Moroccan Sweet Potato and Black Bean Stew #FoodieExtravaganza

Foodie Extravaganza is where we celebrate obscure food holidays or cook and bake together with the same ingredient or theme each month. This month Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm is hosting. She urged us: "Let's continue our celebration of the New Year with delicious, fiber filled, heart healthy recipes. How are you going to sneak more fiber into your diet?" 

She even suggested some soluble fibers - barley, oats, beans, figs, and sweet potatoes - along with some insoluble ones - lentils, avocados, strawberries, and apples.

Posting day for #FoodieExtravaganza is always the first Wednesday of each month. If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook page Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you! If you're a spectator looking for delicious tid-bits check out our Foodie Extravaganza Pinterest Board! Looking for our previous parties? Check them out HERE.

The Heart-Healthy Round-Up

•  5-Way Cincinnati Chili Spaghetti Squash Boats from Palatable Pastime 
• Apple Oatmeal Breakfast Bake from Cookaholic Wife
• Baked Oatmeal from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Black-eyed Pea Salad - Saladu Ñebbe from Food Lust People Love | 
• Cranberry Nut Muffins from Hardly A Goddess
• Easy Breakfast Oatmeal from Basic N Delicious
• Farmer's Salad from Fearlessly Creative Mammas 
• Fruity Chewy Granola Bars from  Caroline's Cooking 
• Fruity Custard from Sneha's Recipe 
• Heart Beet Smoothie from Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Moroccan Sweet Potato and Lentil Stew from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Vegetarian Spicy Asian Lettuce Wraps from cookinandcraftin 

Moroccan Sweet Potato and Black Bean Stew

I was inspired to make a thick, vegetarian stew with sweet potatoes and black beans. To counter the sweetness of sweet potatoes, I love adding spices.

Ingredients

• 3 T olive oil
• 1 C organic white or yellow onion, diced
• 1 C organic carrots, diced
• 1 C organic celery, diced
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
• 1" knob of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 2 t ground cumin
• 1 t ground coriander
• 1 t turmeric
• 1 t paprika
• 1 t ground cinnamon
• 6 C vegetable broth
• 1-1/2 C fresh tomatoes, diced (or one 14 ounce can)
• 3 to 4 C organic sweet potato, cubed
• 2 C cooked black beans (here's a how to cook dried beans...or you can use canned)
• freshly ground salt, to taste
• freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1/2 C fresh cilantro, chopped

Procedure

Heat 2 T olive oil in a large souppot or Dutch oven. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until the onions are softened and beginning to turn translucent. Add garlic and ginger. Cook for a minute or two. Pour in remaining olive oil and stir in cumin, coriander, turmeric, paprika and cinnamon. Cook until fragrant, approximately one to two minutes.

Pour in vegetable broth and stir in tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and cooked black beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer until the sweet potatoes are softened to your liking. Mine cooked for 35 to 40 minutes.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Fold in half the cilantro. Serve hot with remaining cilantro sprinkled on top as a garnish.