Southwestern Sweet Potato

I always try to keep some baked sweet potatoes in the fridge for a multitude of uses. This is a versatile dinner or lunch recipe that I turn to when I have left over home-made beans. You can mix up the vegetables and toppings based on what you have in the fridge--anything goes! I discovered this particular combination when I had leftover fajita veggies. I like to serve this dish with a drizzle of tahini sauce to keep it from being too much like a potato taco, but it is good with a drizzle of sriracha or hot sauce too.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 2 baked sweet potatoes or yams, any color

• 2 cup of leftover home-made beans (try Gma's pinto beans here)

• 1-2 cups of fajita-style sautéed veggies (1/2 cup sliced mushrooms, 1/2 of a zucchini-chopped, 1/3 of a purple onion-sliced, 1/2 of a red/orange/green bell pepper-sliced)

• Spices: chili powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper

• 1/4-1/2 Serrano pepper, deseeded and finely chopped

• 1/2-1 avocado, sliced (or guacamole)

• 1/2 small tomato, chopped

• Drizzle of your favorite hot sauce or tahini sauce (I keep this tahini sauce in the fridge for up to 5 days and use it on EVERYTHING-so good!)

Tahini Sauce: 3 tbsp tahini, 1/3 cup nutritional yeast, 1/2 cup almond milk, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp sumac powder, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, pinch of cayenne, salt and pepper to taste)

Instructions:

1. Spray grill pan or skillet with olive oil or drizzle a tbsp of olive oil in pan and sauté veggies with 1/4 of a Serrano pepper, 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp smoked paprika, and salt and pepper to taste. After the veggies are browned, squeeze on a touch of lime and add a sprinkle of cilantro if you have some on hand. Adjust seasoning.

2. Make tahini sauce in Vita Mix or food processor by blending together until creamy: 3 tbsp tahini, 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1/3 cup nutritional yeast, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp sumac powder, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, pinch of cayenne, salt and pepper to taste. Adjust seasoning. (Don't worry if you don't have all the spices.)

3. Heat up leftover home-made beans.

4. Heat/microwave the sweet potato and assemble. Place a scoop of beans in the center and top with the veggies, tomato, and sliced avocado. Drizzle with tahini sauce.