Get a delicious dose of plant-based iron with our vegan spin on this Mexican classic. Legumes are vegetarian sources of iron, and black beans are one of the best in iron content.
- L/D Lunch/Dinner
- GF Gluten free
- Ve Vegan
- IR Iron-rich
- Prep time 20 mins
- Cook Time 40 mins
- Serves 4
- Difficulty medium
Method
- Preheat oven to 200⁰C. Line 2 or more large baking trays with grease-proof paper.
- Place sliced sweet potato in a large bowl, toss with olive oil to coat. Add paprika and cumin, toss to coat. This is best done in two lots to allow for more even coating.
- Arrange potato pieces flat over the tray, then cook in oven for 40-60 minutes, turning halfway through (note: the chips do not crisp up entirely like a corn chip).
- Meanwhile, heat a frypan on medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, onion and garlic and sauté for a few minutes. Add capsicum, cook for a few minutes until soft.
- Add spices, stir to combine for one minute. Add a little of the chopped tomatoes, stir, then add remaining chopped tomatoes and combine. Add beans, combine and simmer, with lid on, for 30 minutes. Optional: mash the beans with a fork if you prefer a more 'refried beans' texture.
- For the guacamole, place chopped onion and coriander leaves in a large mortar with a generous amount of sea salt. Grind with a pestle for a few minutes until you have a rough paste.
- Peel, stone and halve the avocados and add to the mortar, pounding until they start to mash. Add lime juice and a good grind of pepper, fold through.
- Add cherry tomatoes and fold through gently. This may seem to make a large quantity, but I usually invite my daughter to happily eat some of the guacamole with good-quality corn chips as we wait for dinner. Leftover guacamole can be used the following day.
- To serve, place sweet potato pieces on individual plates, topped with bean mix, then guacamole. Sprinkle coriander leaves over the top and add jalapeños if desired.
Nutritional information
By Jean Hailes naturopath and herbalist Sandra Villella
This recipe is a variation of a red kidney bean nachos my partner makes for the family (served with corn chips and cheese).
Legumes are vegetarian sources of iron, and black beans are one of the best in iron content.
Vegetarian sources contain non-haem iron, which is not as well absorbed as haem-iron found in animal sources, so the addition of vitamin C-rich foods, such as capsicum and tomatoes, increases the iron absorption.
Calcium can inhibit the absorption of iron, but this dish does not contain the calcium-rich cheese or sour cream that are often served with nachos. You'll find you don't need them with this variation anyway!
