Mixed Dish: Sweet Potatoes, Quinoa and Lentils, and Black Beans

So, this one is not really a recipe, but just a great way to combine cooking instructions for a few of my favourites that I add to almost everything that even comes close to sound like it pairs.  Or simply eat together without anything else.

The items to be discussed will include sweet potatoes, black beans, quinoa, and lentils.

To start, I like prepare dry black beans once every other weak.  I'll cook up a whole bag and freeze them.  Therefore, they will be the last item prepared for the dish pictured above.

I will start with the quinoa.  I have become quite fond of the red quinoa, but white quinoa is delicious as well.  To prepare, rinse 1/4 cup of dry quinoa.  Toss into a pot and add in 1/2 cup water.  Bring to a boil and quickly reduce to just over a simmer and cover.  (Now skip to the next item ) Allow to simmer until the all water is absorbed or evaporated.  Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.  Recover and set aside.

Once you first cover the quinoa, begin with the lentils.  I use green lentils more often as orange lentils are more "mushy" and better suited for other dishes.  Without any need, I rinse the lentils.  Dunno why.  Toss 1/4 cup lentils in a pot and add 1 cup water.  Bring to a boil and reduce to just over a simmer.  I will sprinkle a pinch of sea salt in at this point.  (Now skip to the next item) Let the lentils simmer until just before all the water is out of the pot.  Remove from heat.

Now that the lentils are going, lets get the sweet potatoes started.  Using a steamer pot combo, fill the bottom pot with water and begin to boil.  As the water is heating, cut a sweet potato in 1/4 to 1/2 inch "chips."  Once the water is boiling toss the chips into the top pot and cover.  Allow to steam for 7 to 10 minutes.

Everything should be finishing, so it is time to revisit the black beans.  Toss a handful or two of black beans in a pot and add just enough water to cover the bottom of the pot, not the beans!  Sprinkle in some sea salt and start to boil the water.  Once boiling, reduce to medium-high heat.  Just as the last drop of water is boiled out of the pot, remove from heat.

Toss everything onto a plate and dig into it!  I use ketchup with the sweet potatoes, mix the lentils and quinoa, and enjoy the black beans by itself.  But experiment with each one, add one or two to another dish, or never eat them again.  Its up to you!

For one plate,

1 sweet potato

~1/4 cup red quinoa

~1/4 cup green lentils

1 handful black beans

I like to use just under 1/4 cup of dry quinoa and lentils, as and full quarter cup seems to be just too much.