I’ve been making black bean and sweet potato tacos for years.  It’s a quick easy meal that can be thrown together in 45 minutes or less.  To add a little variety to taco night, I played around with adding something different to the black beans.  The result is this fresh, light meal using roasted chayote squash, topped with a citrusy salsa.

First I made the salsa, with fresh tomatillos, red onion, jalapeno, avocado, grapefruit, cilantro and lime juice.

 

Next, I roasted the chayote squash and a poblano pepper for about 20 minutes. You should be able to find chayote at most grocery stores or at an hispanic market.

While the vegetables were roasting, I started the black bean filling.  I sauteed onion and mushrooms in a small amount of coconut oil.  Added the black beans and mashed them slightly with a potato masher. I added spices and the roasted chayote and pepper when it was ready. Before serving, I toast corn tortillas over a gas flame to give them a smoky flavor.

Assemble the tacos by putting several spoonfuls of the black bean filling in the softened tortilla and top with the grapefruit salsa. Eat it. Love it.

Black Bean + Roasted Chayote Tacos w/Grapefruit, Tomatillo Avocado Salsa

Serves 2-4

Salsa

1/2 small red onion, small dice

2 tomatillos, diced

1/2 ruby red grapefruit, segmented and diced

1 avocado, diced

1/2 jalapeno, minced

1-2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped

1/2 lime

Sea salt, to taste

Combine all ingredients except the lime and salt.  Squeeze lime over the mixture and add salt to taste.

Filling

1 tsp extra virgin coconut oil

1/2 sweet yellow onion

1/2 cup mushrooms, diced

1 can black beans, drained

1 chayote squash, cut in half, seed removed

1 poblano pepper

1/2 lime

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 tsp cacao or cocoa powder

Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Corn tortillas

Preheat oven to 425F. Place chayote squash halves and whole pepper on sheet tray and roast until tender, about 20 minutes. Turn pepper over about half way through cooking time.

While vegetables are roasting, melt coconut oil over moderate heat in a shallow saute pan.  Add onions and mushrooms and saute until onions are translucent. Add black beans and spices.

Remove squash and pepper from oven and let it cool for a few minutes. Remove blistered skin from pepper and chop.  Cut squash into large dice leaving the skin on. Add pepper and chayote to the black bean mixture.

Adjust seasonings if needed and add sea salt and pepper to taste. Squeeze lime over mixture and stir.

Heat corn tortillas one at a time over gas flame. Turn using tongs when tortillas are lightly charred.

To serve, add a few spoonfuls of filling to tortilla and top with salsa.