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The month of February tends to get swallowed up by that one particular holiday focused on the lovey-dovey stuff. I’m a pretty big fan of love myself, but I’m setting aside the pink and red heart shaped confections to talk about a dish that I’m really loving this week! Did you know that February is also Heart Health Month? I’ve been putting an emphasis on wellness lately in the kitchen, and after my husband came home from his physical with slightly elevated cholesterol, I knew I wanted to make sure our meals were more heart-healthy. As it turns out, accomplishing that is as easy as adding a little Mazola® Corn Oil in the mix! A clinical study showed Mazola Corn Oil reduces cholesterol 2x more than extra virgin olive oil. To learn more about this claim, visit Mazola.com
Mazola Corn Oil is an all-purpose, cholesterol free cooking oil that is a smart heart-healthy* choice for your family. *See Mazola.com for more information on the relationship between corn oil and heart health. It has a variety of uses including baking, grilling, sautéing, stir frying, or mixing up a marinade or dressing. In this recipe, it served as the perfect oil to roast fresh sweet potatoes seasoned with a smidge of my very favorite spices. To keep this recipe more health-focused, I swapped out traditional taco proteins such as ground beef or chicken and replaced them with plant based proteins such as black beans and sweet potatoes. Opting to roast instead of fry and using Mazola corn oil in place of other cooking oils also make this dish a great better for you option.
Sweet potatoes are always a winner for me, as they’re chock full of nutrients that I often find my body is lacking in. I love finding new ways to incorporate them into my diet, and seasoning them just like I would chicken, roasting them to perfection and serving them in street-style tacos is definitely my new favorite way to do it! I love that this recipe comes together in about 25 minutes, too. It’s perfect for even those busy weeknights when you want to put dinner on the table in a flash!
To make these tacos, first wash and peel two medium sized sweet potatoes. Slice the potatoes into rounds, then dice into smaller bite-sized pieces. Next, add 2 tablespoons of Mazola Corn Oil and stir to coat well. Next, add in a little salt, cumin, paprika and garlic powder and stir until seasoning has coated all sweet potato pieces.
Adding in the seasoning is my favorite part, (aside from eating the final product, of course!) The aroma of the spices blending together makes me do a little happy dance in my kitchen every time! Once the sweet potatoes were good and seasoned, I transferred them to a foil-lined baking sheet and baked them for 20 minutes at 400°F. About 5 minutes before they were done, I added in a can of rinsed and drained black beans and gently stirred to transfer some of the spices onto them.
While the sweet potatoes were roasting in the oven, I prepared the tortilla shells and gathered my favorite taco toppings. To heat the shells, I placed a single corn tortilla in an ungreased skillet over medium heat and allowed them to lightly brown on each side for about 20 seconds. I then placed them inside a towel to allow them to steam and stay soft until it was time to fill them.
My favorite thing about tacos is how easy they are to customize. Once you fill your shells with the sweet potato filling, you’re free to pile on as many of your favorite toppings as you like! I added fresh pico de gallo, cilantro, fresh jalapenos, shredded cheese, a smidge of chipotle sauce and a squeeze of lime to ours. The possibilities are truly endless when it comes to crafting the perfect taco!
Here’s a free printable copy of the recipe if you’d like to give it a try!
Sweet Potato & Black Bean Street Tacos
Ingredients
- 3 sweet potatoes medium sized - peeled and diced
- 1 can black beans drained and rinsed
- 2 Tbs Corn Oil Mazola
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 package corn tortillas
- Your favorite taco toppings cilantro, jalapenos, pico de gallo, sour cream, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F
- Add diced sweet potatoes to a large bowl and add in Mazola Corn Oil and seasonings and stir until well coated
- Pour sweet potatoes onto a foil lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes
- With 5 minutes remaining on the cook time, add rinsed black beans and gently stir to coat with seasoning and continue to bake
- While sweet potato mixture is cooking, heat the corn tortillas in an ungreased skillet on medium heat for about 20 seconds on each side.
- Immediately transfer corn tortillas to a towel and cover to allow to briefly steam and remain soft
- Once the sweet potato mixture if finished, add a spoonful to each taco and top with your favorite toppings
- Enjoy!
Tried this recipe?
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Making heart-healthy swaps in the kitchen can be so tasty and delicious, and using Mazola Corn Oil is the perfect swap to add to our meals while we work to bring my husband’s cholesterol levels back down to a good number.
Tacos truly have a special way of speaking my love language, and these sweet potato & black bean street tacos are packed full of delicious nutrients that my body craves. You can skip the heart shaped box of chocolates and stuffed teddy bears this month, I’d much rather have a plate full of these better for you tacos to celebrate with. After all, it’s love after first bite! 😉
What ways are you making heart-healthy swaps during the month of February? Do you use Mazola Corn Oil as a simple swap in your cooking? You can visit Mazola.com for more information and other great recipe ideas!
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