This beautiful plant-based meal is bursting with flavours and textures. Tender caramelized sweet potatoes, spiced lentils with roasted garlic form the base. A creamy cashew sesame lime sauce brings it all together for the ultimate in vegetarian comfort food. Quick-pickled red onion and fresh cilantro add a zesty flair.
Developed by the team at Logan Petit Lot, makers of delectable artisanal nut butters, this recipe highlights their slightly sweet and crunchy Cashew Toasted Sesame Butter. It’s available in shops across the country and online. If you can’t find it, use cashew butter, toasted sesame oil, lime juice and water to make a version all your own. This recipe makes two servings, it’s easily multiplied to make extra for healthy lunches or quick meals throughout the week.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Spiced Lentils
A plant-based bowl with roasted sweet potatoes, spiced lentils, and a creamy cashew–lime dressing. A quick-pickled onion and fresh cilantro garnish makes it fresh and zippy.
Ingredients
Pickled Onion
- ½ small red onion thinly sliced into rings
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ¼ tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp sea salt
Sweet Potatoes
- 2 medium sweet potatoes
- 3 garlic cloves with the skin on
- cooking oil (such as avocado or grapeseed oil)
- sea salt
Lentils
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp chili flakes plus more for topping, if desired
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1½ cups water
- ½ cup French (green) lentils
- ½ tsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp sea salt
Cashew-Lime Sauce
- ¼ cup Logan Petit Lot Cashew Toasted Sesame Butter
- 2 tbsp lime juice
To serve
- handful chopped fresh cilantro
- chili flakes optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425˚F (220˚C).
PIckled Onions
- Place the onions in a small bowl. Add the vinegar, sugar and sea salt. Mix well to combine and set aside to pickle.
Sweet Potatoes
- Scrub the sweet potatoes with a vegetable brush and slice lengthwise into 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick wedges. Place the potato wedges on an unlined baking sheet, drizzle about 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and toss to make sure all sides are coated. Sprinkle generously with salt. Arrange evenly on the baking sheet, making sure to leave some space in between each one so that they don’t touch.
- Trim the rough end of the unpeeled garlic cloves to expose the top part. Drizzle a bit of oil over the garlic, and place on the baking sheet alongside the potatoes.
- Roast until the bottom of the potatoes are light browned (time will vary depending on the size of the wedges), about 15 to 18 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and carefully flip the potatoes so that each side gets browned evenly. Check if the garlic is cooked: it’s ready when the center of the cloves is soft when pierced with a knife. Remove the garlic when ready and set aside to cool. Slide the sweet potatoes back into the oven and bake for another 10 minutes. The sweet potatoes are ready when the center is easily pierced with a knife and sides are nicely browned.
Lentils
- While the potatoes cook, set a saucepan over low heat and add the spices: cumin, coriander, cinnamon and chili flakes. Toast until the spices become fragrant, shaking frequently, about 1-2 minutes. Add the tomato paste, stir to combine and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the water. Rinse the lentils, add them to the pot and mix well. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid is fully absorbed and the lentils are tender. If the liquid is absorbed and the lentils are still uncooked, add water as needed, about ¼ cup at a time, and continue cooking. Lentils should be tender but still get a good bite; don’t let them go too far or they will get mushy.
- Press on the bottom of the cooled garlic cloves to push them out of their skin, and mash the flesh with a fork to break it down. Add mashed garlic to the pot of lentils, along with the vinegar, sugar and sea salt. Mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Remove from the heat.
Cashew-Lime Sauce
- Combine the Cashew Toasted Sesame Butter and lime juice and 2 tbsp water in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Stir well with a small spatula. Tightly secure the lid and shake the jar vigorously until you get a creamy sauce.
- To serve, top the sweet potato wedges with a generous amount of the spiced lentils, then pour some cashew sauce over. Garnish with pickled onions, fresh cilantro, and sprinkle extra chili flakes on top if desired.
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