Yam and Mushroom Taco Sliders

With only a small time frame to make dinner, I pulled out my weekly menu, which looked suspiciously like last week's menu. I listed taco sliders as a main dish, but I'd been in a hurry when I wrote down my ideas and I had just picked my favorite foods, thinking I could revise it later. It seemed just like yesterday I'd blogged about taco sliders with this post on roasted vegetables. 

It wasn't exactly last week, but still I'd already blogged them. Magazine editors routinely reject ideas when they've dong them before.  But were is the rule that says you can't repeat ideas on your own blog? 

I mulled over using the mixture with rice, quinoa. baked potatoes and even pizza, which I did blog about last week.

But taco sliders are my current favorites, so use what you want for a base for this vegetable blend, but seriously, what can't you put on a taco slider?  It's becoming my new mantra.

They take about 20 minutes, tops.

I buy these mushrooms every week, so they were first on my list for taco sliders. These fresh shiitaki mushrooms from the market, are better than you can find at any grocery or natural foods store in Seattle.

Next I added  arugula because I found some tempting small bundles of it at Mair Farm-Taki.  Use your own favorite fresh spring greens from a market vendor, or fresh from your garden. Spicy mustard greens would also be a winner in this combination.  Spinach is a little on the bland side.

One thing is certain,  I'm planting more arugula this year.  For one thing, it tends to be pricey at the markets early in the spring; for another, it is one of those greens that grows well in the Pacific Northwest.  

Get your arugula seeds and starts going now.

Arugula

All the other ingredients, I found in my pantry--onions, a sweet potato, some leftover celery, garlic, Field Roast, and sundried tomatoes.

I was in such a hurry I forgot to add herbs and spices, so I got out some fresh salsa to add as a dollop on top.These were so good, my husband tucked leftovers in a burrito for lunch and I had the rest for breakfast.

Yam and Mushroom Taco Sliders

(Serves 4)

1 onion, diced

1 tablespoon canola or extra virgin olive oil

1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced

1 or 2 stalks celery, sliced

8 ounces shiitaki mushrooms, tough stems removed

2 cloves garlic, pressed

6 sundried tomatoes, chopped

1 cup, sliced Field Roast apple sausage or vegan sausage

1 tablespoon chopped Mama Lil's Peppers or 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 

2 to 4 cups chopped arugula

Sea salt to taste

Fresh salsa for garnish

Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat.   Add the onions and oil.  Stir and cook until the onions begin to brown.  Add the sweet potatoes, celery, mushrooms and garlic.  Stir.  If mixture is dry add a tablespoon of water.  Then cover and steam the vegetables, stirring occasionally until the vegetables soften. 

Add the sundried tomatoes, Field Roast and Mama Lil's Peppers or pepper flakes.   Continue to cook for a few minutes, then remove from heat and add arugula.  Stir until wilted and serve.  Add sea salt to taste.

Not even my Cooking Assistant could resist the lure of these taco sliders