Black Bean and Sweet Potato Casserole

So this is a new twist on a standby of this blog. Heading to a birthday party with an assignment of "main dish," this seemed the perfect January dish to prepare. It was easy, healthy, can be made vegetarian/vegan, and very tasty.

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Casserole
-2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
-1 cup of brown or multi-grain rice
-1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
-1 can of diced tomatoes
-1 large red pepper, diced
-1 medium onion, diced
-1 bag of fresh spinach
-1/2 cup chicken/vegetable broth
-1 tablespoon ground coriander
-1 tablespoon ground cumin
-1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
-3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
-salt, pepper, and olive oil
-1 avocado (optional)

1. Cook the brown rice according to package's instructions.
2. Peel and dice the sweet potatoes and steam them in the microwave for about 7 minutes. (I roasted mine in the oven)
3. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat and saute the onion and red pepper for 5 minutes. Add the fresh spinach and the chicken broth. Turn heat to low and cover the pan. Allow to cook for about 5 minutes, or until the spinach wilts and cooks down.
4. Add the steamed sweet potatoes, black beans, tomatoes, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper to the pan. Mix all together and turn off the heat.
5. In a large baking dish, layer the rice and then the sweet potato mixture. Top with the shredded cheese and cook in a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes.
6. Add chopped avocado on top before serving (optional)