lentils in a soup pot. Add water or stock to cover them by at least two inches. Add salt and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then simmer until tender, about 15-20 minutes. After about 10 minutes, add the sweet potatoes and continue to simmer.

While the lentils and sweet potatoes cook, heat a little olive oil in a skillet. Add the shallots (or onion) and garlic and saute over medium high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the cabbage and continue to saute until it is tender but retains a little crunch.

Add the cabbage mixture to the lentils in the pot along with the roasted red peppers. Add additional water or stock if needed to reach desired consistency. Stir in black pepper and vinegar. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

Serves 6-8.

Chili-Lime Grilled Sweet Potatoes

It was a welcome change to use up the last of the sweet potatoes I got at the last winter farmers market with a dish cooked on the grill! These were a big hit with the whole family.

1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (1/2-3/4-inch cubes)
Canola oil
2 tsp lime juice
1-1 1/2 tsp chili powder
Salt to taste

Parboil the sweet potatoes in a pot of salted boiling water for 5-7 minutes, until you can pierce them with a fork without too much resistance but before they are totally tender. Drain well. If desired, you can then set aside or refrigerate for later (bring back to room temp before grilling).

Place the parboiled sweet potatoes in a medium bowl. Drizzle with canola oil and toss until coated. Sprinkle with lime juice, chili powder, and salt and toss until well distributed.

Grill the sweet potatoes in a grill basket over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until completely tender and pleasantly charred in places.

Serve hot.

Thai Peanut Curry with Pork and Vegetables

With coconut milk and peanut butter in the sauce, this is rich, savory, and very satisfying. You can make it entirely with seasonal root vegetables or, if you have peppers in the freezer, use some of those as well (as I did). If you can, pick up a little fresh cilantro at the farmers market today to go on top. Serve this over rice or tossed with noodles.

1 lb ground pork
2 medium onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp minced ginger root
1 large ripe bell pepper, diced (or 1 cup diced carrots or other root veg)
2 cups peeled and cubed sweet potato
1 13.5 ounce can coconut milk (lite is ok)
1-2 tsp Thai red curry paste, or to taste
1/3 - 1/2 cup natural peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
2 tsp lime juice, or to taste
1-2 tsp rice vinegar
1-2 tsp Thai fish sauce (optional)
Salt to taste

Brown the pork in a Dutch oven or similar deep pan. Add onions, garlic, and ginger and cook with the pork for 2-3 minutes. Add vegetables and stir well. Add coconut milk and curry paste and stir well. Cover and cook over low-medium heat until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in the peanut butter, lime juice, rice vinegar, and fish sauce (if using). Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. With the peanut butter stirred in, the sauce will be fairly thick.

Serve hot over rice or toss with noodles.

Serves 4-6.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes

These were a huge hit with all of us, making me wish I had made a bigger batch. Savory and nutty, a little bit crispy. This recipe works fine with all sprouts or all sweet potatoes, too.

3-4 cups trimmed Brussels sprouts
3-4 cups peeled and cubed sweet potatoes (1/2-inch cubes)
1 1/2 Tbsp walnut or canola oil
1 1/2 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp dried sage
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Toss all ingredients in a medium bowl until well coated. Spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for about 30 minutes, stirring once or twice to prevent sticking. Veggies are done when tender when pierced with a fork. Serve hot.

Serves about 4.

Sweet Potato Tortilla Pie

Another entry in the tortilla pie series, this one combines shredded sweet potatoes and salsa with refried beans and cheese. It's delicious and substantial on its own, but you could throw in some cooked shredded chicken in place of some of the sweet potato if you like. A food processor with a grating attachment makes quick work of the shredding.

Olive oil
2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and shredded
1 large onion, thinly sliced or finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp lime juice, or to taste (optional)
2 10-inch flour tortillas
1 14-ounce can refried beans
1/2 - 3/4 cup good quality salsa, plus more for topping if desired
6-8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar

Heat a bit of olive oil in a large skillet. Add the shredded sweet potatoes and onion and saute over medium-high heat until tender.  You want them to brown a bit in some places, but not char. Taste the sweet potatoes and add salt and pepper to taste; if you want to cut the sweetness a little, stir in the lime juice.

When the sweet potatoes are tender, place one of the tortilla in the bottom of a 10-inch oven-proof skillet. Spread half the refried beans over the tortilla, then add half the salsa. Top this with half the sweet potato mixture and press it down a bit.  Sprinkle with half the cheddar. Add the second tortilla and repeat.

Turn on the broiler of your oven. Place the tortilla pie under the broiler and cook for about 3 minutes, until the cheese begins to brown a little. Cut into wedges and serve hot. Pass additional salsa at the table if desired.

Serves about 4.

Ginger Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Ginger goes well with the natural sweetness of sweet potatoes. As always, I like to roast them with walnut oil, but olive or canola will do.

1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 Tbsp walnut oil
1 tsp ground ginger
1 Tbsp brown sugar (optional)
Pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir well to coat evenly. Spread the sweet potatoes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet (like the sheet with parchment paper if you like). Roast for 30-35 minutes, stirring once or twice, until tender. Serve hot.

Serves about 4.

Maple Walnut Parsnips and Sweet Potatoes

This is a simple and easy roasting treatment that brings out the natural sweetness and nuttiness in parsnips and sweet potatoes. Parsnips are generally best in the early spring when they've overwintered in the ground, turning their starch into sugar - but when harvested after several good freezes, they are also worth buying in the late fall.

1 1/2 lbs parsnips, peeled and cubed (cut out woody cores if needed)

1 1/2 - 2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1-2 Tbsp walnut oil

1 Tbsp maple syrup, as dark a grade as possible

Salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Toss the parsnips and sweet potatoes in a bowl with the oil and syrup, then add salt to taste. Spread out in a single layer (or nearly) on a baking sheet and roast until tender, about 30 minutes (may be longer if you like big cubes).

Serves 4-6.

My Best Roasted Sweet Potatoes

I've roasted a lot of sweet potatoes in my time.  They're always good.  Some are even really good.  But I think these here are the best I've made.  And they're super simple.  The secret is walnut oil instead of olive.  Olive oil roasted sweet potatoes are good.  But walnut oil roasted sweet potatoes are fantastic.

2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
Walnut oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place the sweet potatoes in a bowl with plenty of room for mixing.  Drizzle with walnut oil - enough to coat nicely but not enough to be too drippy.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and mix until well coated.

Pour the sweet potatoes into a baking dish or two; you want to get them more or less in a single layer.  You don't have to be precise about it, but don't pile them up too much.  Roast for 30-40 minutes, stirring well once or twice, until nicely tender.  Serve hot.

Serves 4-6.

Maple Mustard Glaze for Ham

We had our usual holiday ham for Christmas, from Hager's this year.  My sister and I put together this glaze, which was delicious.  Sweet but not too sweet, tempered by tangy vinegar and mustard.  This would also work well to toss with cubed squash or sweet potatoes for roasting.

1/3 cup maple syrup, preferably grade B (dark)
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
1-2 Tbsp spicy brown mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking until smooth.  Simmer until somewhat reduced, then refrigerate until ready to use.

Makes enough for one 10+ pound ham.

Chili-Lime Beef and Sweet Potato Stew

We picked up our cow from the slaughterhouse today and split it up among our selves and five other households as usual.  It was a big animal this year, with a share amounting to about 80 pounds, our largest ever.  I had only a handful of cuts left from last year's share in the freezer and am in the process of using them up.  This was our last package of 2011 stew beef.

The flavors of chili and lime give this a flavor of points south, but they are not overwhelming.  Feel free to add more if you like.

1 lb stew beef, cubed
1 Tbsp all purpose flour
2 tsp chili powder
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
2 medium onions, diced
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
Beef stock
2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 lb), peeled and diced
1/2 cup pearl barley
2-3 tsp lime juice

Place the cubed beef in a bowl with the flour, chili powder, and a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper.  Toss to coat thoroughly.

Heat a little olive oil in a soup pot.  Add the beef and brown over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until well browned, about 5 minutes.  Add the onions and garlic and saute for 2 minutes or so.  Add enough beef stock to cover a bit generously.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Add the sweet potatoes and barley, bring back to a boil, then again reduce heat and simmer for another 20-30 minutes, until the barley is tender.  Turn off heat and add lime juice.  Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

Serves 4-5.

Crispy Roasted Sweet Potato and Parsnip Sticks

The first 'spring'-dug parsnips are showing up in the markets now, with this crazy warm weather we've had for the last month or so. Their time in the cold ground has turned their starch to sugar, making them a delicious treat at this time of year.

My four-year-old very earnestly asked me if I would please make these again sometime.

2-3 lbs parsnips and sweet potatoes, peeled
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp canola oil

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper (if desired).

For large spring-dug parsnips, cut out woody cores. Then cut both parsnips and sweet potatoes into thin julienne strips. Place them in a large bowl.

Combine the cornstarch, cinnamon, chili powder, and salt in a small bowl and mix well. Toss with the parsnips and sweet potatoes until they are all well coated. Drizzle the oil over the vegetables and toss well again.

Spread the vegetables in a thin layer on the baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip them over as best you can. Bake for another 5-10 minutes, until pleasantly crispy. Serve hot.

Serves 4-6.

Variation: Skip the cinnamon and add a bit of cayenne to go with the chili powder. Serve sprinkled with lime juice.

Sweet and Spicy Roasted Root Vegetables

Pick one or use a medley: sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots, turnips, rutabaga.

3-4 lbs root vegetables
2 Tbsp butter, melted
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
3/4 tsp salt or to taste
Black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Get a large baking sheet (or two) ready, lined with parchment paper if you like for easier cleanup.

Peel the vegetables and slice into spears. Toss in a large bowl with the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne, salt and pepper.

Spread them out in a single layer (or close to it) on the baking sheet(s).

Bake for 25-30 minutes, turning once abouth halfway through, until they are soft and browned around the edges. Serve hot.

Serves about 6.

Rosemary Roasted Root Vegetables

Rosemary potatoes are pretty well known, and delicious. But the same treatment works well with all sorts of other root veggies as well. Pick a single one or a medley: potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, turnips, rutabaga, parsnips. Potatoes can have the skin left on if you like; peel the others. I keep a potted rosemary plant in the house so I can have fresh rosemary on hand year round.

6-8 cups cubed root vegetables
1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 large shallot (or 3-4 cloves garlic, or 1 small onion), minced
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place all ingredients in a 9x13-inch baking dish and toss to coat thoroughly. Roast for 30-40 minutes, stirring once or twice, until vegetables are tender.

Serves 4-6.

Roasted Chili-Lime Sweet Potatoes

Snow on the ground, more coming...you can at least let your taste buds go somewhere a little more tropical with these slightly addictive sweet potatoes.

1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 Tbsp canola, olive, or walnut oil
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 tsp salt
1/2 - 1 tsp chili powder

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Toss the sweet potatoes in a bowl with the oil, lime juice, salt, and chili powder until well coated. Spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet (use parchment paper for less mess if you like). Bake for 30-30 minutes, until tender and just slightly crisp on the outside. Serve hot.

Serves about 4.

Dijon Beef and Sweet Potato Stew

This marks the end of the stew beef from our share; next year I hope we can get more. We still have lots of steaks and ground beef, though, so those recipes will keep coming. This dish also marked the end of the sweet potatoes that I bought at Winter Fare - almost three months ago, but still in great shape. I stored them like the squash, in a paper bag in the mudroom.

2 lbs stew beef, trimmed and cubed
Salt and pepper
1 Tbsp all purpose flour
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp dried thyme
Water and/or stock (beef or veggie)
1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

In a large bowl, toss the beef with a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper and the flour.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven, then add the beef. Brown on all sides over high heat, scraping the bottom of the pot periodically to prevent too much sticking. When the beef is browned, add the onion and continue to cook, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes. Add the mustard, bay leaf, and thyme, plus enough water and/or stock to cover the meat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes.

Add the sweet potatoes to the pot, plus a bit more liquid if needed. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to very low, and simmer for at least another hour (and as long as 3). Just before you are ready to serve, taste and adjust seasonings. If the stew seems to watery, raise the heat to medium and cook uncovered for a bit.

Serves 4-6.

Chipotle Black Bean and Sweet Potato Stew

This packs a bit of a punch, as most things with chipotle do. On the other hand, my two-year-old ate a surprising amount of it - he made a face with the first few bites, but kept spooning up more. If you open a can of chipotles in adobo sauce to make this, the remainder will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for months.

olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 cups cooked black beans (if seasoned, so much the better)
1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, seeded and minced
1 Tbsp ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional toppings: cheddar, goat cheese, sour cream, or creme fraiche

Heat a little olive oil in a soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the onion and garlic and saute about 5 minutes, until soft. Add the black beans, sweet potatoes, chipotle, cumin, and salt and pepper. Add a little water if the mixture seems dry; remember that the sweet potatoes will give off some liquid as they cook. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sweet potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Serve hot, adding any of the optional toppings at the table.

Serves about 4.

Maple Roasted Root Vegetables

This is an update on a recipe I posted about a year ago for Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Parsnips. It turns out this works well with any root vegetable that is on the sweet side - so not just parsnips and sweet potatoes, but also carrots, turnips, and rutabagas. It might even be good with roasted potatoes (you'd probably need to adjust the times), but I haven't tried that yet.

If you like the flavor combination, this could also serve as a glaze for roasted winter squash.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tortilla Pie

This used up the remaining sweet potatoes from our last CSA box. We get another one tomorrow, and I hope it has more!

If you have a food processor with a grater attachment, use it to shred the sweet potatoes. In fact, to really speed things along, you can do the onion that way, too.

olive oil
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, finely chopped (red onion is nice)
3/4 - 1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and shredded
1 1/2 - 2 cups cooked black beans (or 1 15-oz can)
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2-1 tsp chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste
2 10-inch tortillas
3-4 oz. shredded sharp cheddar
Salsa for topping (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and onion and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the sweet potato, beans, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Saute over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until sweet potato is tender, about 5-7 minutes.

Lightly oil a 10-inch oven proof skillet or similar pan. Place one tortilla in the bottom and sprinkle with half the cheddar. Spread half the sweet potato mixture over the cheese, flattening it out as you do so. Place the second tortilla on top. Spread the remaining sweet potato mixture over the tortilla, then top with the remaining cheese.

Bake for about 15 minutes, until cheese begins to brown.

Serve hot. If desired, top with salsa at the table.

Serves 3-4.