Meet Kim, the voice and recipe creator at Hungry Healthy Girl. Looking for great tasting healthy recipes? Look no further. Kim is exceptionally talented at creating recipes that are tasty, satisfying and easily adapted for special diets. Kim proves that healthy eating doesn’t have to mean hours in the kitchen for every meal. It doesn’t have to be boring or tasteless and it doesn’t have to include ingredients that you have to fly out of the country to find. I know, a slight exaggeration, but you know what I mean. Kim uses everyday easy to find ingredients in recipes that are often quick and easy to prepare.
Hi to all you healthy, happy, fit people! I’m Kim and I blog over at Hungry Healthy Girl, where I share healthy recipes with some fitness and fun sprinkled in. I’m so excited to guest post on Jill’s blog. I’ve been following her for quite some time and, when I can get my act together, I enjoy linking up on Sundays with my weekly meal plan.
I have a super tasty recipe to share with all of you! This recipe is very easy and can be adapted for any special diet. The version that I created is vegan and gluten-free, but for all my meat-eating friends, this recipe would be wonderful with added chicken or even ground beef. Not a fan of the black bean….. leave them out and substitute chopped zucchini or mushrooms. The possibilities are pretty much endless!
I think we all love a meal that can just be thrown together, popped in the oven and after about 20 minutes… voilà! This taco casserole also could be premade, covered and stored in the fridge throughout the day until dinner time. I just don’t know why casseroles get such a bad rap….. use a little less cheese, pile on the veggies and you’ve got yourself a super healthy meal!
Sweet potatoes and black beans are one of my favorite food combinations. Not only do they taste incredible together, but they pack a nutritional punch.
- Black beans are very high in fiber, folate, protein, and antioxidants, along with numerous other vitamins and minerals.
- Black beans contain at least 8 different flavonoids with enormous antioxidant potential, and with their high content of phytochemicals, studies have connected black bean consumption with reduced risk of certain cancers.
- Sweet potatoes contain an antioxidant pigment, anthocyanin; which research shows, which may decrease the dangers presented by heavy metals and oxygen radicals.
- Sweet potatoes are abundant in vitamin A and C; which are invaluable in the prevention of many types of cancer.
Listed above are just a few of the nutritional benefits of black beans and sweet potatoes. There are many additional reasons that make including black beans and sweet potatoes in your diet a great idea.
Sweet Potato Black Bean Taco Casserole
Serves 6 and takes about 30-35 minutes from start to finish.
Ingredients:
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced (cook in the microwave for about 3-5 minutes, to soften)
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained
½ an onion, chopped
1 red or green bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup salsa, divided
2-4 tortillas, depending on size (corn, flour, sprouted, gluten-free or whole wheat)
4 oz. shredded cheese, use vegan as desired (optional)
Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray an 8 x 8 baking dish with a natural cooking spray; set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine diced sweet potato, black beans, tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, chili powder, garlic salt, and cinnamon.
- Spread ½ cup salsa on the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange a tortilla on top, ripping into strips to get the right fit. Spoon a large layer of sweet potato/black bean mixture over tortilla strips. Spread the remaining ½ cup salsa over the sweet potato/black bean layer.
- Add one more layer of tortillas and then add the rest of the sweet potato/black bean mixture over the tortilla layer. Top with cheese, if using.
- Bake, uncovered, 20-25 minutes and until cheese is melted and top is slightly browned. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut into squares and serve. Top with additional salsa, cilantro, and/or avocado, if desired.
- Enjoy! I know you will!
Something to think about…..
How do you feel about casseroles? Is there a casserole that you really like?
Are you a black bean and sweet potato fan?
What’s your favorite throw together, quick and easy dinner meal?
Happy eating!!
Be sure and visit me over at Hungry Healthy Girl! You can also find me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Bloglovin and Pinterest!
Kim loves to spend time with her family, eat, cook, read, and run. Kim started a blog to teach others that nutritious eating will not only have you feeling great, but can also be VERY yummy and to inspire others to make smart choices when it comes to feeding their bodies. Kim’s focus is to share the tools, information and recipes that will make it easy for you to feed your family the right way.
be the best version of YOU
What would you suggest for sides to round out the meal
Delicous! I didn’t have black beans so I used pinto instead. I also chopped up tomatoes from our garden instead of using canned. Definitely will make this again. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
This looks amazing Jill!
I just made this casserole and we enjoyed it. Unfortunately I didn’t read the part of the instructions that says to microwave the sweet potato. For those trying this recipe, DO NOT OMIT THIS STEP. Raw sweet potato is not edible and the casserole cooking time is too short to cook the sweet potato, even when chopped into tiny chunks. So we microwaved our portions after the fact and that worked okay, but next time i’ll do the recipe in the right order. Also, next time I might try adding more tortilla layers to make it like a Mexican lasagna. I used corn tortillas and it was really good. And maybe add another layer of cheese. Thanks for the recipe!
Black beans and sweet potatoes are 2 of my favorite foods! Yum!
This sounds amazing and perfect for my family!
This looks fabulous, I don’t even have to try it to know based on the ingredients I would absolutely LOVE this!!! Pinning this right now so I don’t lose it, I am definitely trying this, this weekend!!! Thanks for sharing!!!
mmm!! must make! Thanks girl!
mmm!! must make! Thanks girl!
HOW BEAUTIFUL! 🙂 I would swap in butternut squash and BAM – my mouth is all over that.
Yum I love sweet potatoes and black beans together. Add salsa even better looks great.
And don’t forget the avocado! 😉
Looks yummy. I will have to try this!
Hi Amy, I’m adding it to my menu for next week! Let us know what you think if you decide to try it 🙂
Oh my this sounds delicious! Casserole is a must in my house during busy times. They make the best lunch leftovers!
Heather you read my mind! Leftovers or make ahead meals make busy weeks less hectic!
Perfect! Love the entire dish.
Yum!! This looks delicious! Thanks for sharing!
That looks really yummy! I love casseroles because I can make a big batch of something and eat it for a few days! Great recipe! Thanks!
Exactly… leftovers the next day for lunch were even better!
Sweet potatoes and black beans are one of my favorite combos. I’m putting this recipe on my meal plan for next week. YUM!
Mine too… I’m pretty sure you’ll love it!
This looks amazing!!! I read sweet potato and was sold! I will have to try this for sure- especially since I usually have all those ingredients at home already. I may have to throw in some meat though– don’t judge me 🙂
No judging… I think meat would be great in this! 😉
That looks so good! I am pinning for later!
Thanks for pinning Betsy! Let us know what you think if you decide to try it 🙂
Mmmm…this sounds wonderful! I love anything with sweet potatoes!
Hi Holly, I’m sure we’ve talked about this before but me too! Sweet potato love 🙂
This is right up my ally. SO yummy.
I agree that casseroles shouldn’t get such a bad rap- less cheese and tons of veggies makes for a filling and healthy casserole dish, and they’re so convenient! This looks great!
You are SO right!
This looks SO delicious, Kim!! I’ll have to add it to my meal plan… I’ve having some weird pregnancy aversions but sweet potatoes are always delicious!
Let me know what you think, if get a chance to give it try! 😉
Where is the “Like” button THIS looks AMAZING!!!! I have to try this one week! I add sweet potatoes to my turkey muffins! It’s not overpowering and not at all how you assume it will taste. Black beans are a staple of my meal preps I love them!
Beautiful presentation!
Thank you so much!!! I eat sweet potatoes and black beans constantly too!
Love Kim and love all her recipes! This one is no different!!! I could eat Mexican food daily!!
Awww…. you’re such a sweetie! I could totally eat Mexican every day!
Love casseroles! Especially Mexican inspired ones. My favorite is an enchilada casserole with roasted vegetables. So easy and I don’t end up cursing myself for ripping all the tortillas while I try to wrap them!
Yum… that sounds delicious!
This looks so yummy! Will definitely share and try for myself!
Yummy! Thanks Kim, I actually just found your blog this morning and had added you to my reading list 🙂 This sounds delightful, I made something similar a few months ago, and loved it! GREAT runner foods, so I will definitely give your version a try 🙂
Thanks, Tina! You’re right, perfect runner foods!
AHH my child loves black beans.
I JUST NEED TO MAKE THEM 🙂
I’m not a huge casserole fan over all (I like to mix and match my food as I eat it) but I respect the casserole. And this looks not only beautiful but delicious. I would have to do half with beans half without, but mmmmmmm
Well THIS looks quite tasty Kim, thanks for sharing! And super easy, I love make and bake recipes! I am wondering if the beans can be replaced with ground turkey or chicken? I cannot eat beans!
Thanks, Amber! You can definitely substitute the black beans for chicken or turkey! I think adding cooked chicken or ground turkey would be delish!
Oh my goodness YUM! This looks delicious 🙂
You better believe there will be avacado ontop of this!
Karen @karenlovestorun
I am the avocado QUEEN! No avocado, no go for me. I”ll be garnishing this with plenty of that green goddess 🙂
And wow, this casserole looks delicious…almost like the famous nacho dip at Pickle Barrel!
Always!!!
You can’t go wrong with that combo!