Sweet Potato Quinoa Tacos with Chipotle Sauce

I know it’s not actually summer yet, but today’s sunshine could have fooled me.   A wave of warmth hit my corner of the world this week and today’s temperatures were in the 80’s.  Eighty glorious degrees – in March!  Every window in the house was open, for the first time this year, and it felt so good.  It’s not summer, but I can pretend anyway.

I know mother nature can be fickle and these warm days could tumble out as quickly as they sailed in.  But whatever she has up her sleeve, I am going to enjoy every minute of the sunshine while it’s here.  So with a warm breeze blowing through the kitchen, I put these Sweet Potato Quinoa Tacos on the dinner menu.  And then, just to keep our summer dreams alive, we ate dinner outside.

With “superfoods” like Sweet Potatoes and Quinoa, these tacos are quite healthy.  They are also so delicious that you quickly forget about healthy and just think “Yum!”.  The smoky flavor and spice of the Chipotle Sauce is a perfect compliment to the Sweet Potatoes.  I see a lot more of these tacos in my future – I just hope they come with more sunshine too!

You can mix and match in these tacos and use the vegetables that are in season. You can also add black beans to make it even heartier. It’s flexible and it’s delicious – enjoy!

Yield: 6

Sweet Potato Quinoa Tacos with Chipotle Sauce

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Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the Tacos

• corn tortillas (approximately 12)
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 pound)
• 1 red bell pepper, cored, and diced
• 2 tablespoons minced green onion
• 1 cup sliced black olives
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil + 1 teaspoon, divided
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup diced cherry tomatoes
• salt
• freshly ground pepper

For the Sauce

• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons pureed Chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce

Instructions

1. Make the Chipotle Sauce: Combine all ingredients and stir well. Refrigerate until ready for use.
2. Combine quinoa with a large pinch of salt and 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally until until the grain is tender. If any water remains, carefully strain the quinoa. Let cool slightly.
3. Meanwhile, peel the sweet potatoes and dice into 1/2 inch or smaller pieces. Cover with water in a medium saucepan, add a pinch of salt, and bring to boil. Cook until tender, approximately 15 minutes. Drain well and cool slightly.
4. Toss together the potatoes, quinoa, bell pepper, onion, olive, avocado. Whisk together 1/4 cup olive oil and 3 tablespoons lime juice then toss the salad with the mixture. Taste and adjust salt and pepper seasonings.
5. In a skillet, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Grill the tortillas for 30 to 60 seconds or until softened and heated. Fill each taco shell with 1/4 cup quinoa mixture, or as much as desired. Sprinkle each generously with cilantro and tomatoes, and top with 1 or 2 teaspoons Chipotle Sauce, or as much as desired.