MAYAN HARVEST BAKE INGREDIENTS

• 2 sweet potatoes, washed and diced into 1/4 inch cubes (about 4 cups)
• 1 ripe plantain, peeled and diced into 1/4 inch cubes**
• 2 Tablespoons avocado oil, divided
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup water or vegetable broth
• 1 Tablespoon ground ancho chile powder/pepper (or regular chili powder)
• 1 teaspoon coconut sugar
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 cups finely chopped kale ( I have used spinach  and also baby kale leaves)
• 1 15 oz. can organic black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 18 oz tube polenta, sliced into 1/4 inch slices

OPTIONAL toppings 1/4 cup roasted pepitas, sliced avocado, sour cream

MAYAN HARVEST BAKE DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400° degrees.

Toss chopped sweet potatoes and plantains cubes in 1 Tablespoon oil. Sprinkle with sea salt and spread onto a baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender.

While the potatoes and plantains are roasting, heat remaining 1 Tablespoon of oil on medium-high in a large skillet. Add onion and garlic and sauté until soft and fragrant, about 5-7 minutes. Add tomato sauce, water, chile powder, coconut sugar, paprika, sea salt and cinnamon into the skillet and let sauce simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes. Add black beans and kale into the skillet. Stir kale into the sauce, allowing it to wilt. Once kale/spinach has wilted down, remove sauce from the heat.

Meanwhile, spray a 9×13 or 11×7 casserole dish with non-stick spray. Line the bottom of the dish with polenta slices, overlapping if needed. Top with the cooked quinoa. Then add the roasted sweet potatoes and plantains. Pour the saucy black bean and kale mixture over everything and use a spoon to create an even top layer. Bake casserole in the 400° oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle pepitas over the bake and serve warm. Top each portion with sliced avocado

** The plantain should be very ripe — yellow and covered with large black spots. Mine had a ton of black spots and worked great.