Forgive me if I have already said this – my brain is quickly disintegrating in the final weeks of pregnancy – but this time around I have had the (dis)pleasure of experiencing food aversions and cravings. With Koa, I lucked out. I woke up wanting a yogurt bowl with granola and fresh fruit, but that was about it. This time around, I have had an insatiable desire for baked goods. And proteins, specifically fish and chicken, have not been of interest. Now I can’t complain because in comparison to those who get uber sick and can’t keep food down, I simply just get a little queasy thinking about it. I can totally chicken and feel fine. It’s just the thought of it that doesn’t sound great. The body (and mind) works in mysterious ways during pregnancy. 

The need for protein during this time remains high. And I am already anticipating my rising hunger levels and protein requirements for breastfeeding in the coming months. So luckily for me, one thing that always always sounds good is ground meat. My preference is ground bison for its lean quality and great flavor but I will honestly take anything. Give me a burger or give me a ground meat taco please! So it turns out, when I am not actively seeking out baked goods, I am actively cooking up pounds and pounds of bison. I make large batches and keep them in the fridge for taco bowls as work lunches because I know that even if I can get myself to eat fish and chicken for dinner, I will not do it as leftovers. But bison I do willingly. Again, the mind works in mysterious ways in this phase of life. 

One trick I have for these large batches of bison is to load up the ground meat with finely diced vegetables and beans. I like to add in a bell pepper, an onion, sometimes a jalapeno, diced chilis, or a can of beans. This not only makes the batch larger in size but also sneaks in extra nutrients. 

All that to say, this recipe feels less like a traditional recipe and more of a DIY kitchen sink bowl but since I keep going back to the exact same ingredients I figured it was worth sharing. Nick also claims it stands out as its own specific meal because I have been adding baked japanese sweet potato. Hence the “Irish” part of the title. He thinks it’s like Irish Nachos. I don’t really see the resemblance but I guess since I am using potatoes and not rice as the carb in the dish, he has a point. This has also naturally started becoming a staple as Koa loves to eat with his hands. And anyone with a kid knows that cleaning up after a 13-month-old eating is an exercise in patience and mobility. Rice easily became a pain in my a** but baked, cubed sweet potato? Easy peasy to clean up! And he loves it. So win win. Just omit or limit the salt when seasoning. 

So this recipe has become a sleeper hit due to this very specific time in our lives. Good thing Nick likes it! I hope you do too. 

INGREDIENTS

Serving Size: 4

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 400F. 
• Then start by prepping the vegetables one by one and setting aside – roughly chop the romaine, the scallions, the yellow onion, the bell peppers, and peel most the skin off the sweet potatoes (or wash really well) and chop into cubes. 
• Take 2-3 chunks of the chopped bell pepper and onion, continue chopping until diced into small pieces to go in the ground meat. 
• Take the remaining bell pepper, onion, and sweet potatoes, toss with a healthy dose of olive, salt, pepper, and paprika. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes until desired crispness. 
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet, add a dab of olive oil and saute the small portion of bell pepper and onion until soft and fragrant. 
• Add the ground bison to the skillet and mash into pieces with the spatula.
• Cook the bison until almost fully browned. Then add in the taco seasonings and ¼ cup of water. Stir until combined and cook for another 3-4 minutes. 
• Drain the beans and mix in with the cooked bison. Cooking for another 2-3 minutes to heat the beans. 
• Remove from the heat and assemble the bowls. 
• Fill your plate with a bed of romaine, then top with the baked vegetables, cooked taco meat, some cheese, scallions, and of course, a large dollop of guacamole. Enjoy!