Includes recipes for Rustic Salsa and THE BEST Guacamole

Makes 2 to 4 servings

from The First Mess Cookbook  Copyright © 2017, Laura Wright.

Ingredients

• 4 small sweet potatoes (mine came to about 2 1/2 pounds total)
• 1/2 cup uncooked brown basmati rice, rinsed
• 1 cup cooked black beans (I used canned, rinsed and drained)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• Pinch of salt

Rustic salsa

• 1 yellow or red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 small red onion, chopped (mine came to about 3/4 cup chopped)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Guacamole

• 1 ripe, medium avocado
• 1/2 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• Generous pinch of salt

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking dish with parchment paper.
2. Place the sweet potatoes in the baking dish, and prick each one a couple of times with a fork. Slide the sweet potatoes into the oven and bake until very tender, about 45 minutes (mine took 5 to 10 minutes extra since they were a little bigger than specified).
3. In a medium saucepan, combine the basmati rice, black beans, cumin, garlic, olive oil, tomato paste and salt. Pour 1 1/4 cups water into the pot. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower the heat to a simmer, and cook until all of the liquid is absorbed, about 40 minutes. Cover and set aside to keep the rice warm.
4. Make the rustic salsa: In a medium bowl, combine the bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, red onions, lime juice, cilantro and olive oil. Season the mixture with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Set aside.
5. Make the guacamole: Peel the avocado and extract the pit. Place the avocado flesh in a medium bowl and mash with a fork. Once you’ve broken it up a bit, add the garlic, lime juice, cilantro and salt. Mash the avocado until the seasoning is evenly distributed and you have a chunky paste. Set aside.
6. Place each baked sweet potato in a shallow bowl. Cut along the top of the sweet potato and pull back the skin. Spilt the sweet potatoes a little bit to make room for the fillings.
7. Divide the rice and bean mixture among the sweet potatoes (spillover is fine!). Top each bowl with 1/4th of the rustic salsa. Finish each plate with a dollop of the guacamole and some shredded cabbage on top. Serve with hot sauce on the side if you wish.