grilled sweet potato tacos

Another "hot" day. I put hot in quotations because it's not really all that hot. We San Franciscans tend to freak out a little bit if the temperature strays from our standard 65 degrees. Guilty as charged. Another day where using the oven seems like a terrible idea. So we lit up the grill again!

Ingredients:
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes
1/2 red onion
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2" slices
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 bunch cilantro
3 Tbsp chili powder
pinch of red pepper flakes
8 corn tortillas
lettuce or spring mix

Similar to our last post, spray a large sheet of aluminum foil with olive oil and place the sweet potatoes and onion in the center. Season with 2 Tbsp of chili powder, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and a few pinches of salt and wrap it up and place on a hot grill for 40 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are fork tender. Meanwhile, simmer the beans and tomatoes together with the remaining chili powder in a small pot to incorporate the flavors together, about 20 minutes. You can finely chop the cilantro and stir it into the sour cream, or you can just throw it on in a food processor! Make sure to thoroughly rinse cilantro before using it, it's pretty sandy. Arrange the tacos with two tortillas on the plate, then some lettuce, beans, sweet potatoes and sour cream. Roll em up and eat, or use a fork if you're dainty.

sweet potato soup

Ingredients:
5 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2" cubes
2 Tbsp canola oil
2 Tbsp Smart Balance
3 leeks, white and pale green parts only, sliced lengthwise then chopped into 1/2" slices
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup broccoli florets
1 cup collard greens, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 tsp cayenne pepper
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toss the sweet potatoes with the oil, salt and pepper. Spread sweet potatoes onto a baking sheet lined with tin foil. Roast the potatoes in the oven for 30 minutes.

Melt the butter in a large pot and add the leeks. Stir over medium heat until leeks are softened, about 5 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the oven and add them into the soup pot, along with the garlic. Add 4 cups of vegetable broth and simmer, covered, for at least 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

Puree the soup in a blender until smooth. Return the soup to the stove, add the remaining 2 cups of broth and the green veggies. Simmer for 5 minutes and serve with crusty french bread.