This Savory Sweet Potato Gratin with Pecans recipe is sponsored by Fisher Nuts.

It’s no surprise that sweet potatoes are a popular side dish this time of year – especially for holiday meals. Because they are filled with so much nutrition, I really do enjoy sweet potatoes all year long, especially made as sweet potato fries or rounds, or paired up with up with smoked chicken-apple sausage and more veggies in a simple sheet pan meal for one of my go-to quick dinners.

Although I do enjoy a traditional sweet potato casserole on Thanksgiving, I tend to like my sweet potatoes served in more savory recipes like this Sweet Potato Gratin with Pecans I’m sharing today. The combination of flavors in this dish is absolutely delicious, and the Parmesan-pecan topping adds crunch and texture that will make your tastebuds sing. You can’t go wrong serving this dish alongside beef, roasted chicken or turkey.
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This recipe was created in partnership with Fisher Nuts.

It’s that time of year again. The time of year when everyone is either loving or hating Brussels sprouts. I’m a big fan, but it wasn’t until college that I was actually introduced to these little green gems so I guess I’m sort of a late bloomer in the I love Brussels sprouts club. I’m hoping to convert my family (specifically my kids) to the club so I’m always trying new ways to cook them up. Roasting them is my absolute favorite (how can you not love those crispy outer leaves?).

My kids are still on the fence, my husband is a big no, but my 2 year old loves them…he devoured multiple servings of this Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts with Pecans dish when I made it last week.

That’s my boy!

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The last couple of weeks, my grocery store has had avocados and mangos on sale. Would it be too obvious to tell you my produce drawer is filled with plenty of both right now?

Yep. I have a few more mangos & avocados than I know what to do with at the moment. This is not a bad thing.

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This Black Bean and Sweet Potato Enchilada Bake recipe is sponsored by Bush’s Beans.

A few years ago, I discovered how well black beans and sweet potatoes go together. There have been plenty of times since that discovery where I have served myself roasted sweet potato halves or rounds topped with leftover black beans on a plate for a simple, yet filling, vegetarian lunch or dinner. There’s such a good sweet and savory balance that comes from the pairing, and it’s fun to experiment with it too. And not to mention, Bush’s black beans and sweet potatoes are pretty much healthy staples in my kitchen so it’s not hard to include them in everyday recipes.

This recipe for Roasted Veggie and Black Bean Burritos are what started it all, though it’s been a while since I’ve made them. They are actually what inspired this enchilada bake. I have been wanting to make the burritos but was looking for something I could prepare ahead of time and easily throw in to the oven at dinner time. I guess I could have probably still done that, but then I wouldn’t have this new recipe to share with you, would I? 😉

Don’t be intimidated by the list of ingredients. Most of it goes into a roasting pan all at once and you can even cook it up ahead of time like I did. Having my go-to enchilada sauce recipe ready to defrost in the freezer is a huge help – if you haven’t tried it yet, please do!

If you’re looking for a good meatless dinner option try this one out!

Enjoy!

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I had a major clean out the produce drawer cooking session yesterday. My lack of meal planning and shopping without a list the week before Thanksgiving left me with a few too many straggling veggies to be dealt with. No regrets though, because in result, this bowl of roasted veggie goodness happened.

A couple of months ago I stumbled onto this recipe for Maple Glazed “Medley” over on Skinny Mommy. This is honestly my favorite kind of recipe, one that I know that pretty much everyone in my family would eat with no complaints. I always have chicken and apple sausages in my freezer (I  leave Costco with a huge pack every single time!) so it’s a great stand-by recipe to make with whatever veggies you have on hand. The maple syrup really makes it extra special and if you like a little heat then a little drizzle of hot chili sauce will pair up perfectly to create that “sweet heat” so many of us crave.

It doesn’t take much to put this together.  A little chop, a little toss and in the oven it goes.

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I was feeling lazy Saturday night so I decided it was going to be a BFD night. I wanted simple over medium eggs and a bagel, but was craving something more than just fruit on the side. I found a lonely little (well medium) sweet potato in the pantry along with some red onions. I chopped them into a small dice (skin still on the potatoes) and threw them into a hot skillet with a little bit of oil. I spiced them up with a pinch of Aleppo pepper, another pinch of smoked paprika, and of course salt & pepper. It took them no time to cook up and they turned out to be a perfect company to my fried eggs.

Of course a little green Tabasco made them that much better.

Do you like breakfast for dinner?

Sweet Potato Hash

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 medium-large sweet potato, peeled or unpeeled, diced small
• 1 medium red onion, diced small
• a pinch of Aleppo pepper, or your favorite chili powder
• a pinch of smoked paprika
• a pinch of garlic powder
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a hot skillet over medium high eat, add olive oil and diced sweet potatoes. Let cook for about 5 minutes until slightly browned.
2. Add onions and cook for an additional 4 minutes till soft. Add pinches of chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cover and cook for another 5 or so minutes until potatoes are soft.

Delicious under a over easy egg, and with some green Tabasco sauce.

Other Sweet Potato Hash inspirations:

Sweet Potato Hash with Adobo and Fried Tomatoes by Vanilla Sugar

Sweet Potato Burritos by Vanilla Sugar

Sweet Potato Hasbrowns by Sweet Pea’s Kitchen

Oven Roasted Sweet Potato Hash by The Other Side of Fifty

Follow Aggie’s Kitchen’s board Breakfast on Pinterest.

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Right?

Actually, it’s always the season for sweet potatoes…but it seems more people like to enjoy them around this time of year.  I am a huge lover of sweet potatoes, in mostly any form.  I tend to eat them pretty often…whether roasted as wedges or rounds, grilled in a salad, tucked inside a burrito or even in latkes. Yea, I like my sweet potatoes.

Now, I will say, these biscotti were a first for me as far as ways to enjoy sweet potatoes.  The nice people at the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission recently sent me a batch of Sweet Potato Biscotti and I will tell you, two dozen of these cookies lasted just a little over 2 days in this house.  I got the package just as I was leaving to pick up the kids from school so I opened it in the car to try them out.  The kids (my two and their friend) ate half a dozen just on the way home.  More for dessert that night and snack again the next day.  Daddy, a neighbor, and I even got to try some.

These cookies are just sweet enough thanks to the natural sweetness of the spuds.  What I love is that the recipe for Sweet Potato Biscotti only calls for 2/3 cup of sugar for 4 dozen biscotti!  Crazy huh?  That’s a treat I don’t feel terrible about giving my kids (or myself).  Now if you are looking for something ooey-gooey sweet then this is probably not your cookie.  These are light and perfect with a cup of tea…and they won’t kill your “diet”.

Not only do sweet potatoes taste good, they are super good for you.  They are diabetic friendly due to their low glycemic index (really, good for everyone) and are full of fiber, beta carotene, vitamin C, potassium and magnesium….all good stuff!  Try these out next time you are in the mood to bake.  Thank you to NCSPC for sending them my way!  We enjoyed them and I will definitely be sharing them again soon with my fam.

Sweet Potato Biscotti

Recipe from NC Sweet Potato Commission

(printable recipe)

2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups unpeeled coarsely grated North Carolina sweet potatoes (about 8 ounces)
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease large baking sheet. In medium bowl, beat together sugar and butter; add eggs; beat well. Add flour, baking powder, orange zest and salt; beat on low speed until combined. Fold in sweet potato, walnuts and coconut. Divide dough into two equal pieces; with oiled hands, shape each piece into a log about 2 inches by 11 inches; place on baking sheet. Bake until firm and golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack; cool 15 minutes. Trim thin slice from ends of logs; cut logs into 1/2 inch thick slices. Place slices on 2 ungreased baking sheets with cut side down. Bake 12 minutes; turn and bake until crisp and golden, 10-12 minutes longer. Cool completely. Store in tightly covered container.

Yield: about 4 dozen biscotti

Per 2 biscotti: 116 calories, 1 g fiber, 7 g sugar, 5 g total fat

Disclaimer:  Although I was treated to these delicious cookies by the NC Sweet Potato Commission, all thoughts and opinions about them are my own.  Thank you.

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Click here to Pin this Roasted Veggie and Black Bean Burrito recipe!

Lately, I’ve been trying to have more “veggie” meals for dinner.  You will not miss the meat in these vegetarian Roasted Veggie and Black Bean Burritos.  The flavor is awesome…smoky sweetness from the roasted sweet potatoes and vegetables combined with a nice kick from the jalapenos.  The black beans bulk it up, the cilantro keeps it fresh…and the melted cheese puts it over the top.  It might seem like an odd combination, but trust me, it works.

To make things easier for myself at dinner time, I chopped and roasted the veggies earlier in the day.  I stored them and the black beans in the fridge until I was ready to roll up the burritos later on.  I chopped the veggies fairly small, a little less than 1″ in size…the smaller the cut of the vegetables the quicker they roast up.  And keeping them cut small and uniform helps while stuffing the tortilla wrap.

If you are looking for something to quickly grab and go in the evenings you are busy with your children’s activities, these are a great option to have on hand. For anyone who likes to meal prep, roll up your burritos ahead and wrap in foil or plastic wrap to gently heat up later on.

What vegetables go burritos?

These are not your typical burritos! They are filled with veggies and no meat to make it a great meatless option when you have a craving for Mexican flavors.

In these roasted vegetable burritos, I added a variety of peppers and onion along with sweet potato and black beans.

• sweet potato
• red onion
• red bell pepper
• jalapeno

How do you make vegetarian burritos?

1. In a bowl, toss veggies in olive oil and season with spices. Place in large baking dish and roast in 425 degree oven for 20 minutes, tossing around halfway in between.
2. Let cool. Add to a bowl of rinsed black beans. Add cilantro and squirt of lime juice. Combine gently. At this point, mixture can be stored for later use.
3. Warm wraps in microwave according to directions on package. Add two heaping tablespoons of vegetable and bean mixture to center of wrap. Top with shredded cheese. Fold over, fold in sides and continue to roll. Place on baking dish, seam side down and spray with nonstick spray or brush with olive oil.
4. Bake in 375 degree oven for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Baking this way will make tortilla wrap crisp. For a softer burrito, spray burrito with nonstick spray or brush with oil, then wrap in aluminum foil and bake for same amount of time.

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Roasted Veggie and Black Bean Burritos

• Author: Aggies Kitchen
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 6 burritos
• Category: Vegetarian
• Method: Oven

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Savory sweet Roasted Veggie and Black Bean Burritos are a delicious vegetarian meal even meat lovers will enjoy!

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Ingredients

• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (small)
• 1 red pepper, cubed (small)
• 1 red onion cubed (small)
• 2 jalapenos, diced (if you want less heat sub another red pepper)
• 1tsp cumin
• 1tsp chili powder
• salt and pepper
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 15oz can black beans, rinsed & drained (I like to use Bush’s Black Beans)
• handful chopped cilantro
• squeeze lime
• shredded cheddar
• Whole Wheat Tortillas or Wraps (burrito size – I used Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Tortillas)
• nonstick olive oil spray

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Instructions

1. In a bowl, toss veggies in olive oil and season with spices. Place in large baking dish and roast in 425 degree oven for 20 minutes, tossing around halfway in between.
2. Let cool. Add to a bowl of rinsed black beans. Add cilantro and squirt of lime juice. Combine gently. At this point, mixture can be stored for later use.
3. Warm wraps in microwave according to directions on package. Add two heaping tablespoons of vegetable and bean mixture to center of wrap. Top with shredded cheese. Fold over, fold in sides and continue to roll. Place on baking dish, seam side down and spray with nonstick spray or brush with olive oil.
4. Bake in 375 degree oven for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Baking this way will make tortilla wrap crisp. For a softer burrito, spray burrito with nonstick spray or brush with oil, then wrap in aluminum foil and bake for same amount of time.

More black bean recipes to try:

Taco Turkey and Black Bean Rice Bowls

Mexican Slaw Salad with Black Beans

Black Bean and Egg Tostadas

Oven Baked Black Bean and Cheese Quesadillas

Pulled Pork with Black Bean Cornbread | Reluctant Enterainer

Southwestern Black Bean Pasta Salad | She Wears Many Hats

Black Bean Salsa Stuffed Sweet Potatoes | The Lemon Bowl

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Since everyone I’m talking to these days is in the mood to grill and chill…I thought I’d go back in my archives and share a great recipe I discovered one summer long ago.

This Grilled Sweet Potato Salad is unique and just delicious. It’s pairs up wonderfully with these Jamaican Jerk Chicken Wings and really with anything hot off the grill. The smoky lime dressing is the perfect complement to the sweetness of the grilled potatoes.

I honestly never thought to grill sweet potatoes until I came across this recipe. 

 

I’m always looking for new ways to enjoy sweet potatoes. They aren’t just for Thanksgiving that’s for sure. We love them roasted or in my family’s favorite quick weeknight meal but grilling them was a fun way to change things up.

Enjoy the recipe and your weekend!

 

 

More sweet potato recipes:

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Enchilada Bake

Maple Mustard Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Mango and Sweet Potatoes

Roasted Veggie and Black Bean Burritos

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Brussels Sprouts and Pecans

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Grilled Sweet Potato Salad

• Author: Aggie Goodman

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Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2–3 scallions, sliced diagonally
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• lime wedges
• handful chopped cilantro

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Instructions

1. In a large saucepan, add whole sweet potatoes and cover with cold salted water by 1 inch. Bring to a simmer, covered, and cook until just tender, about 15 to 30 minutes, depending on size of potatoes. Test with a knife.
2. Place potatoes in a a colander and run under cold water to cool. With a sharp knife peel potatoes and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
3. In a small bowl whisk together oil, salt, and cumin and brush some onto both sides of potato slices, reserving remaining cumin oil.
4. Preheat your grill. Grill potato slices on an oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals until golden brown, about 1 minute on each side, and transfer to a platter. Sprinkle green onion over grilled potatoes. Whisk lime juice into remaining cumin oil with salt and pepper to taste and drizzle over potatoes. Serve potato salad with additional lime wedges and chopped cilantro if desired.
5. Updated: I just wanted to note to keep an eye on your potatoes as they are boiling, you want them firm and not too soft. But you want to parboil them enough to take the bite out of them so they aren’t completely raw on the grill.
6. Also, according to one of the reviews on epicurious, the potatoes can be boiled and sliced ahead of time and grilled later.

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(Cubanelles roasting on the grill…)

Look for them where you find jalapenos, hopefully they will be there. Cubanelles are a light bright green color and are very mild peppers. Poblanos are darker green in color and have some kick to them. I originally started making these burgers with just cubanelles, but over time added the poblanos for a little heat, so you can decide how you want them.

Roasted Cubanelles and Poblanos
Recipe from Aggie’s Kitchen

6-8 Cubanelle and Pobano peppers
Salt and pepper, to taste
drizzle of olive oil

Throw peppers on a hot grill and close the lid. Keep an eye on them as they start to char, keep turning them so that the entire pepper cooks evenly. If you do not have access to a grill, place peppers on rack in 450 degree oven. Make sure to place a large piece of aluminum foil on rack below peppers to catch any juices that may come out of peppers while cooking.

Once they are almost entirely black (it’s okay, really), place them in a glass bowl and seal them with a lid or plastic wrap. If you’ve ever made roasted red peppers, you will know what to do. Let them sit in a sealed glass bowl for about 20 minutes or until the charred skin starts to peel off easily. Once the charred skin has been peeled and the seeds and stems have been taken out, shred the peppers into little strips and place in bowl. Season with salt and pepper and a couple of drops of olive oil if you desire.

(for a printable version of all these recipes click here)

(these burgers were topped with a 2% Mexican cheese blend because that is what I had on hand…I prefer regular cheddar though)

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