HappyTummy              

What is it exactly that makes a dish delicious? Besides the actual taste, would you say appearance, aroma, texture and presentation all play a role in the way food is judged? If so, this dish has it all—bright colors, the fragrance of toasted spices, a balance of tender and crunchy and the ability to work as a side or a main dish.

I was intrigued by a recipe I found on The New York Times, but when at the last minute I realized I was out of lentils, I substituted a can of black beans instead. And since I didn’t have to boil them, I omitted the stock the recipe called for. I also roasted the sweet potatoes, to give it a deep, carmelized flavor. In the end, the dish was vastly different from the original… but just as lovely as I expected.

As an added bonus, this is one of those dishes you feel great about eating. It’s chock full of good stuff—protein from the black beans and almonds, fiber and beta carotene from the sweet potatoes, iron and calcium from the dark green leafy chard. It’s definitely a keeper!

Recipe: Curried Black Beans with Sweet Potatoes and Swiss Chard
Adapted from The New York Times
Serves 4 as a side dish

• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 jalapeño pepper, minced
• 1 15-ounce can black beans
• 1 bunch Swiss chard, center ribs removed, roughly chopped
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped almonds
• 1 stalk scallion, chopped

Roast cubed sweet potatoes in tin foil packet at 425° for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender. Set aside.

In large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté garlic, ginger, garam masala, curry powder and jalapeño until spices are fragrant, no more than 1 minute.

Stir in 1/2 cup water, sweet potatoes and black beans. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until most of the water (but not all) has been absorbed/evaporated. Stir in chard and salt and pepper, and continue cooking until chard has wilted.

Just before serving, stir in cilantro and lime juice. Garnish with almonds and scallions.