Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burritos

These were so good!  I know it's hard to believe that given the title.....and I think my mother-in-law thought I was a bit crazy when I told her I was making these for dinner but they were better than I expected.  Also better than my kids expected (which is really an endorsement!) because 3 out of 4 ate them without dying :).  Try them, you'll like them.

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burritos

Yield: 8-10 burritos 

from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients

• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed small (about 3-4 cups)
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
• 1 red pepper, diced small
• 1 small red onion, diced small (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drain
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup chopped cilantro (depending on your taste)
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice (from about 1 lime)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 6-8 burrito-size tortillas (whole wheat, white or other favorite variety)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In a large bowl, toss together the sweet potatoes, jalapeno, red pepper and red onion with the olive oil, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Dump the coated veggies onto a large rimmed baking sheet and roast for 18-20 minutes, tossing halfway through. The vegetables should be tender but not mushy at the end of cooking time.
2. Let the vegetable mixture cool. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl and toss with the black beans, cilantro and lime juice. Taste the mixture and add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Refrigerate the mixture until ready to assemble the burritos or use immediately.
3. Place 3-4 tortillas on a microwave-safe plat and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave for 15-20 seconds until the tortillas are pliable. Place 1/4 cup or so of the vegetable mixture in the center of the tortilla and top with a sprinkle with shredded cheese, a little of each kind.. Fold in the sides of the tortilla and roll up. Place seam-side down on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining tortillas until you have all the burritos you need (the filling can be refrigerated and used for 3-4 days).
4. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for about 10-15 minutes, until heated through and the top of the tortilla is golden brown. Adjust the baking time as needed depending on if the filling has been refrigerated or not. For a softer tortilla, wrap each burrito in tin foil and heat through. Serve immediately.

Grandma's Banana Bread (Updated)

I grew up on this banana bread.  My mom made it whenever there were overripe bananas to be had but the original recipe came from my grandma.  I've always loved this banana bread both because it's delicious but also because it reminds me of childhood and my mom and grandma.  Recently, however, I tried to update it a bit from it's original form to cut back on the amount of butter and sugar.  As it is now written, the recipe has half the amount of butter and a quarter less sugar than the original. I think it turned out really well without sacrificing the original flavor.  This is how I make it all the time now.  Delicious!

Banana Bread
1 loaf

1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. applesauce (or 2 T. non-fat plain greek yogurt)
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs (or 1/2 c. egg substitute)
1 t. soda dissolved in 1 T. sour milk
3 ripe bananas
2 c. flour
1/2 t. baking powder
pinch of salt

Cream butter and applesauce and then add in sugar.  Beat in eggs and the soda dissolved in sour milk.  Finely mash the bananas and add to the mixture.  Add remaining dry ingredients and combine.  Pour into a bread loaf pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.