Obligatory Cinco de Mayo post

Seriously though, who doesn't love Cinco de Mayo at least a little bit? An excuse to eat Mexican food and drink Margs? Deal. In fact, in college, my roommates and I were so fond of Cinco de Mayo, that we also celebrated Doce de Mayo, so we had an excuse to do it all over again the following weekend (a decision I think some of us were regretting the following morning).

I haven't quite decided how I am going to spend it this year, but I know it started with these tacos. And that it is going to continue with burritos and street beers (Tecate, of course) for lunch tomorrow, per the request of a dear Mexican friend of mine. And these tacos were so good, that it might end with them as well. And since they are filled with only good things, I can eat them to my hearts content!

And then complain about how full I am... :-/

Filled with nutrients, that is! As luck would have it (well there is nothing lucky about it, nature knows exactly what its doing), sweet potatoes are actually the bomb diggity. One of the bomb diggityest, I would dare to say. Let's work through it. First you see the sweet potato, and how orange it is... that right there is a good sign (the more colorful your vegetable, the better). Underneath that pleasing orange hue resides a great store of vitamin A, which helps your body regulate an innumerable list of important processes (a lab in my department has studied this extensively). Everyone knows how good vitamin A is for your eyes, but it is so much more than that! It literally helps your brain function. Mice that have a vitamin A deficiency are, to use a scientific term, dumb. They have trouble learning, orienting themselves, etc. Oh, and they are overweight too. Now, once your body takes up all the vitamins and cofactors, it is left with fiber, that then goes into the gastrointestinal track to act as fertilizer for your gut micro biome, the forgotten organ that you want to keep happy... but more on that another day.

So put down those french fries, and give the sweet potato a try! Preferably delivered to your mouth in these delicious tacos topped with a fresh mexican succotash (do people even eat succotash anymore?!) :-)

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Sweet Potato Tacos

Materials:

For the tacos

• olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 1/2 tablespoons taco seasoning
• 1 sweet potato, diced
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

For the succotash

• 1 cup lima beans, cooked
• kernels from 1 ear corn
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• juice from 1 lemon (or lime)
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1/2 avocado, diced
• 2 tablespoon fresh mint, minced
• salt and pepper to taste

• cashew cream (optional)
• tortillas of choice

Methods:

1. Heat up some olive oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté for about 1 minute.
3. Add the taco seasoning and cook for additional minute.
4. Add the sweet potato and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Stir in the black beans and cook for additional 5 minutes, until the sweet potato is fully cooked.
6. In the meantime, toss together all the ingredients for the succotash.
7. To assemble: briefly heat tortilla either in microwave for 30 seconds or in dry skillet, top with sweet potato and beans, and spoon on succotash.
8. Enjoy!
• May a suggest with a side of margarita?