I had the absolute pleasure of getting my hands on a copy of the lovely Gena Hamshaw’s new book, Power Plates: 100 Nutritionally Balanced, One-Dish Vegan Meals
You know those books where you’ll find a few recipes that seem good but the rest you could sort of take or leave? Well, I kid you not, every single recipe in Gena’s book looks and sounds worthy of making.
Since I couldn’t cook my way through the entire thing in one weekend, I settled on the one that I knew even my meat-loving husband would love: the sweet potato bowl with cilantro lime rice and black beans.
This dish you guys.
It’s every bit as delicious as it sounds, I promise you. It’s the perfect blend of fresh greens and hearty spices and it all comes together so wonderfully well.
The black beans and sweet potatoes are so hearty that even the biggest meat eaters will be wholly satisfied with this dish.
And the flavors. Oh my goodness, the flavors going on in this dish are just to die for. From the cilantro lime rice to the spiced black beans, crisp red onions, creamy avocado and sweet potatoes with the perfect amount of heat, your taste buds are literally in heaven at every turn.
And if you think this dish sounds amazing, I kid you not it’s only the tip of the iceberg in this book. Gena did such an amazing job putting together deliciously thoughtful, flavorful and balanced recipes. Every page offers a complete meal packed with nutrients. I highly, highly recommend this book and already know that I will be cooking my way through it for years to come.
Ingredients
- 3 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed and diced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons neutral vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil
- 1 cup (185 g) white or brown basmati rice, rinsed
- 2 cups (475 ml) water
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup (10 g) chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 1/2 cups (270 g) cooked black beans, or 1 (15-oz., or 425-g) can, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
- 1 small jalapeno chile, seeded and finely chopped
- Pinch of ground cumin
- 1 to 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 small Hass avocado, pitted, peeled, and chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 5 cups (150 g) firmly packed baby greens, such as spinach, arugula, or romaine
- Hemp Chimichurri Sauce or Cashew Queso Sauce for drizzling (recipes in Gena's book!)
Instructions
- To prepare the sweet potatoes, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, toss the sweet potatoes with the oil until evenly coated. Sprinkle with the paprika and cumin, season with salt and cayenne, and toss again. Spread the sweet potatoes evenly on the lined baking sheet and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until tender and browning at the edges.
- Meanwhile, to make the rice, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a medium pot over medium-low heat. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes, until the rice smells nutty and toasted. Stir in the water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes for white basmati or about 40 minutes for brown basmati, until all of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon coconut oil, the lime zest and juice, and the salt. Fold in the cilantro just before serving.
- To prepare the black beans, put all the ingredients together in a medium bowl and stir gently to combine. Taste and adjust the seasonings if desired.
- To serve, divide the greens among four bowls and top each with one-quarter of the sweet potatoes, rice and bean mixture. Drizzle with the chimichurri sauce and serve right away.
Leave a Reply