Sweet Potato + Black Bean Bowls with Cilantro Lime Sauce

• servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

2 medium sweet potatoes

1-2 tbsp olive oil

1 ½ tbsp taco seasoning

1 tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper (to taste)

1 ½ cups rice

3 cups water

2 bay leaves

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1 cup cilantro

1 cup vegan yogurt (unsweetened, plain I recommend the Whole Foods 365 brand for this recipe)

2-3 tbsp salsa verde / tomatillo jalapeno hot sauce (I use the Trader Joe's Green Dragon Sauce)

1/2 lime

salt to taste

1 can black beans

1 avocado

1 ½ cups shredded purple cabage

lettuce or salad mix for serviing

salsa

tortilla chips (optional)

Directions

For the Potatoes:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Peel the potaotes and chop into bite sized pieces. Transfer to a cookie sheet and top with oil, taco seasoning, garlic powder, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss to coat and then spread the potatoes into an even layer.Roast for 20 minutes or until fork tender and slightly crispy around the edges.

For the Rice:

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil. In the meantime, rinse the rice well and add it to the water once it's boiling. Add the bay leaves, cumin, and salt. Stir and reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until al of the water is absorbed and the rice is fluffy/cooked through.

For the Sauce:

Add the cilantro, yogurt, and 2 tbsp of the hot sauce to the blender along ith a squeeze of lime juice. I do a little lime juice at first and add more as needed depending on how tangy the brand of vegan yogurt is. TIP: I also like to start with 2 tbsp of hot sauce and add more if needed. 2 tbsp is usually perfect for me but use more if you like a good amount of heat! And use less if you want it to be mild.Then just blend on high until very smooth. About 30-40 seconds. Then add two pinches of salt and mix well. Refridgerate until needed.

For the Beans:

Warm the beans through (I do this in the microwave) Sometimes I simply warm the beans and season with salt and pepper but I also like like to add a pinch of salt and 2 tbsp of salsa before warming and then mash the beans slightly once they're warmed through to create a quick + healthy "refried beans" mixture. Both will work well for this recipe.

Assmeble:

In a large bowl, add a few handfuls of cold crunchy chopped lettuce (I recommend tossing the salad with some salsa for some added flavor. The salsa will act as a salad dressing)Then top the lettuce with the warm rice, beans, shredded cabbage, and sliced avocado. Drizzle on the Cilantro Lime Yogurt Sauce, add some salsa, crumbled tortilla chips for crunch, and some more fresh cilantro. Enjoy!