Aug

Did someone say SPBBB?

BBFCCC. GCC. CCC. SPBBB?

It’s not often that enough people try a recipe and that it is good enough to earn an acronym on the Nest.com Cooking forum, so when it does, you know it’s a must-try! I’ve been making this recipe for Sweet Potato and Black Bean burritos for a few years ago, and last fall I shared it with my message board buddies, and enough people tried it and liked it that it quickly joined the ranks of the infamous Garlic Cheddar Chicken, earning the nickname SPBBB. I wish I could take credit for the original recipe, but it comes from the Moosewood Collection Lowfat Favorites Cookbook. But I will say that when browsing through this book (which is fabulous, by the way) in the store, this recipe was one of the main reasons I felt compelled to buy the book.

The first time I made this meal, I remember my fiance asking, “what’s for dinner?” “Burritos,” I answered.
“What kind of meat?”

“None.”
“What kind of cheese?”
“None.”

He was a little confused about how we could possibly be eating a burrito without meat and cheese, but he loved them. Since then, he’s really warmed up to the idea of vegetarian meals and actually requests this one quite often.

You might be confused since the above pictures do not show a burrito. That’s because I did something a little different this time. I cut the filling recipe way down, and made a layered casserole with tortillas, salsa, and cheese in a loaf pan. Just enough for the two of us. Anyway, here is the original recipe from the Moosewood Collection.

5 cups peeled cubed sweet potatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons canola or other vegetable oil
3-1/2 cups diced onions
4 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 tablespoon minced fresh green chile
4 teaspoons ground cumin
4 teaspoons ground coriander
4-1/2 cups cooked black beans (three 15-ounce cans, drained)
2/3 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
8 eight-inch flour tortillas
Fresh Tomato Salsa or jarred

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan with the salt and water to cover. Cover and bring to a boil, then simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. While the sweet potatoes are cooking, warm the oil in a medium skillet or saucepan and add the onions, garlic, and chile. Cover and cook on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender, about 7 minutes. Add the cumin and coriander and cook for 2 to 3 minutes longer, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a food processor, combine the black beans, cilantro, lemon juice, salt, and cooked sweet potatoes and puree until smooth. (You can also mash the ingredients in a large bowl by hand using a potato masher. The result will be a less smooth but nicely textured filling.) Transfer the sweet potato mixture to a large mixing bowl and mix in the cooked onions and spices.

Lightly oil a large baking dish. Spoon about 2/3 to 3/4 cup of the filling in the center of each tortilla, roll it up, and place it, seam side down, in the baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake for about 30 minutes, until piping hot. Serve topped with salsa. Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Vegetarian