Roasted sweet potato + black bean salad

A little sweet, a little zesty, a whole lot of nutrients.

This salad is good.

And good for you.

….There’s not much else to say.

But really, I could eat roasted sweet potatoes by the bucketful, and when you toss them with some black beans, red onion, cilantro, pepitas, and a zesty lime dressing, you get a hearty and healthy salad 13 notches above those plain roasted taters. Is that even possible? I’d say yes, but you’ll have to try it out and let your own taste buds decide.

I made this for the C of C Clean Eats potluck, a newly formed club at our school based on the Slow Food Charleston Chapter.

“Slow food aims to be everything fast food is not.”

The movement supports food and farming policy that is good for the public, good for the planet, and good for farmers and workers. We were asked to bring a dish made with local ingredients if possible, and to write the recipe down so we can compile a “Clean Eats Cookbook”! We had a delicious and nutritious variety of foods to sample, like roasted brussels sprouts with cherries and walnuts, local shrimp and avocado salad, and sweet potatoes with a yummy cinnamon yogurt sauce. It was great to get together with others who share the passion for good, clean eating, and to brainstorm events to get the campus community aware and involved in this movement.

So here’s my contribution, which I found much too tasty not to include on this blog!

Roasted sweet potato + black bean salad, inspired by this

• 2 or 3 large sweet potatoes, peeled + cut into 1/2″ cubes
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 t sea salt
• 1 t cumin
• 1 1/2 cups black beans, or 1 can drained + rinsed
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup raw shelled pumpkin seeds

Preheat oven to 450 F. Toss cubed sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt + cumin and spread on foil-lined baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes, flip/toss with metal spatula, and roast 10-15 minutes more, until tender and edges begin to brown. Add warm potatoes to a bowl with beans, onion, and chopped cilantro. Toss with zesty lime dressing (below) and top with toasted pumpkin seeds (toast in a dry skillet for 3-5 minutes) and salty cheese like feta or cotija if desired.

Lime dressing:

• zest of 1 lime
• juice of 2 limes
• 1/4 t cayenne pepper
• dash of sea salt + black pepper
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 T olive oil
• 1/2 t agave nectar

Combine all ingredients in a blender and toss gently with salad. You probably won’t need all of the dressing. Serve this salad as a side dish or over a bed of greens for a nutritious meal!

Enjoy! –mich

This recipe is linked to My Meatless Mondays, Tuesday’s Tasty Tidbits, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Real Food Wednesdays, Healthy Vegan Fridays, and