Black bean & Corn Chili with Whole Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Broad bean Guacamole

I finally set up my veggie patch today. Its been empty for nearly a year since I went overseas. At Aldi they had a whole lot of starter plants in stock. So mum picked me up some kale, lettuce, broccolini, cauliflower, cabbage, rainbow spinach and a whole lot of herbs. I also emptied out my compost, which I have been filling, but haven’t emptied for nearly two years. It was really smelly, but really healthy for my garden.

I had to Albie proof my veggie patch with some chicken wire and some steaks I found. Not sure its going to last a Queensland storm, but anything to keep Mr Albie out. He likes to use my garden as a place to sleep or to attack possums on the fence. Bella also likes to use it as a toilet. So fingers crossed this will keep them out till I think of something else.

I have been really slack lately with preparing legumes. I was really craving black beans, so remembered to soak some today. I decided to make this Mexican inspired chili. I was really proud that I managed to make this entire dish with out any canned products. The beans, corn and tomatoes are all fresh.

For the Broad bean Guacamole I adapted the recipe from Daily unadventures in cooking. The taste was a lot different with the broad beans, so I added more avocado. It did have a nice fresh taste though with the lime juice.

I made a similar dish  last month, Whole Baked Sweet Potato with Mixed Bean Chili, Guacamole and Quinoa Salad. Tonight’s dish was just as delicious, but the flavors were a lot different.

Black bean & Corn Chilli with Whole Roasted Sweet Potatoes (vegan, gluten free, soy free, nut free)

 

Black bean & Corn Chilli

Ingredients:

1.5 cups dried black beans (pre soaked for 8 hours/overnight)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, diced

2-4 garlic cloves, diced

1 large green chilli, diced

1 small green capsicum, diced

1 small red capsicum, diced

1 carrot, diced

2 tablespoons cumin

1/2 tablespoons chilli powder or cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon ground smoked paprika

3 roma tomatoes,  chopped (or 1 can diced tomatoes)

corn kernels from 2 cobs of corn

2 cups of vegetable liquid stock

1.5 tablespoons hot chipotle sauce

2 tablespoons corn flour (or arrowroot or plain flour)

sea salt to taste

lime juice to serve (optional)

Method:

1. Bring a large pot with water and black beans to a boil, then cook for 40 mins or until tender.  Strain black beans then put to the side.

2. In the same pot heat oil then add onion, garlic and chili. Cook for 2-3 mins.

3. Add carrot, green & red capsicum and cook for 5 mins. Stir often.

4. Add cumin, chili powder, paprika and cook for 2 mins or until fragrant. Add some water or oil if the pot is too dry.

5. Add chopped tomatoes and 1/4 cup of water. If using can tomatoes then you don’t need the water. Cook for 5 mins.

6. Add black beans, corn kernels, liquid stock, hot chipotle sauce, flour and sea salt. Bring to the boil, then let it simmer for 40 mins to an hour.

* Serve on top of the whole sweet potatoes and/or basmati rice and with a squeeze of lime.

*Serves 8

Whole Roasted Sweet Potato  

Ingredients:

8 sweet potatoes

canola oil (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Clean and scrub sweet potatoes.

2. Coat in oil and place in a baking tray. Piece a few times with a fork along the sweet potato, then bake for 45 mins.

* Serve with Chili

* Serves 8

Broad Bean Guacamole 

Ingredients:

1 cup broad beans

1 avocado

juice 1/2 lime

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

hot chipotle sauce to taste (optional)

sea salt & black pepper to taste

Method:

1. Bring a pot of water to the boil. Then cook the broad beans for 2-3 mins.

2. Strain the broad beans, rinse in cold water, then remove the outer skin of the beans.

3. Combine broad beans and avocado in a bowl. Mash with a fork.

4. Add lime, evo, hot chipotle sauce, sea salt & black pepper.

* Serves about 1 cup