Boniatos asados con alubias negras

Ingredientes

• 3 medium sized sweet potatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese, I like to use pepper-jack
• Optional toppings: avocado, onion, tomato, cilantro, hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained BUT with the liquid reserved
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste if desired

Preparación

1. 1

   Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Wash and dry sweet potatoes well and then slice them in half, from top to bottom. Lay them, sliced side down, on the parchment paper and use a fork to give each one a few pricks. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle on the spices. Use your hands to toss everything together until both sides of the sweet potatoes are coated with oil and spices. Place in the oven and roast until fork tender and starting to caramelize, 40-45 minutes, flipping 3/4 of the way through.

2. 2

   Prepare the black beans while the sweet potatoes are roasting. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add in the olive oil and diced onion. Cook until onion is softened, 2-3 minutes, and then add in the garlic. Cook for another minute, until garlic is fragrant.

3. 3

   Next, add in the drained black beans and all of the spices. Mix everything together well and then pour in a couple tablespoons of the reserved bean liquid, to help loosen everything up. Let beans cook for about 4-5 minutes, to allow the flavors in the spices to develop. Add extra liquid, if needed. You want them to have a similar consistency to refried beans.

4. 4

   Once sweet potatoes are done roasting, remove them from the oven. I like to give them a little smash, with a fork, and then you can pile on about 1/2 cup of the black beans, depending on the size of your sweet potatoes. Top with about 1/4 cup of shredded cheese and place back in the oven. Bake until cheese is melted, remove from the oven, and serve with your favorite toppings.