This vegetarian dish looks wonderful and tastes delicious. The combination of roasted sweet potatoes, spicy beans and tangy guacamole is a treat for eye and palate. You can’t help but stop and admire how it looks on your plate before digging in.

I also appreciate the ease with which you can adapt this recipe to suit your tastebuds. Play with the amount of spice or with substitutes. If you don’t have cayenne, you might use chilli powder or the slightly milder paprika. If you don’t care for feta, top with grated cheddar, etc.

Another great thing is you can prepare the components of this dish in advance. Even the guacamole can be prepared ahead of time, although it might lose some of its vibrant colour the longer it’s stored.

If preparing in advance of serving, store the potatoes, bean mixture and guacamole, separately, in air-tight containers in the fridge for up to three days. When it’s time to eat, reheat the beans in a skillet and the potatoes in the oven, assemble and top with guacamole and garnishes.

The recipe below serves four people but adjusts easily to feed more. I know for a fact this recipe is great to feed and please a hungry crowd. Simon and I prepared it for a gathering of 30 friends and family this past summer. It got rave reviews. Being able to prepare things in advance made it so much easier.

We served it alongside rice and a chunky homemade salsa.

Stuffed sweet potatoes with beans and guacamole (adapted from this recipe)

Spice-rubbed sweet potatoes:

2 medium sweet potatoes (about 9 ounces each)

1 tablespoon melted virgin coconut or vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Bean mixture:

1 tablespoon melted virgin coconut oil or vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1 red onion, coarsely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, rinsed, drained

3/4 cup vegetable broth

2 cups fresh baby spinach (frozen works, too.)

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Guacamole:

2 ripe avocados

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 medium size tomato, diced

salt and pepper to taste

Topping:

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

chopped cilantro for garnish.

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and rub with oil and spice mixture. Arrange cut side up on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment. Roast until fork-tender, about 25 minutes.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook and stir until onion starts to turn translucent, 2–3 minutes. Add beans, broth, salt, cayenne and cumin. Cook until liquid is reduced and beans soften, about 10 minutes.

Mash avocado and garlic in a bowl until smooth. Stir in chopped tomato, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper.

Add spinach and lime juice to bean mixture. Cook until spinach wilts, about 30 seconds.

Using the back of a spoon, gently push down in centre of each potato half to create a canoe.

Spoon bean mixture into potato halves, then top evenly with guacamole, feta cheese and remaining cilantro.