#MeatlessMonday

Rich roasted sweet potatoes, toothsome raw kale, a squeeze of lime, a hint of jalapeño, and lots of creamy avocado—blended into the sweet potato salad dressing and cubed up in the salad, too—this health-bomb of a vegan salad is self-care in a bowl. Plenty of protein—from black beans in the salad and cashews in the dressing—and healthy fats like avocado, olive oil and nuts mean that it you’ll feel full and satisfied for hours. And we haven’t even talked about those glorious roasted sweet potatoes yet—they’re a pretty magical food, so we figure they deserve their own little spotlight.

“A hearty mountain of roasted sweet potatoes, avocado, black beans and raw kale are tossed in a creamy lime-cashew-cilantro dressing in this brightly flavorful, vegan sweet potato salad recipe.”

Are Sweet Potatoes Good For You?

YES! Health-wise, sweet potato benefits are many and varied! Simple roasted sweet potatoes are as complete a snack or side dish as you could hope for—this colorful, sweet-and starchy root vegetable is an excellent source of fiber, vitamins and minerals including iron, calcium, selenium, many B vitamins, vitamin C, and beta-carotene. A drizzle of olive oil before roasting—at 400°F for 30 minutes—doesn’t just make the sweet potato taste good, it helps your body to absorb all that nutrition, too. A few more things to know about sweet potato nutrition:

• How many carbs in sweet potatoes? With 27 grams of carbs per cup of cooked sweet potato (and about 17 grams of net carbs) they’re not a super duper low-carb food, but they are still a healthy choice and can be enjoyed as part of all but the most restrictive low-carb diets.
• How many calories in a sweet potato? One whole sweet potato has about 100 calories—and considering how filling they are (thanks, fiber and complex carbs!), and how many nutrients they deliver, they represent a really great bang for your caloric buck.

Ingredients 

• 3 sweet potatoes (about 2 lbs)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp taco seasoning
• 2 bunches kale, stems removed, torn into 2 inch pieces (6 cups)
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 avocado, large sliced

Vegan Cilantro Cashew Dressing

• 1/2 cup cilantro
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 jalapeno, seeded
• 1/2 avocado

Tools

• A baking sheet for the roasted sweet potatoes.
• A good blender for making the lime-cilantro-cashew dressing.
• A sharp knife.
• A large bowl for tossing and serving.
• Salad tongs are nice to have, but not an absolute must.

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven at 400°F.
2. Cut sweet potatoes into 2” cubes. In a large bowl, toss the sweet potatoes with olive oil and taco seasoning. Arrange on a baking sheet, careful not to overcrowd. Roast on the center rack in oven for 30 minutes, flipping the sweet potatoes half way through. (If sweet potatoes aren’t tender enough, cook for an additional 5 minutes.)
3. In a high-powered blender, blend all ingredients for the dressing. You should end up with about 1 ¼ cups of the vegan cilantro-lime dressing.
   *For a thinner dressing, add a little more lime juice.
4. In a large bowl, toss the kale, cilantro, green onions, black beans, roasted sweet potatoes, avocado, with desired amount of dressing. Enjoy!

Nutrition

• Calories 359
• Protein 11g
• Carbohydrates 41g
• Total Fat 19g
• Dietary Fiber 12g
• Cholesterol 0mg
• Sodium 303mg
• Total Sugars 7g

If you have a recipe you would like to share with us for #meatlessmondays, please email christian.bearden100@gmail.com.

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