Blacks beans, a type of legume, are what comes to mind when we think of Mexican inspired dishes like quesadillas, burritos and nachos. These yummy beans are packed with fiber, making them a great choice to add to your meals whenever you make Mexican food at home or enjoy it in a restaurant. We love the idea of packing in legumes to these meals to get potassium and protein in our diets too! Try swapping out meat like grilled chicken in quesadillas for blacks beans instead. This black bean and sweet potato quesadilla recipe makes it easy for you to do just this. The salty black beans and the sweet sweet potato make for a delicious combination. Add some pepper jack cheese and you’re all set for an appetizer (think upcoming Super Bowl) or meal.
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
- 1tsp. fresh cilantro
- Sprinkle of salt and pepper
- 1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/3 cup low-fat pepper jack cheese (shredded)
- 4 whole grain tortillas
- Boil the sweet potato cubes for about 15 minutes, until they are tender.
- Drain and transfer to a bowl. Mash the sweet potato and mix in the cilantro, salt and pepper.
- Lay the tortillas flat, the spread about 2 tbsp. of the sweet potato mixture onto the bottom half of the quesadilla. Top with 2 tbsp. black beans and a sprinkle of cheese. Repeat with the remaining 3 tortillas.
- Fold over the quesadilla then transfer to a nonstick pan (or sandwich press) and cook for about 3 minutes on each side over medium heat until the cheese is melty and the tortilla is crispy.
- Serve with your favorite toppings like low-fat sour cream, salsa and guacamole!
- If serving as an appetizer the serving size is 8 instead of 4.
