Chili-Rubbed Sweet Potato Rounds with Guacamole

Three reasons why I LOVE this recipe:

1. It's packed with nutrition (sweet potatoes are chock full of beta-carotene and vitamin C and avocados have anti-inflammatory properties, are full of fiber, vitamin A, C and folate).
2. It's ridiculously easy - you don't even have to peel the potatoes!
3. Best of all, it's incredibly tasty!! Spicy roasted sweet potato rounds topped with some creamy guacamole...it's like nachos without the less-than-healthy chips! Total comfort food!

You can serve these as a fun appetizer or a full meal, paired with a nice salad for example. We've always got both avocados and sweet potatoes lying around in our kitchen so this is a regular weeknight meal that's great when you're short on time but don't want to eat another bowl of cereal or toast with peanut butter (yeah, it happens!).

I found this recipe on the another great blog called Choosing Raw - I highly recommend you check it out if you're looking for some new plant-based recipes that are interesting and nutritious.

Chili-Rubbed Sweet Potato Rounds with Guacamole

Serves 4

For the chili spice rub:
2 tbsps chili powder
1 tsp paprika (I use regular here, but use smoked paprika if you want a smoky flavor!)
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt
Dash cayenne pepper (omit if you don’t want the heat)

For the Potatoes:
1 large sweet potato, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
Canola oil
1 recipe guacamole

Directions
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
Mix spices together for the rub.
Brush or spray potatoes lightly with oil. Sprinkle them with the spice rub, mix well. Roast round for about 12-15 minutes, or until golden on the bottoms. Flip and roast for another 12-15 minutes.
Whip up a batch of classic guacamole.
Serve roasted rounds topped with a dollop of guacamole!

Sloppy Joes

I remember when I was a kid, one of my favourite meals was Sloppy Joes. They were basically spaghetti sauce with ground beef added until it was thick enough to stay put on the bun. Oh my, I loved this meal! This version is much healthier and let's just say, a bit more refined. It combines earthy lentils with the delicate crunch of walnuts. It's got a tomato base, but not overly so, allowing the rest of the flavours to shine!

This recipe is from one of my favourite cookbooks, the Get Healthy, Go Vegan Cookbook from Dr. Neal Barnard, he's the founder and president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. The original recipe was for stuffed cabbage (which are also amazing), but I had some leftover filling one day and decided to serve it on a whole grain bun and call it a Sloppy Joe! I've since made a few adjustments to the original recipe to better fit my memory of what this classic sandwich tasted like. And just like my memories, this sandwich is a little messy, so have napkins nearby!

We love these in our house and usually prepare a double batch whenever we make them...leftovers can be frozen in individual servings and thawed for a quick and satisfying lunch or dinner!

Ingredients

1 onion, chopped

1/4 cup vegetable broth or vegetable oil for frying

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 can tomato paste (more if you like your sandwiches more tomato-y)

2 cups water

1/2 cup crushed walnuts

1/2 cup dried brown lentils

1/2 cup long-grain brown rice (e.g. brown basmati)

3/4 teaspoon salt whole grain burger buns

Directions

1. Over medium heat, saute onion in with oil or broth until they brown. Add the garlic, cumin, black pepper, and coriander then saute for two minutes. Next, add tomato paste and saute for three minutes while stirring. Mix in two cups of water and bring to a boil.

2. Add in walnuts, lentils, and the rice. Cover until water boils again and reduce the heat to low. Cook for thirty minutes or so until lentils and rice are tender. Depending on how you like your Sloppy Joe consistency, you may need to add a bit more water near the end of cooking time to thin it out a bit.

3. Spoon mix onto whole grain buns (toasted is a nice touch). Enjoy!