Baked Sweet Potatoes with Black Bean Salsa

This winter has been crazy. No snow, but weeks of freezing cold and windy days. Misty outside but all the more cosy inside. I snuggled up with my fake fur blanket in front of the fireplace and listend to the crackling wood. I drank tea and hot chocolate, ate warming porridge for breakfast and munched on homemade Neujahrskuchen (East Frisian new year’s cake). I really love winter. Every year I’m looking for the Christmas time, light chains and family reunions. But in the second January is reached I am so ready for summer again. I wish for those long evenings, loads of sunlight and colorful food. So I just decided to have summer now. I dug out a summer dress and played the summer hits playlist on Spotify. And I made these Mexican style baked sweet potatoes.

Pretending to have summer is great until you realize that it is too freezing cold to wear a dress inside the house. So what I really ended up with was wearing a summer dress plus layers of knitwear and fluffy socks. Even though I really enjoyed my little burst of colorful clothes, funny music and crazy dancing. Just remember to choose happiness in every second.

These Mexican style oven baked sweet potatoes have been my life saver that day (definitely prevented me from freezing in that little orange dress). They really are hot. And I’m not joking. Be aware of the hot steam once cut open. They are super soothing and delicious. They not only taste awesome but also fill you up with good energy. For the little extra I sometimes add a splash of lime juice.

Baked Sweet Potatoes with Black Bean Salsa
serves 2

4 sweet potatoes (á 250g)

1 chopped clove of garlic
400g canned tomatoes (diced)
250g canned black beans
100g canned corn
1 tsp sweet paprika powder
1 tsp pepper

1 spring onion
6 cilantro stalks

1 tbsp mustard
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Preheat the oven to 175°C. Wash the sweet potatoes and prick some holes into their skin using a fork. Let them soften in the oven for about an hour (I like to place the sweet potatoes in a casserole, but a lined baking try will work too). In the meantime chop the spring onion and cilantro and put aside. Give the canned tomatoes into a pan and let them simmer for about ten minutes. Add the black beans, corn and garlic and let it simmer for another ten minutes. The sauce should have thickened by now. Then add the sweet paprika powder and pepper. When the sweet potatoes are done, cut them open and fill them with the black bean salsa. Mix together mustard and balsamic vinegar and sprinkle it together with the spring onion and cilantro on top.

I like to serve these baked sweet potatoes with some salad made of spinach, rocket and avocado.