Recently, a few friends of ours went camping at a local state park & invited us to drum with them in a small sunset drum circle they were having by a beautiful lake. We were delighted to join-in & jam but we were even more excited when we were invited back to their campfire / campsite for dinner and it turned out that their entire picnic was plant based!!!
(That’s never happened to me before!! Fantastic food & friends?! What better combination could there be??)
It was absolutely amazing to partake in an entirely Vegan, Gluten Free “Potluck style” Picnic Spread!
(I’ve gotten so used to mingling in the minority and being the “I brought my own,” babe. LOL! )
Never before in my “plant based life” had I been able to eat every single delightful dish at a friendly potluck!
(Helllooo Heaven!!!)
I had no idea so many of my friends from our local drum circle were also Gluten Free & Vegan!
(This was our first time seeing one another off of the beach & outside of the circle! )
One of our friends brought a Black Bean & Sweet Potato Salad that was so amazing that even my 17 month old son, River, was requesting seconds!
The sweetness from the Potatoes combined with the salty, savory Beans and the tang from the Lime is hard to resist!
(It’s a southwestern samba in your stomach! Is a southwestern samba a thing? Well, thanks to this Salad- it is now!)
What’s better than a Salad you can savor & share with everyone in your family?
(River’s two favorite foods right now are Sweet Potatoes & Black Beans! They’re totally toddler tested and Mama approved 😉 )
Needless to say, I had to ask for the recipe!
I enjoyed the spoonfuls of salad that I sampled, but I was inspired to create my own concoction!
Here’s what you need to create this Southwestern Salad for an upcoming camping trip, a perfect packed lunch or as a contribution to your next plant based potluck or picnic…😉
(This post contains affiliate links.)
Ingredients
Salad
4 Large Sweet Potatoes (Cut into Chunks & Roasted)
3 Cups of Cooked Black Beans* – Drained & Rinsed (Can be substituted with two 15 oz cans)
1 Cup Yellow (Can be subbed or combined with Red Bell Peppers) – Diced
½ Cup Red Onion – Diced
1 Cup Celery- Diced
½ Cup Cilantro (One medium Bunch) – Chopped
Dressing
3 Tablespoons EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
The Juice of 2 Freshly Squeezed Limes (about 4 Tablespoons)
2 Teaspoons Coconut Sugar (Can be subbed with Maple Syrup, another sweetener or omitted.)
1 Teaspoon Cumin
½ Teaspoon Black Pepper
Sea Salt – to taste
*See my Instructions for how to cook Black Beans in your 6 Quart Instant Pot Here*
Here’s what you do
Step One: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit & roast the Sweet Potatoes for 30-40 minutes.
(Cut the Sweet Potatoes into small, similar-sized, chunks, toss them in a Tablespoon of Olive or Coconut Oil, sprinkle with Sea Salt & a dash of Cumin & then spread them in a single layer on a parchment-covered cookie sheet / baking pan.)
Step Two: If you aren’t using canned & you haven’t already cooked your Black Beans, set them up in your Instant Pot right away, so they’re cooking while the Sweet Potatoes are roasting.
(Combine the Black Beans with 6 cups of Filtered Water & 2 Teaspoons of Sea Salt and manually set the timer for 30 minutes on High Pressure. (For more detailed instructions, see my Instant Pot Black Beans post Here.)
Step Three: Chop the Cilantro and set aside.
Step Four: Combine the rest of the Plants / Veggies (Yellow Pepper, Onion, Celery, Black Beans) in a large mixing bowl.
Step Five: Add all the ingredients for the dressing (EVOO, Lime, Cumin, Black Pepper) to a small bowl & thoroughly whisk together.
Step Six: Once the Sweet Potatoes have finished roasting & cooled, add them to the large mixing bowl with the other Veggies.
Step Seven: Pour the dressing over all the Veggies, sprinkle with the Cilantro & Sea Salt, toss everything together and enjoy!
Notes & Nuances
-This salad would suffice as a solid Main Meal or as a perfect partner to another dinner dish. The combination of Black Beans & Sweet Potatoes is actually quite filling!
(Though that didn’t stop me from almost polishing off an entire batch in a single sitting 😉 )
Additional Add Ins, Optional but awesome
-As you may have noticed from many of my other recipes, I crave a kick!! Sprinkling some Cayenne or drizzling your favorite Hot Sauce on the Sweet Potatoes before you put them in the oven to be roasted would be wonderful! (But be sure to use your discretion if sharing with kiddos!)
-I didn’t include any Garlic (cue gasp) in the written recipe, but a dash (or more!) of Garlic Powder in the dressing or straight on the Salad would be great!
Perfect Pairings!
-This Salad would pair perfectly with a side of my Pico De Gallo and / or some Avocado!
-This Salad would also be spectacular served alongside my Set and forget, Veggie Fajitas!
*Mama Magic Tricks
*I’m not the biggest fan of chopping onions!
Even with the lemon or the water tricks, (run water over the Onion / squeeze half of a Lemon over the Onion) I still wind up with (severe) burning, watering eyes.
I use my Ninja Food Chopper to slice my onions & it’s a lifesaver!
Two or three pulses in the Ninja Food Chopper and you’re good to go!
Click Here to check out this chopper on Amazon!
*I used my 6 Quart Instant Pot to cook my Black Beans.
The Instant Pot cooks the Black Beans in significantly shorter time than sizzling them on the stove, with no soaking required!
Thirty minutes in the Instant Pot, (with 10 minutes of natural pressure release) and your Black Beans are all set for this Salad!
Here are my detailed instructions for how to make Black Beans in your 6 quart Instant Pot!
Click Here to check out this Instant Pot on Amazon!
I’ve heard so many people say that they’re deterred from transition to a plant based diet because it’s “bound to be boring and bland…”
But this salad shows everyone otherwise!
It’s fresh, flavorful and filling!
-My favorite way to serve it is on a bed of freshly Chopped Celery, drizzled with Hot Sauce & with Pico de Gallo and Avocado on the side!
I’d love to see how you serve up this Salad!
Be sure to tag #crunchyveggiemama on Social Media (Facebook, Instagram, and or Twitter) so I can see!
And if you feel a friend would find this dish delectable, be sure to share!
You know what they say, sharing is caring, and caring is love.
Until next time…
Peas, Love, & Sweet Potatoes,
~Stephanie
