Sweet Potato Tapas

In the summer, I am always drawn to south of the border flavors. I crave lime, cilantro and fresh salsa constantly it seems. Although I just showed you a black bean recipe in the previous post, I had some beans and quinoa left over so I reinvented them into a tasty mash for these roasted sweet potato rounds. This is a gluten-free confection that can be served like an appetizer or as a meal, depending on how many you eat. It was hard to eat just four, I promise. And of course, if you omit the shrimp, it's vegan.

The word tapas is of Spanish origin, meaning something you can find any time of the day. Typically paired with a cocktail, it can be anything from a skewer, to miniature tacos to a piece of tuna with some tasty garnish. Small portions. Basically, appetizers. These would be divine with a Mexican beer and lots of fresh lime. 

INGREDIENTS

1 sweet potato, sliced into rounds about 1|4 inch thick

black beans or pinto beans

cooked quinoa or rice

avocado

tomato

fresh shrimp (optional of course)

cilantro

salsa

lime

olive oil

salt + pepper

chili powder

nutritional yeast

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 400. Lay your potato slices on a sheet pan, single layer. Drizzle with olive oil, salt + pepper and chili powder. Bake about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven. Mash together your beans and your quinoa or rice. Season with salt + pepper, garlic powder and nutritional yeast. Add a splash of water and warm it in a small pan. Slice tomatoes and chop your avocado into chunks. If you are using the shrimp, remove the tail and saute in a little butter and season. Build your tapas by spreading the beans on first, then the tomato, avocado and shrimp. Top with fresh salsa, cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice. 

ENJOY!