Baked Sweet Potato with Black Beans

During the work week I usually have salad for lunch.  However, once in a while I'll switch it up and have oatmeal with fruit or this baked sweet potato.  This past May, after we planted our garden, I decided I would not buy lettuce again until after my garden harvest was done.  So, I had to get a little creative with my lunches, and tried to find light and healthy alternatives to my usual salad.  I am in no way a vegetarian (I LOVE meat), but I do try to eat healthy....most of the time. 

This baked sweet potato is filling, and has all the elements of a decent meal - protein, carbs, dairy and vegetables.  Sweet potatoes are a staple in my kitchen, so I always have a quick fix lunch available at any given time. And since I love sweet potatoes, this is a perfect lunch for me!  I find this dish to be very tasty and satisfying, so I figured I'd share my little creation with all of you to saveur.  

Baked Sweet Potatoes with Black Beans

1 large sweet potato, rinsed and patted dry
1/3 cup black beans, rinsed
small amount of sliced cheddar cheese, low-fat if possible
just a dab of butter
olive oil
1 tbsp sour cream
salt & pepper to taste 


Take your sweet potato and cut a slit in it, then rub a little olive oil over the skin.  You can either bake it in the oven until soft, or microwave it for about 10 minutes.  Once it's soft, take it and cut it in half (you will only be using 1/2 of the sweet potato, so the other 1/2 can be used for tomorrow's lunch or save it for something else).


I take a small knife and kind of "score" the sweet potato, just to break it up a little.  Then I spread just a tiny amount of butter on the inside of the sweet potato.  Top with the black beans, and then layer just a little bit of cheddar cheese of top of the beans (I almost always have a block of cheddar cheese in the fridge, so I'll cut just a small amount from the block and layer it on the beans).  Lastly, spread the sour cream all over the top, trying to cover as much as possible.  Season with salt and pepper.  


Since I usually make this for lunch to bring to work, I will reheat it in the microwave before eating so the cheese melts.  If I'm preparing this and eating it right away, I would cover the whole thing with a lid so the cheese has time to melt or pop it back into the microwave for 30-40 seconds until the cheese melts.