One Pot Mexican Lentil Bake

Recipe

Ingredients: 

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 chopped sweet potato (about 2-3 cups)
• 1 diced onion
• 3 diced garlic cloves
• 1 cup of rinsed brown lentils
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 (10 oz) can of diced tomatoes (use the kind with habanero peppers in it if you like a spicy kick!)
• 1 (15 oz) can of black beans
• 1 (15 oz) can of garbanzo beans
• 1.5 cups of frozen corn
• 2.5 cups of broth of choice (
• Shredded cheese of choice for topping 
• Seasonings: 2 tbs for cumin, chili powder, black pepper… 2 tsp for sea salt, red pepper flakes (as always, season to your preference!)

Instructions: 

• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet
• Add the chopped onion, diced garlic, and chopped sweet potatoes and cook until soft and slightly browned (~10 minutes) 
  • Caramelize the onions first if you want extra depth and richness
• Add the rest of the ingredients (lentils, tomato paste, spices, broth, tomatoes, garbanzo beans, black beans) and bring to a boil
• Reduce heat, cover, and let gently simmer for ~20 minutes until the lentils are cooked (stir occasionally)
• If there is too much liquid, cook uncovered for a few minutes so it can evaporate 
• Remove from heat and top with shredded cheese – cover again until the cheese is melted

Tips:

• Serve with a garnish of parsley, sour cream, Greek yogurt or jalapenos 
• This is great by itself in a bowl, but also delicious as the ingredients for a taco or burrito 
• For extra rich flavor, grill the sweet potatoes on higher heat with a touch more of olive oil (uncovered) so they caramelize a bit
• Don’t forget to add more spices and veggies to suit your own personal tastes! 🙂