In the Kitchen: Corn Salsa, Cashew Sour Cream & Sweet Potato Black Bean Burritos
This post is part of a series in which I share recipe assignments from my culinary nutrition program. Each week, we have two to three recipes to make, photograph, and review. I’ll include links to the original recipes when they’re available or to similar recipes so you can follow along with me if you like.
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Corn Salsa
Notes: This sure beats jarred salsa! I found it to be more like a salad than a saucy salsa, which was fine by me, because I didn’t feel at all strange eating a bowl of it with dinner one night. The flavors were so bright and clean (I could pick out every ingredients in each bite), and the cilantro-lover in me was very happy with the abundance of this fresh herb. I followed the recipe as written with one small, unintentional exception: half of the lime juice recommended. Aaron has been on a mojito kick and ate all but one of the limes! It was still delicious, but next time I will hopefully have the full ¼ cup of lime juice.
This salsa was so easy, and I was pleasantly surprised that it made such a big batch. The leftovers were even better the following day, having had a chance to marinate together.
Cashew Sour Cream
Notes: I’ve made cashew sour creams in the past, but I’ll admit, I was hesitant going into this recipe because I wasn’t sure adding red pepper or using sunflower seeds would work in terms of producing an authentic flavor or texture. I am happy to report I was wrong! This is a great alternative to traditional sour cream and the texture is perfectly smooth and creamy. It’s slightly thinner than regular sour cream, so perhaps next time I would decrease the water just a little. I didn’t make any changes to the original recipe – the sour/salty flavor was spot-on – and I love that it was so easy to make. Once you’ve soaked the cashews and sunflower seeds, it really is just a matter of tossing the handful of ingredients in the blender. With a bit of seasoning, I could also see this making a great salad dressing base…the wheels are turning!
Sweet Potato Black Bean Burritos
Notes: I’ve been particularly into burritos (and Mexican food) lately, so this one really hit the spot. I’m not sure why I don’t regularly use sweet potatoes in mine – they’re so good! I was a big fan of the sweetness and texture, and when topped with the corn salsa, cashew sour cream, and chopped avocado, it was perfection. I used approximately double the amount of tomatoes in my filling because I had a bunch that needed to be put to good use, and I went with a whole grain tortilla (not gluten-free) because trying to make a burrito with crumbly brown rice tortillas is kind of impossible based on my experience. I do think this recipe would be excellent as a burrito bowl though, no tortilla necessary, and I will probably opt for that next time (the sweet potatoes are a great source of complex carbohydrates on their own). Alternatively, I think the recipe would be delicious as a quesadilla, and crispy baked brown rice tortillas would work very well for that.
All three of the recipes are available here. I highly recommend making this meal!
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I have just one more CNE program recipe to share with you next week, as I finish the course the first week of July. The time has gone by so quickly! I’ll plan to share some final thoughts and takeaways in the coming weeks. Let me know if you have specific questions about the program you’d like me to answer.
xo
Amanda
Photography by Amanda’s iPhone.
