Mexican Black Bean & “Rice” Bowls

Who doesn’t love Mexican food?  I for one could eat mexican multiple days of the week and not get sick of it.  However, I’m always finding ways to recreate and healthify a mexican meal by replacing dairy and gluten for nutrient dense alternatives and making the meal more plant-based.  Although stripped of dairy and gluten; this is by no means stripped of the yums (or colors)!  This meal is also completely vegan, however, sustainable meat of choice can be subbed in place of the beans if you don’t tolerate legumes well.  This recipe makes roughy 3 meals and is great for meal prepped lunches for the week!

What you need:

•  1 large sweet potato

• 1 head of organic cauliflower-riced

• Avocado oil (multiple drizzles)

• 1-2 cloves minced garlic

• 1/2 organic green bell pepper-chopped

• 1 can organic black beans

• 1 T cumin

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1/2 organic purple cabbage head

• Chimichurri sauce:

  • 1 handful each of fresh organic parsley and cilantro

  • 1/2 avocado

  • juice of 2 limes

  • 1 tsp garlic powder

  • extra avocado/olive oil to thin until desired consistency

  • salt and pepper

How you do it:

1. Preheat oven to 375

2. Wash sweet potato and chop into bite-sized pieces (can leave the skin on if well cleaned)

3. Spread out potato chunks on a lined baking sheet tossed with avocado oil and seasoned with salt and pepper

4. Bake sweet potato until fork tender; ~30-35 minutes

5. While potatoes are baking; add avocado oil (~1-2 tsp) and cauliflower rice to a large saucepan on medium heat (I like to use a cast iron skillet to naturally boost my iron intake)

6. Cook cauliflower rice on low/medium until cooked through ~7-10 minutes; add salt and pepper to taste

7. In a small saucepan add: a drizzle of avocado oil, minced garlic and chopped green peppers; heat over medium

8. Once fragrant, add entire can of black beans, cumin and paprika; increase heat to high. Once boiling, reduce to lowest heat and stir occasionally to keep warm until serving

9. While beans are warming through, chop cabbage into shreds

10. To make the sauce: add fresh herbs, avocado, lime juice, garlic powder to a food processor; process until smooth (add additional lime juice/avocado oil to thin out as needed); salt to taste

11. Assemble bowls: cauliflower rice as the base, top with sweet potato, black beans, cabbage and a dollop of chimichurri

Makes 3 servings

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