Fall brings a welcome change of pace to our kitchen. I love the increased options for roasting, especially squash. We are a taco-loving family, and I was inspired to create these hearty, squash and black bean tacos last week. They are so fast, easy and perfect for a weeknight dinner.

Hyatt Training eats Squash and black bean taco recipe

Squash, onions and jalepeno

The first time I made these tacos, I used butternut squash. The flavor was great, but the prep time was too much work. I tried out organic delicata squash because the skin is so tender you can eat it. Honestly, I may never go back to butternut. The delicata was so much easier to cut and keeping the skin intact saves huge amounts of time. We use organic red onions and jalepenos for flavor. You can add as much or as little as you like; just know that they will shrink up substantially. In the photo I used two delicata squash, three red onions and two jalepenos. Those quantities made enough for one dinner with some leftovers for lunch.

Directions

  1. Wash squash. Cut in half and remove seeds. Cut in to 1- to 2-inch sections.
  2. Peel onion. Cut off ends and slice into large pieces.
  3. Wash, stem and seed the jalepenos. Be very careful not to get your skin in contact with the seeds or membrane, and handle these parts with care. I use a knife right under the sink to cut out the seeds and membranes and wash them down. I also have a cutting board that I put right in to the dishwasher after cutting jalepenos. The oils stay on your hands for hours and will transfer to anything you rub (a.k.a., eyes!).
  4. Spread out on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Use your hands to toss to cover. Sprinkle with sea salt.
  5. Bake at 350–400 degrees until squash is tender and starting to brown. Stir occasionally.
  6. Remove from oven.

 

Black beans

While I love to make dried black beans in the slow cooker, I found great organic black beans in BPA-free cans at Costco. When we run out of the slow cooker version I keep in the freezer, these are a great option. They just need some seasoning with salsas.

Directions

  1. Open can.
  2. Drain and rinse.
  3. Put in pan. Add salsas and sea salt to taste.
  4. Heat and stir until warm. Cook off any extra liquid. A major problem with any taco is the liquid factor. By cooking off the extra liquid, your shell stays intact.

 

Shells, assembly, toppings

The sky is the limit here! We use corn shells, avocado and salsas to complete our tacos.

Directions

  1. Warm corn shells, either on a griddle or in the oven during the last few minutes of roasting.
  2. Top shells with a spoonful of black beans first, 1–2 pieces of squash followed by roasted onions and jalepenos.
  3. Add avocado and any salsas you like.
  4. Enjoy!

 

Hyatt family eats are occasional posts devoted to sharing some of the things our family is cooking. We believe in a whole-foods, minimally-processed approach to nutrition that is realistic for a busy family of four. We’d love to hear about what you’re eating too! Email us at Go@HyattTraining.com.