You guys, I had such a fun and fall filled weekend last weekend! I made us start this pumpkin picking tradition last year. Although the pumpkin patch is about an hour and a half away from our house and we don’t stay for too long, I think it is so much fun to go pick out and cut our own pumpkins! They also have delicious caramel corn and they greet you with handfuls of it as soon as you pull into the parking lot and they have roasted corn on the cob that is hard to pass up. It really doesn’t get much better!
This year it was a little windy and a little overcast, but we still had a great time and I think I just might have picked out the perfect pumpkin! We will do the pumpkin carving this weekend and I might even get energized enough to roast some pumpkin seeds. It all depends on how much Halloween candy I can get my hands on.
When we first moved to Tucson I became obsessed with Groupons. I have never lived in a place where they could be used before and my groupon obsession kind of got out of hand. I bought a bunch so we could go out to eat for cheap, I got one to take a glass blowing class that was really fun, and I even bought one to take a class to learn how to use my dslr when I first bought it (that one was totally worth it!). And then I bought one for a wine tasting at a vineyard that was surprisingly close to our house, considering we live in the desert. Next to my camera class, this was the best buy yet!
We got six wine tastings, one full glass, we got to keep the glass, and then we got 10% off of any bottles that we bought. As much as I loved the pumpkin patch, this was by far the highlight of my day. The view was beautiful and it even started sprinkling a little bit while we were there which only added to the mystic!
Not only did the pumpkin patch have pumpkins, but they also had a bunch of different kinds of produce that you could pick yourself. I kinda have a thing for peppers, so I loaded up on pablano peppers. I’m a huge wimp when it comes to spicy peppers, but I can eat the other ones like they are candy!
They also had a bunch of little sweet potatoes, so I just had to buy those too. I’m used to seeing dinosaur sized sweet potatoes at the grocery store, which I love, but for some reason I just can’t say no to a mini version of a vegetable. I once saw some mini cauliflower at the store and figured I would think of a recipe and then come back the next day to buy them. Well, they were completely out the next day and I still have dreams about how cute they were! So, I loaded up on the small sweet potatoes and that is exactly how these loaded sweet potatoes were born. You could use any size you like, but the small ones are my new favorites!
Guacamole recipe for topping 🙂
PrintTex Mex Loaded Sweet Potatoes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
- 6 – 8 small sweet potatoes
- 1 cup dry quinoa
- 2 cups cooked black beans, or 1–15 ounce can
- 3/4 cup diced pablano peppers, about 1 large pepper
- 1/2 small red onion, diced
- 1/4 cup chunky salsa
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- olive oil
- guacamole for topping, recipe above
- tortilla chips or tortilla strips, for topping
- cilantro leaves, for topping
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F. Pierce sweet potatoes a few times with a fork. Place a sheet of tin foil onto a large sheet pan. Put sweet potatoes on sheet pan and place into the oven and roast for about 45 minutes, depending on size of sweet potatoes, until you can easily pierce them with a fork.
- While sweet potatoes are roasting, cook the quinoa according to package directions.
- Heat a large pan over medium heat and coat with a small layer of olive oil. Add the diced peppers, onions, and garlic to the pan and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Let cook for a few minutes, until onions are translucent and peppers are softened. Add in the black beans, quinoa, salsa, and all of the spices. Stir until everything is mixed together and heated through.
- Cut a slit in the sweet potatoes and squeeze the sides so they open up. Spoon 1/4 – 1/2 of the quinoa mixture into each sweet potato (depending on how big your potatoes are). Then top with a spoonful of quacamole, cilantro leaves, and tortilla strips.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Category: Entree, Side, Gluten Free, Vegan
Ceara @ Ceara's Kitchen says
Okay. I totally understand your obsession with groupon. I honestly could spend hours shopping their website and buying random things and excursions! And it looks like you got some great groupons! Honestly, pumpkin picking and wine tasting? Two of my fav. things!
And these stuffed sweet potatoes. OMG. I wish I could come over for dinner. You honestly make the most yummy looking savory dishes out there!! Pinned 🙂
She Likes Food says
Groupon is so awesome and yet so dangerous at the same time! I find myself buying things I never even knew I needed, like waffle makers that imprint your favorite football team logo onto the waffle! They are two of my favorite things too, especially the latter 🙂 That would be awesome if you came over for dinner, we would definitely feast! Thanks so much, Ceara! 🙂
Katie @ Whole Nourishment says
What a fun weekend you had. And this is one amazing looking loaded sweet potato. It’s like an upside down Mexican quinoa bowl. The flavors in this are definitely for me and I want to make this soon!
She Likes Food says
Thank you, Katie! I knew you would like these, because I’m pretty sure we have a very similar palette!
Kelly @ Hidden Fruits and Veggies says
There’s only one restaurant nearby that participates with Groupon. Luckily, it’s one of the BEST in the area, but I’m sure I’d be totally addicted if I had more options! These potatoes sound amazing. It’s hard to pass up a sweet potato and definitely impossible for me to pass up texmex anything!
She Likes Food says
I think, for the sake of my pocketbook, I need to move somewhere that doesn’t have many groupons, I’m kinda obsessed! At least the one that they do offer is the best! It is so impossible for me to pass up anything texmex also! I think I might start making all of my recipes texmex themed 🙂
Karen | Lushious Eats says
These tex mex sweet potatoes look so good! Great photos! I’m totally with you on the small veggies, I often see small sweet potatoes and I buy them all when I do! They are just too perfect for a grab-n-go!
She Likes Food says
Thank you so much, Karen! There is something so cute about small veggies that makes me want to eat all of them up 🙂
Leah | So, How's It Taste? says
What a fun outing! I like that you didn’t top the sweet potatoes with the usual sweet. I need to try these with your savory twist!
She Likes Food says
I’m all about the savory food these days! I keep telling myself I need to make some pumpkin sweets, but them I turn around and make a savory sweet potato dish 🙂
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says
Great minds think alike! I have a very similar recipe scheduled for a couple of weeks time. It’s one of my favourites 🙂
She Likes Food says
I can’t wait to see your sweet potato recipe! I’ve been eating so many sweet potatoes lately, they are my favorites too 🙂
Annie @Maebells says
What a fun day! We have a winery really close and I love visiting on the weekends!
She Likes Food says
They are so much fun! I’m already planning our next visit 🙂
Traci | Vanilla And Bean says
Hope you’re not Groupon shopping with a glass of wine!! hehe!! You know, that’s the good thing about Groupon; it offers fresh ideas on things to do! What a wonderful weekend you two had! Rob and I went to the pumpkin patch too! LOL! Wouldn’t it have been fun to go together.. then on to the wine tasting, which we did not do (would have loved to though). Pablanos are the best. I long for them when they are out of season! So this stuffed potato is just in time to sooth my pablano craving (paired with smoky paprika, ummmm, so good). Thank you, Izzy! Have fun at your photography class! I’m sure Cheeto will be thrilled to be photographed even more! 😀
She Likes Food says
Hi Traci!! Haha, my best shopping happens when I have a glass of wine in my hand 🙂 My husband would probably disagree though! You are so right, it gives such good ideas! Last year I got a glass making groupon and made a really neat glass vase that I would have never made before! That is awesome that you guys went pumpkin picking too! That really would have been so fun to go together, it would have been a perfect double date! Smoky paprika makes everything better and so do pablanos! Haha, I’m guessing that Cheeto is wishing my camera would break these days 🙂
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely says
Oh, Groupon is so dangerous. I live by San Francisco, so you can’t imagine how many great deals there are out there tempting me. But, it’s a fun way to try new restaurants or adventures for cheap. These sweet potatoes sound SO good!
She Likes Food says
So dangerous!! Oh wow, I bet there is so many near you! I haven’t let myself go on the site for a while because I just want to buy everything! Thanks Natalie 🙂
Danielle says
Lucky you! I’m sure you know that living in Arkansas there’s not much in the way of groupon opportunities haha. But it looks like you had a great time and pumpkin picking sounds so fun!
I love Mexican dishes and these look delicious! Stuffing potatoes with things just makes them that much better 🙂
She Likes Food says
Haha, I can only imagine the Arkansas groupons! I don’t always love living in a big city, but I love all the groupon opportunities! Totally agree about stuffing potatoes, Danielle 🙂
Jess @ Flying on Jess Fuel says
Aww, pumpkin picking sounds so fun!! I love sweet potatoes as a meal… such a great healthy vehicle for delicious toppings!!
She Likes Food says
It really was so much fun! I’m excited the carve them too! Thank you, Jess!
She Likes Food says
I love making them into meals too! They don’t have to just be a side dish anymore! Pumpkin picking was so much fun and now I can’t wait to carve them 🙂
Dulcie @ Foodie Fiasco says
Your weekend sounds absolutely wonderful. Pumpkin patches, caramel corn, corn on the cob, and mist-ical wine tasting!? Where can I sign up for this itinerary? I love how you incorporate fresh produce into your recipes, and this tex-mex tater looks tasty as ever. Sweet potatoes with savory toppings are always a good thing:-)
She Likes Food says
It really was the perfect fall weekend! Haha, come on down to Tucson and we can arrange for a fun filled day like that!! I agree, sweet potatoes go so well with savory flavors and I’m slightly obsessed with them these days! I guess there are much worse things I could be obsessed with 🙂
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
I love going to pumpkin patches! My husband and I also started the tradition last year. Such a fun time! And these loaded sweet potatoes look incredible, Izzy! I am in awe of the mouthwatering flavors that are stuffed in here. Such a great dish!
She Likes Food says
Isn’t it so much fun?! I can’t wait till we have little babies that we can take with us! Aww, thank you Gayle! I just can’t stop using sweet potatoes in all my recipes lately! I’m so glad you love them too 🙂
Kathy @ Olives & Garlic says
Sounds like a perfect weekend. And these loaded sweet potatoes are pretty awesome too.
She Likes Food says
Thank you Kathy! It really was so much fun 🙂
cheri says
Love groupon! Never thought to load up a sweet potato with a tex mex filling, looks delicious!
She Likes Food says
Sweet potatoes and black beans are one of my favorite combinations so it only seemed right to load the potatoes with a Mexican filling! I’m so glad you like it too!
Helen @ Scrummy Lane says
What a lovely, descriptive post, Alyssa. I was totally with you there at the wine tasting and in the supermarket eyeing up all those mini veggies … lol!
Baked potatoes are our favourite go-to meal at the moment, so I think we could do with switching it up a bit – using sweet potatoes is the perfect solution. I love that you’ve used quinoa and all the other tasty little bits in these, too 🙂
She Likes Food says
Thanks Helen! I wish that you really had been with me that day, it was so much fun and you would have loved it! I love baked potatoes because you can load them up with all kinds of great ingredients and make them a a whole meal rather than just a side dish!
Jess @ whatjessicabakednext says
These sweet potatoes look amazing, Izzy! Love the Tex-Mex filling and flavours, so good and tasty! Definitely bookmarking!
She Likes Food says
Thanks Jess! Tex Mex flavors are the best!!
Denise | Sweet Peas & Saffron says
I am officially cut off from Groupon, I keep buying them and not redeeming them 🙁 Your photos look amazing, I would love to do a wine tasting! And your sweet potatoes look amazingly delicious!
She Likes Food says
Haha! I actually let the vineyard one expire because we never made time to go, but thankfully they were so nice and they let me use it anyway! Wine tastings are so much fun and I think you would love these sweet potatoes 🙂
Joanne says
I LOVE groupon. And I am dying to go pumpkin picking. Sigh. Jealous!!
Also jealous of these tex-mex sweet potatoes. They sound all kinds of awesome.
She Likes Food says
I’m slightly addicted to groupon! And I’m really trying hard to make pumpkin picking an annual tradition, two years in a row so far 🙂
Sarah@WholeandHeavenlyOven says
I love the pumpkin patch! We went just yesterday and literally brought home more than 10 pumpkins. 😀 Along with pumpkins, I literally have sweet potatoes coming out of my ears right now so I’m definitely gonna have to try these gorgeous ‘thangs! Love how loaded with yumminess they are!
She Likes Food says
Isn’t the pumpkin patch so much fun?!! I can’t wait to have little babies to take in a few years! I want to have sweet potatoes coming out of my ears! They are my favorite ingredient right now!
Kelly - Life Made Sweeter says
Your weekend sounded like so much fun!!! Yay for pumpkin patches, wine tasting and Groupon 🙂 We go to our local pumpkin patch every year too but haven’t had a chance yet because it keeps raining every weekend – boo 🙁 Love these sweet potatoes, they look fantastic!
She Likes Food says
It was so much fun!! I love fall weekends that include wine tasting 🙂 I’m a little jealous of your rain right now, I think it is gonna be 90 here tomorrow and i am dreading it! I need fall weather! Thank you so much, Kelly!
Meggan | Culinary Hill says
These stuffed sweet potatoes look superb! I love tex-mex flavors anywhere and always think of putting them on regular potatoes but not sweet potatoes! And I’m totally with you, a mini version of any vegetable is the best! The first time I saw baby bok choy and tiny eggplants, I squealed! Lovely recipe. 🙂
She Likes Food says
Thank you, Meggan! I love tex mex flavors in everything too! Mini veggies are the cutest 🙂
Leigh says
Adam and I made these tonight and they were quite tastey! I loved the new spin on a classic. I would have never thought of doing this with a sweet potato. I can’t wait to make this again!