Roasted Butternut Squash & Black Bean Tacos with Avocado, Cilantro & Lime Yogurt Sauce!

Ingredients:

For the Chilli Roasted Squash you'll need:
1 medium butternut squash peeled and cut into 1 cm cubes
1 tsp cayenne (less if you are sensitive to spice)
1 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tbsp melted coconut oil or alternative cooking oil
a pinch or two of good quality sea salt

For the Fried Black Beans you'll need:
1 large can or 2 cups of previously prepared black beans (I like to keep a stock of prepared beans in my freezer to avoid using cans plus its much cheaper. I can also soak them before so they are easier to digest and absorb. Pre soaking beans reduces the phytic acid they contain which causes gas and blocks absorption of nutrients)
1 small onion finely diced
2 + minced fresh garlic cloves
2 - 3 tbsp avocado oil or alternative cooking oil
1 - 2 finely diced chillies or jalapenoes (sub for 1-2 tsp chilli flakes if you don't have fresh hot peppers)
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika

For wrapping and filling you'll need:
1 head of fresh butter lettuce for wrapping (feel free to use a whole grain tortilla if you prefer)
1 red onion finely sliced
1 bell pepper finley sliced
1 bunch of chopped cilantro

For the Avocado-Cilantro & Lime Yogurt Sauce you'll need:
1 medium ripe avocado
1/3 cup of full fat plain yogurt (for a vegan option omit yogurt and add extra lime juice and a bit of olive oil)
the juice of two large limes
1 - 2 minced fresh garlic cloves
1/4 cup of chopped cilantro
a pinch of sea salt
1/2 tsp of cumin
 
Directions:

1. Begin by preheating your oven to 375, toss squash cubes with coconut oil and spices until evenly coated, spread evenly over a baking sheet and bake for 18-25 minutes until soft in the middle & crispy golden brown on the edges, you may need to flip them half way. 

2. While squash is roasting, put all sauce ingredients into a blender and puree until well combined, you may add more lime juice or water to thin if necessary, chill your magic green sauce while prepping the beans next.

3. For your beans, heat avocado oil in a medium frying pan over low-medium heat, add onions to sauté for 2-4 minutes or until onions are near translucent. Add chillies, garlic and remaining spices and sauté another minute or two until fragrant then stir in beans. Lower heat and continue to stir until the beans and all the flavours are well combined and beans begin to mash slightly. (roughly another 5-8 minutes)

4. For serving - scoop a heaping tbsp of black beans into lettuce leaf, followed by another scoop of roasted squash, onions, peppers, additional cilantro if desired and a drizzle or scoop of your avocado sauce. 

5. Share with loved ones and enjoy! If you prefer a non lettuce wrap taco feel free to use whole grain tortilla shells or turn this into a rice bowl by layer squash, beans, toppings and sauce over a bowl of brown rice. 

Some of the nutritional benefits of superfoods used:

Butternut Squash - rich in Vitamin A and C to support immunity,  healthy skin and much more. good source of fiber and potassium (much more in one cup than a banana)

Black Beans - full of plant based protein to build and repair tissue in muscles, skin, hair, create hormones and enzymes, a non dairy source of calcium and other bone building minerals, rich in fiber and complex carbohydrates for slow burning energy that will not spike glucose levels and can aid in weight loss

Avocado - great source of potassium (also more than in a banana), healthy monounsaturated fats that reduce inflammation, help you to absorb nutrients from other foods, support healthy heart and circulation, source of antioxidants, lowers LDL cholesterol, fiber rich - improves digestion supports natural detoxification and weight loss

Garlic - powerful antioxidant, reduces cell damage, antimicrobial, immune boosting, detoxifying, lowers LDL cholesterol, reduce blood pressure
fun fact: originally used in greece by olympic athletes to enhance performance, reduce exercise related fatigue

Cilantro - source of many antioxidants, supportive in natural detoxification, extremely high in vitamin A, K some B vitamins and traces of many more vitamins, source of minerals including mainly iron, potassium and manganese, components to aid digestion. supports natural detoxification and helation of healthy metals (pulls them out of the body to be excreted!) * is actually being tested and studied to be used to purify water because of its chelation and antimicrobial properties

Hot Peppers - thermogenic - increases heat production and metabolism which may aid in weight loss, lower LDL cholesterol, support good circulation, reduces inflammation and pain, stimulate mucus secretions to release and flush congestion when sick