Roasted Sweet Potato Bowl with Black Beans

One of my first vegetarian cookbooks was the Moosewood Restaurant's Low Fat Favorites. In it is a recipe for a sweet potato and black bean burrito. It is a great recipe, and this is loosely based on it. I like this bowl version, because the tortilla is replaced with brown rice. This makes it a bit healthier and easier to eat. The cumin-coriander flavor profile is from that burrito, though, and it is really good. This healthy bowl is awesome for lunch or dinner. It is super healthy and filling.

Granted this has a few steps, but since it is so good and so good for you - the time is very well spent.

Think of it in 4 steps: cook the rice, cook the potatoes, cook the beans, and assemble. It will be worth your while and you will have leftovers to enjoy for a couple of days, probably.

Roasted Sweet Potato Bowl with Black Beans

Ingredients:

1 cup dried black beans, soaked in water to cover for at least 8 hours (or buy canned)
4 cups water
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/4 tsp epazote (optional digestive)

2 cups brown rice

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp salt
dash black pepper
dash cinnamon
dash nutmeg

2 tsp coconut oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 fresh jalapeño, diced small (seeded for a milder flavor)

2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp lime juice
2/3 cups fresh cilantro, minced

Fresh tomato, diced
Fresh avocado, sliced

Directions:

Soak the beans overnight.

Cook the rice according to package directions.

Prepare the sweet potatoes.

Preheat your oven to 500 degrees. Toss the diced sweet potato with the oil, syrup, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg. I like to combine the seasonings with the maple syrup and coconut oil in a small measuring cup and heat them in the microwave to melt it and help it coat the sweet potatoes. You could also use olive oil for the ease of it, but coconut oil does better at high temperatures. Place the potatoes on a cookie sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring every ten minutes or so. They are done when they are golden brown on the outside and soft in the middle.

Prepare the beans.

I like to use the pressure cooker best. To prep them this way, put the rinsed beans, four cups of water, coconut oil and epazote in the pressure cooker. Seal the lid and bring to a rolling boil, once the steam valve begins to rattle and release steam, lower the heat and cook for 30 more minutes. Remove from heat and let cool enough to handle.

You can also buy canned beans, or cook them on the stove top until tender.

Season the beans.

Heat the 2 tsp coconut oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the diced onion, garlic, jalapeño, and cook until softened, about 7 minutes. Then add the spices which are the cumin, coriander, and salt.

Drain about 1 cup of the cooking liquid from the beans. Add the beans to the onion mixture. Then use a fork, immersion blender, or regular blender to blend about half of the beans to make a sauce. Finally, add the lime juice and the fresh chopped cilantro to the beans.

Assemble the bowls.

Put a scoop of rice in the bottom of a bowl, add some sweet potatoes and beans, then top with fresh diced tomato and avocado slices, and bit more fresh cilantro if you would like. Enjoy!

For 6 servings. Nutritional information from caloriecount.about.com.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 239 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 565 Calories from Fat 136

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 15.1g 23%

Saturated Fat 7.1g 36%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 598mg 25%

Potassium 1499mg 43%

Total Carbohydrates 95.7g 32%

Dietary Fiber 13.0g 52%

Sugars 3.0g

Protein 14.0g

Vitamin A 8% • Vitamin C 34% Calcium 9% • Iron 22%

Nutrition Grade A-

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet