With kids going back to school and people returning to the office, you may be looking for lunch time inspiration. This rice, black bean and sweet potato salad is easy to prepare in advance and has a good balance of slow releasing carbohydrates and fibre with the rice and sweet potato and the black beans provide the protein. 

Once you get used to preparing salads in advance, you can always make different varieties, rice could be switched for quinoa or even brown rice pasta. Sweet potatoes could be swapped for carrots or butternut squash.  You can add in a variety of beans or use chickpeas, I have added in some greens with 2 handfuls of kale but you could always use spinach or other vegetables! 

I am hoping all this will provide you with some inspiration to create some wholesome lunches, which can be prepared in advance and are delicious and satisfying!  

Serves 2

1 cup of brown rice

2 sweet potatoes 

1 teaspoon of rapeseed oil

1 teaspoon of paprika 

1 400g can of black beans 

2 handfuls of kale

Serves 2

For the dressing:

2 tablespoons olive oil

Juice of one lemon juice 

3 tablespoons of tahini

2 teaspoons of mustard

2 teaspoons of maple syrup 

salt

Extra water if needed

Method for Rice, Black Bean and Sweet Potato Salad:

1. Cook a cup of brown rice with 2 cups of water as per cooking instructions – usually for 20 minutes until the rice is cooked
2. Peel the sweet potatoes and chop into bitesize pieces, sprinkle with oil and paprika and roast for about 20 minutes 
3. For each salad serving allow half a cup of rice, half of the sweet potato, half a can of black beans and a handful of kale
4. Mix the dressing together, whisk until blended, if it is too thick add up to two tablespoons of water and pour over the salads 

Enjoy!