loaded sweet potato (v/gf)

• 1 small (~1/3 lb) sweet potato
• 1/4cup of 15-ounce can of black beans (rinsed and drained)
• 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil 
• 1/2 teaspoon each of cumin 
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon of minced garlic 
• salt and pepper to taste 
• dash of lemon *optional 

• 1/4 cup hummus 
• 1 teaspoon lemon, juiced (1/2 lemon yields ~1 Tbsp juice)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried dill (or sub 2-3 tsp fresh) 
• 1 clove of garlic, minced 
• 2 teaspoons of filtered water 
• Salt to taste *optional 

• 3 cherry tomatoes (diced)
• 2 mini bell peppers (diced)
• 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro (minced)
• 1 tablespoon of finely chopped red onion
• A squeeze of 1 lemon (small wedge)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line the baking sheet with a silicon baking mat or foil.
2. Rinse and scrub the potato and cut it in half lengthwise. This method will speed up the cooking time. If desired to leave whole, adjust the baking time to be longer (approximately double the time (45 min-1 hour).
3. Toss rinsed and drained black beans with olive oil and spices and place in a small saucepan over low to medium heat.
4. Baste the sweet potatoes with olive oil and place them face down on the baking sheet.
5. While the sweet potatoes and beans are cooking, prepare your sauce by adding all ingredients to a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine, only adding enough water to thin the sauce so it's pourable. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
6. Prepare the cilantro-bell pepper topping by tossing peppers, cilantro, and red onion with lemon juice and set aside to marinate.
7. Once sweet potatoes are fork tender, roughly 25 minutes, remove from oven. 
8. When black beans have been cooked, remove them from heat and set them aside.
9. For serving, flip potatoes on their side and slice them in half, creating a thinner base. Then top with black beans, garlic herb sauce, and cilantro-bell pepper topping. Serve immediately.

If you don't have hummus, tahini makes a wonderful base substitution for the sauce - adjust seasonings to accommodate flavour. Additional side ideas include steamed or grilled mixed veggies, baba ganoush, or veggie chili. Feel free to add extra toppings! Also, feel free to cut the sweet potato into 4 slices rather than half for decreased cooking time. Garbanzos, navy beans, or kidney beans can be swapped if you do not prefer black beans. 

Vitamin A is found in the sweet potato of this recipe and is known for its orange color, a pigment called beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is referred to as "provitamin A," which is concerted in the intestine to vitamin A and stored in the liver. Vitamin A is involved in immune function, cellular communication, growth and development, vision health, maintenance of the lungs, heart, and eyes, and male and female reproduction. [​1​] In fact, one cup (200 g) of baked orange sweet potato with skin provides more than double the amount of beta-carotene that the average adult needs daily! [​1​] 

This dish presents culinary medicine in multiple ways! The health benefits of sweet potato and black beans, packed with fiber, positively impact GI health because they can't be digested, allowing them to feed the good bacteria and help with bowel movements. Black beans are also rich in plant-based protein that is highly digestible, with a whopping 79% digestibility rate, and can be compared with animal sources when looking at sustainability. [​2​] I cannot say enough about black beans, as their antioxidant properties are rich in anthocyanins and anthocyanidins that have been shown to boost insulin sensitivity, which can help control or slow diabetes onset by regulating blood sugars and preventing spikes in blood sugar. [​2​] Black beans are also important for heart health, as they have been shown to lower total cholesterol, including triglycerides, which have been shown to increase the risk of heart disease when elevated. Lastly, let's talk about the antioxidant-rich herb cilantro! Some may hate it, but those who enjoy cilantro (coriander) can reap the benefits as it has been shown to lower the risks of some cancers and help remove heavy metals such as mercury, lead, and aluminum from the body. It is also used for measles and toothache when consumed orally. [​3​] 

It is a common misconception that eating healthy is too expensive; affordability of healthy foods has been shown as a constraint to making healthier food choices by people living in lower-income households. [​4​] I can say I spent less than 10$ on this meal, which is about the cost of a single meal these days, and the ingredients can be used for other meals, not just this one. For example, the garlic in this recipe called for one clove, so you have a whole bulb left for other recipes, as well as the cilantro, onion, black beans, peppers, and hummus! You can use the remaining hummus as a snack to dip your bell peppers in or as a side for your next meal with steamed veggies, as I love to dip my veggies in hummus. You can also make the garlic herb recipe larger and use it as a side in snacks and meals! The olive oil lasts much longer than the fresh ingredients and can be used in various dishes! 

Enjoy! 

Kindly, 

Kayla 

REFERENCES 

​​1. NIH. Vitamin A and Carotenoids. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 

​2. Chávez-Mendoza C, Sánchez E. Bioactive Compounds from Mexican Varieties of the Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris): Implications for Health. Molecules. 2017;22(8):1360. doi:10.3390/molecules22081360 

​3. Natural Medicines. Cilantro. The Research Center. 

​4. Jetter KM, Adkins J, Cortez S, Hopper GK, Shively V, Styne DM. Yes We Can: Eating Healthy on a Limited Budget. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2019;51(3):268-276. doi:10.1016/j.jneb.2018.12.002