Hi Busies!  Phew…that title is a mouthful, but so is this recipe!  This is my favorite kind of meal – all in one bowl, all pre-cut for instant bowl-to-mouth action.  Perfect for a quick lunch at your desk or for a grab and go dinner for those nights when you get home from work, you’re starving, the dogs need a walk, the sink is full of dishes, the laundry needs to be done, and your boyfriend is stuck working late (or, you know, whatever is making your life busy!)

Highlights:

• sweet potato, roasted until crispy on the outside, tender on the inside
• tender slow cooked black beans (recipe here or use canned)
• taco meat (I used 99% lean ground turkey)
• salty, creamy queso fresco crumbles
• golden fried crispy zucchini fritters with a dollop of sour cream or greek yogurt

Even with all that deliciousness, this meal is ridiculously easy to make and is perfect for meal prep.  It’s also easy to modify to make this vegetarian (leave out the taco meat or sub in sautéed tofu) or even vegan (sprinkle some nutritional yeast instead of the cotija cheese).  

As part of meal prep, you can make the black beans in the crock pot, roast the sweet potatoes, and brown the ground turkey and season it with taco seasonings, then stir those together and freeze.  You can also fry up the zucchini fritters (store them in a separate container from the other ingredients) and then pop them in the oven right from the freezer for ~15-20 minutes at 400°F or until heated through.  When you’re ready to eat, reheat the sweet potato mixture, serve over the fritters, and add your toppings of choice!

What’s been making me busy lately is longer hours at the office, fitting in Watson’s weekly chemo appointments, and all kinds of holiday celebrations.  The time leading up to the holidays is so fun and festive, but can also be stressful if you aren’t prepared.  In the first 2 weeks of December, we had 3 holiday parties, a weekend guest, and 2 volunteer events.  Having my meals all pre-cooked and waiting to be thawed and eaten has been crucial!  Especially because if I skip dinner before a party I know I’ll spend the whole party stalking the food table (although if there’s a good charcuterie board I probably will anyways) rather than enjoying myself and keeping my healthy eating on track.  

A meal like this makes a ton of servings, which is great for pre-portioned lunches that I don’t have to worry about packing during frenzied mornings.  And ohmygosh I literally just thought of this…but this would be an amazingly indulgent breakfast if you just add your favorite style of eggs!  Ok, ok…we’ve established that this meal is delicious and versatile.  Let’s get to the recipe already!  Busies, what has been keeping y’all busy lately?  Let me know in the comments below!

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Mexican Sweet Potato Hash with Zucchini Fritters

Author Sam - Busy Girl Bites

Ingredients

Hash

• 2 medium sweet potatoes
• 2 cups cooked black beans (or 1 can)
• 1 lb lean ground turkey
• 1 packet low-sodium taco seasoning
• 1/2 cup queso fresco
• 1 bunch cilantro (chopped)

Fritters

• 1 cup grated zucchini
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup flour (I used whole wheat but white is fine too!)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Meal Prep

Hash

1. Peel and dice sweet potatoes, toss with 2T olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Roast at 400°F for 30 minutes or until browned and tender.
2. Saute turkey until browned and cooked through. Add taco seasoning according to package directions.
3. Combine cooked sweet potato, beans, and turkey. Let cool, then store in meal container and freeze until ready for use.

Fritters

1. Place grated zucchini in a collander or strainer, sprinkle with 2 tsp salt. Drain zucchini, squeezing out as much water as possible. Combine zucchini with remaining ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Heat 2 tsp olive oil over medium high heat.
3. Add 1/3 cup of zucchini mixture and shape to a flat circle. Let cook ~4 minutes per side or until golden brown. Let cool, then store in meal container and freeze until ready for use.

Serving

1. Thaw hash mixture overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 400°F. Place fritters on a nonstick cookie sheet and cook 15-20 minutes or until heated through.
3. Reheat sweet potato mixture (microwave or on the stovetop) until warmed through. Top with chopped cilantro, avocado, and queso fresco.