I’m not a vegan or a vegetarian, but if I had to categorize myself, I’d say that I’m about 85 percent vegan. And that’s okay with me.

As I enter my fortieth year on the planet, I know two things for sure.

First, going to extremes does not suit me. I’ve tried to “go vegan” several times in the past with little or no preparation, education or creativity. It looked something like this:

Scrolling Facebook, Oh! A PETA video. “Click…” Sh*t! I’m never eating meat again!

Three days of potato chips and raw spinach later and I’m begging for someone to make me a burger. Not pretty, or productive.

The second thing that I know for sure is that my body is smarter than I am, and I would do well to shut up and listen to her. These days, my body is telling me, “eat less meat and more plants.” So, I’m listening. And I’m not judging myself for not being militant or committed enough.

The great thing about shutting down that nasty little critic inside my head is that it opens up a vast and expansive container for creativity. I’m more imaginative, more playful and more joyful in my approach to healthy cooking and eating. And this taco recipe is a testament to that. I hope you enjoy it.

(Disclaimer: I’m not going to tell you how I know this, but let me just say that these tacos could get you laid. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.)

Ingredients:

2 Japanese sweet potatoes
1 can black beans, drained not rinsed
Taco shells (I like corn, you can use whatever gets your engine running)
3 avocados
Juice of 1 lime
A handful of cilantro
2 cloves garlic
Canola oil, maybe 1/4 cup, maybe 1/2
Raw honey

Spices:
Cayenne pepper
Salt
Cumin
Chili powder
Garlic powder

Step One, the Taters.

Slice the sweet potato into long strips.
Seasons with chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and salt to taste.
Cover with canola oil.
Mix it all up.
Set to the side.

Step Two, the Guacamole.

In a bowl, mix:

3 avocados,
Juice from 1/2 lime
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Cilantro
Salt to taste

(Note: I’m a minimalist when it comes to guacamole. If you like more stuff, by all means throw it in.)

Step Three, the Beans.

Open the beans, drain but do not rinse.
Pour into a saucepan.
Add salt, garlic powder and cumin to taste.
Warm on lowest heat.

Step Four, the Sauce.

Mix together:

About 1 tablespoon of raw honey,
Juice from 1/2 lime,
Cayenne pepper to taste.

Set aside.

Let’s get to cooking.

Preheat oven to 310 degrees.

Heat an ungreased grill pan (mine is cast iron, but you can use whatever. Hell, you can sautée them if you want, but I like the burn strips from the grill pan).

Put the sweet potatoes in the grill pan, turning them to brown on all sides. (Don’t forget to put the taco shells in the oven.)

Put the grilled sweet potatoes in a bowl and cover with honey lime sauce

Fill your tacos with beans, sweet potatoes and guacamole, and enjoy!

Prep/cook time: 45 minutes.
Cost: About 15 dollars.
Feeds: Well this would feed 3-4 reasonable adults, but my husband and I decimated the entire thing in one sitting. Yes, they are that good!

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Relephant Read:

4 Vegetarian Meals that Children will Actually Eat—That Aren’t Pasta.

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Author: Jaimee Christinat

Editor: Toby Israel

Image: Pixabay

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