Vegan Mexican Bowl

Swapping the mince for pulses is a great way to turn what can sometimes be quite an indulgent dish into a delicious power bowl. This is the recipe for a Mexican Bowl, but you could just as easily serve it with rice or over a baked sweet potato. And if you have leftovers, why not turn it into a brunch dish by putting a twist on Turkish Eggs: garlicky greek yoghurt, vegan chilli, a poached egg and toasted sourdough on the side – delicious.

Serves 4
Vegan

Ingredients

The chilli

1 can of aduki beans
1 can of kidney beans
1 can of borlotti beans
1 can of chopped tomatoes
100g chestnut mushrooms
1 large carrot
100ml red wine
2 tsp marmite
2 cloves of garlic
1 onion
2 large celery sticks
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chilli powder/flakes (tailor to your heat preference)
2 tsp honey / agave syrup / sugar
2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
Vegetable stock
Salt / pepper
2 tsp of liquid smoke (if you have this)

The sides

2 avocados
200g tinned corn
2/3 large sweet potatoes, cubed, skin on
Baby gem lettuce
1.5 limes
Fresh coriander
Sour cream/Alpro yoghurt
Toasted pumpkin seeds
Grated cheddar cheese / vegan alternative
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp of butter / vegan butter

Method

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C, then make the chilli: In a large, deep frying pan (preferably one with a lid), sweat your onions and celery in a little oil until translucent
Then add in your garlic, chopped mushrooms and carrot (I cut mine into small equal cubes), followed by your dry spices and tomato puree, and continue to cook for a further couple of minutes
Now add in your wine and and cook this out for a further minute, then add in your tin of chopped tomatoes, followed by all three cans of beans (strain them first)
Make your stock, roughly ½ a pint of veggie or beef stock (I like to fill up the empty tomato can with water and use this as my stock juices, adding the stock cube to this) and add to the mix
Add your marmite, Worcestershire Sauce, honey (or alternative)
Leave this to simmer gently, with the lid on for 30 minutes (check occasionally, incase it needs any more liquid)
While the chilli cooks, start on your sides
Dice up the sweet potato and place on a baking tray
Season the sweet potato with a tsp of cumin seeds, salt, pepper and enough oil to lightly cover the potatoes, then pop into a preheated oven at 180 degrees (usually for 30/40 minutes)
Chop a bunch of fresh coriander and set aside
Toast your pumpkin seeds and also set aside
Remove the skin and stone from the avocado and place in a bowl, with salt, pepper, the juice of half a lime and a pinch of the chopped coriander, set aside
Now slice your lettuce and place into the four bowls (should cover roughly ⅓ of the bowl)
Grate the cheese, and also set aside
10 minutes before you’re ready to serve, drain your tinned sweetcorn then add to a griddle pan or frying pan, with a good heaped tsp of butter, salt, pepper and the smoked paprika – keep this frying lightly while you tend to your chilli and sweet potatoes
Once the corn has slightly charred/gone sticky, you’re ready to build your Mexican bowls
Take your bowls (which should contain the lettuce) and add the diced sweet potato, followed by the chilli, the smashed avocado and finally, the corn
Top with sour cream/vegan yoghurt, pumpkin seeds, fresh coriander and cheese