Zesty Mexican Sweet Potato Salad

Ingredients

Salad:
• 4 whole sweet potatoes or yams
• 6 ounces non-gmo bacon or chorizo, cut in 1/2-inch pieces (optional)
• 1 red onion in 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 red bell peppers, seeded, in 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded, in 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup cilantro, diced
For the Dressing:
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, and some pepper to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne or chipotle, depending on your taste
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 teaspoons dry oregano
• 1 tablespoons sweetener, such as Just Like Sugar Brown natural chicory root sweetener, or 1/2 teaspoon PureLo Lo Han Sweetener by Swanson, or 2 teaspoons raw honey, or your favorite sweetener.
• 2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 1 Granny Smith apple, in coarse chunks with the peel
• 1 lime, peeled and sliced

Instructions

Bake Sweet Potatoes:
1. Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease the sweet potatoes with coconut oil. Place them in a baking pan and bake for 1 hour until a fork pierces them easily. Remove from oven to cool. Then remove skins with a small paring knife, and chop into bite-size chunks. Place in a large mixing bowl.
Make the Salad:
2. In a large non-stick skillet, sauté the bacon over medium heat until barely crispy. Remove it to a plate, leaving the bacon fat in the pan. Add the red onion and peppers, and sauté until they barely start to soften. This is a salad, so you don’t want to over-cook them.
Blend the Dressing:
3. In any blender or food processor, add all dressing ingredients. Process well.
Serve:
4. In a large mixing bowl, add the sweet potatoes, cooked bacon, and sautéed veggies. Add the chopped cilantro. Pour the dressing on top and stir well to combine. Serve warm.