Last weekend I ran in my first ever 5K. I know all you marathoners out there are thinking, big deal, but for me it was a big deal.
It took me 36 years to train for this race and I ran my heart out. When it was over I had the biggest goofball smile on my face for at least a good hour or more (the Professor ran with me—isn’t he the cutest?!)
I’m the girl who in the sixth grade had a quasi panic attack when told I was going to have to run a mile for some presidential youth fitness challenge (thanks a lot George H.W. Bush).
I don’t think I even went once around that track before I passed out. Let’s just say I’ve been calisthenically challenged my whole life.
I’m sure if you saw me running now you would see a very slow, middle-aged woman, sweat pouring down her bright-red face.
But in my mind, with my Macklemore blasting, I feel badass, like the woman Beyonce wishes she was on a good day—amazing, sexy, powerful, unstoppable.
For those 30 minutes, I am no one’s wife or mother or employee. I am just running.
Another (more obvious) reason I’ve gotten into running is it allows for a significantly less guilt-ridden carb load every now and again.
One of my current favorites are these sweet potato nachos.
Really, melty cheese on anything floats my boat, but caramelized roasted sweet potato fries topped with creamy black beans and smoked cheddar cheese is outta this world.
What Readers Are Saying About This Recipe
You guys are just LOVING this recipe and better yet, making it your own—which just makes me so incredibly happy.
Here are a few raving reviews from readers:
“I forgot to buy black beans! I used vegan crumbles instead and added roasted corn. My family loved it and said they want it on the menu often. So good!” – Elisa Jones
“I used sweet potato waffle fries instead. Tasty!” -Anne Cato
Hungry For More?
How about making some sweet potato nachos for breakfast? These Loaded Sweet Potato Breakfast Nachos are EVERYTHING!!
Sweet Potato Nachos with Smoked Cheddar and Black Beans
The recipe below is a pretty pared-down version but you could top to your heart's content. Browned and crumbled chorizo, sliced jalapeños, or shredded chicken would all be delicious tucked in between the sweet potatoes. Or you could leave them as is and serve them with a plethora of toppings like guacamole, salsa, pickled jalapeños, or sour cream.
Ingredients
- 4 large sweet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 (15.5 ounce can) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 8 ounces smoked cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Arrange racks in the upper and lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F. Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch thick sticks.
- Divide sweet potatoes evenly between two sheet pans and drizzle each pan with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Season generously with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Spread out the sweet potato sticks into a single layer and roast in the oven until tender, about 25 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through.
- Remove sweet potatoes from the oven and move the upper rack to the middle of the oven. Heat the broiler to high.
- Transfer one tray of sweet potatoes to an oven-safe platter and top with half the black beans and half the cheddar. Top with the other tray of sweet potatoes and layer the remaining black beans and cheddar over the top.
- Place under the broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbly, 3-5 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 340Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 436mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 6gSugar: 11gProtein: 13g
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Congrats on the 5k! Any distance is a challenge and an accomplishment – high five! And these nachos…I have a few sweet potatoes sitting in my pantry…just looking for some cheese! Have a great weekend!
Thank you Mallory! You have a great weekend too (guaranteed these nachos will make them better)!
Congrats on your 5k race, Kate!!!
This dish looks terrific! I am about to drool over my keyboard…
Thanks Denise! You have to make them…they are ridiculously good!
Congratulations! I have yet to actually run a race, but I really do want to do it soon, thanks for the inspiration! And I know I will want to reward myself with these nachos, they sound amazing!
Hi Tiffany! Thank you! You just have to get out there and do it. You won’t believe how amazing it will make you feel. I’m rootin’ for you girl! xo
you guys are SO cute! Congratulations! I love that you said that about how you feel in your head. I feel the same way in my head when I am working out to good music. like it’s my secret inside my headphones- lol! Oh yeah! these “nachos” look amazinG!
Thank you Heather, I know what you mean. Sometimes when I’m at the gym I pretend like no one can see me and lip-sync to my music in what is probably a really obnoxious way—oops, I didn’t see you starring at me from the elliptical. :0
Stumbled upon this recipe and conveniently had a sweet potato lying around so I gave it a try. I like spice, so I added cumin, paprika, and hot pepper flakes to the sweet potatoes while baking them. Turned out very delicious! Thank you for sharing! 🙂
Thank you! I bet it was good with the spices—I’ll be giving that a try next time!
Hi Kate, congrats on your first, and likely not last 5k! As an ex smoker, my first 5k 17 years ago changed my life. Another perk is the recovery meal, which I plan to use your recipe for this Saturday night. Thanks & best of luck to you!!
Thank you Terri! Yes, I’ve ran 2 other 5Ks since this one and I’m planning on running another in September. I hope your run went well, congratulations to you too!
These look incredible!! Definitely a must try. Congrats on the 5k! I will be including this recipe in a round up on saturday. i do hope that is ok. if not, please let me know I will remove it. Have a great weekend!
Thank you so much for including me in your round up! I really appreciate it! Have a great weekend!
Congratulations on your accomplishment!! I saw a picture of this recipe while looking for ideas for some recipes for Thanksgiving leftovers. Ready to try it right now. Looks yummy. Thanks. And keep up the good work.
Thanks so much Carol! I’m preparing now for next year, there will be more 5Ks in my future, for sure! Happy Holidays to you!
oh my god… my mouth is watering. we are making these tonight!
Thanks so much Katie! I hope you love them as much as we do!
Great recipe! I added some corn, salsa, taco sauce and mozzarella cheese. Can’t wait to make it again.
Gonna totally do these tomorrow for gameday but make them vegan by using Daiya and sprinkling with some smoked paprika!
Sounds delicious!! What time shall I come over? 🙂
Esta receta de sweet potatos nachos me encantó. Soy fans de la cocina mexicana. Amo tus recetas.
Muchísimas Gracias Fabiola!
Kate the recipe is exactly what I need this wekend my detox is over. A healthyish sheet of nachos! This recipe sounds amazing!
Oh yes! Perfect Super Bowl food!
Congrats on your 5k!
And I love every single one of the ingredients in this recipe! Yummy!!
Oh, thank you so much Estefania! I hope you give them a try!
Everything looks delicious. what a craving I’ve been
Thank you so much Adriana!!
I accidentally ended up with a glut of sweet potatoes and this came up in a search. I had half a can of black beans in the freezer, so it was fate 🤷♀️
Added ground cumin, coriander & Mexican chilli to the chip seasoning. Sadly the avocado was way too green for guacamole, but added green onion and corn with the beans & cheese, and topped with sour cream and salsa.
Will make again. I find sweet potatoes too sweet, usually, but this was the bomb.
Congrats on the 5k. I started with a 5…now I have 2 ultras and 6 maras under my belt, with two more trail ultras booked this year.
Running is as addictive as good food, so be warned!
Thanks Kym! I’m so happy you liked them! And wow! Congrats on the races. I’m still running too!