Garlic Lo Mein Noodles w/ Black Beans & Sweet Potato Ribbons

This is a recipe of convenience.  I got home late one night with few groceries in the house and no leftovers.  I didn't feel like making a grocery store run.  So, I went in the kitchen seeking inspiration and suddenly the black void was filled with light.  I decided to pull together a dish with lo mein noodles, garlic, and black beans.  I just happened to have some leftover sweet potato rounds (thinly sliced with a mandoline) on hand that I used for a trial run of making homemade potato chips, and the sweet potato lover in me decided to add those to the mix.  I used this recipe for Homemade Noodles with Black Beans and Tamari as a guide.

Garlic Lo Mein Noodles w/Black Beans & Sweet Potato Ribbons

Ingredients:

• 1 package Lo Mein Noodles
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp cilantro
• 1/3 cup scallions, chopped into 1/4 pieces
• 1/4 cup Low Sodium Tamari
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp tamarind paste
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup sweet potato rounds, thinly sliced with a mandoline
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Directions:

Heat the sesame and canola oils in a large frying pan over medium heat.  Add the next four ingredients and cook until the garlic begins to brown.  Add the scallions, tamari, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, oyster sauce, and tamarind paste and cook until the sauce has reduced and is syrupy.  Add the black beans and sweet potato rounds.  Stir to combine.  Cook for a few additional minutes.  Add about 1 cup of water.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer the sauce until it reaches the desired consistency.  

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Toss with the garlic sauce and enjoy.  Garnish with chopped cilantro, green onions, or roasted sesame seeds.