Meal Prep: Perfect Sweet Potato and Black Beans

To say this is my favorite lunch would be an understatement. We first tried this when we were living in Pittsburgh (pre RV life) and would meal prep perfectly cooked sweet potatoes and simply open a can of black beans to add to our to-go lunch containers. Once we got in the RV and started cooking dried beans, we perfected our slow-cooked black beans, and now this perfect meal prep lunch is on repeat (and repeat and repeat)!

You know we are no stranger to tasty lunch recipes. Check out this Rainbow Quinoa Salad or this Greek Pasta Salad with Oil-Free Dressing.

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A satisfying and delicious meal that can be prepared ahead of time and offers the perfect balance of sweet and savory to appease any palate. The addition of spinach, tomatoes, avocado, and tahini brighten up the meal and really seal the deal on perfection (in my opinion). We’ve also eaten it with a scoop of quinoa or brown rice for a serving of whole grains or added extra veggies to up the veggie serving (may I recommend broccoli sprouts?!) YUM!

Meal Prep Sweet Potatoes and Black Beans

What you really came for are the recipes, so let’s get to it.

Perfect Baked Sweet Potatoes

The combination of the cold over and long and slow cooking lead to perfectly creamy and soft sweet potatoes. The texture is perfection.

Perfect Baked Sweet Potato

Long and slow baked, these potatoes are the perfect creamy texture.

4-8 sweet potatoes roughly 2-2.5″ in thickness at thickest part ((same girth makes for even baking for all potatoes))

With a fork, poke the potatoes twice per side and lay on parchment lined baking sheet.
Place baking sheet and potatoes in oven cook on 350 (standard, or 325 convection) for 75 minutes

The Perfect Slow Cooked Black Beans

Whether you are trying to be zero/low waste, or you just want to enjoy ingredients cooked from scratch, or you are trying to save money since dried beans are CHEAP! these slow cooked black beans will steal the show. Perfectly tender and creamy, but still holding their shape, you can use these anywhere you’d use black beans. I love to just eat them right off my plate with a little pepper. YUM!

The secret to these beans is the pinch of kelp granules. It is a game changer on texture and flavor (and no, the beans won’t taste like seaweed)!

Perfect Slow-Cooked Black Beans

Cooking your own dried beans is easy, especially with this amazing slow cooker recipe that yields the perfect beans every time!

1/2 pound dried black beans (picked over and rinsed)
3 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
pinch kelp granules ((linked below). )

In a 2 quart slow cooker, combine all ingredients and cook on high for 4 hours
After 4 hours, do a quick taste for tenderness.

And now for the meal prep

We like to serve these with baby spinach, tomatoes, avocado, salt, pepper, and a drizzle of tahini. When taking them to-go for lunch, I would pack the spinach (I like it a little wilty), sweet potato, and black beans in a container I could reheat. And then I would have a separate container with tomatoes, avocado, or other veggies I needed to use up.

I kept a bottle of tahini in the fridge at work, so I always had some on hand for this recipe or for a quick salad dressing (which I paired with seasoned rice vinegar – that I kept in my desk). I was always prepared.

If you decide to meal prep this, we’d love to see your creations. Be sure to share them on Instagram or Facebook and #veginspiredfoodie.

Watch This Recipe …

Happy Meal Prepping!

XO, Kathy