Island Back Bean Bowl

Ok, I am really into "bowls" lately. I love them because you can get really creative and they come together quickly. I think about building them like this.....

Start with a grain, such as rice, farro, quinoa, millet, barley or a non grain but something starchy like a potato.

Add a vegetable protein like beans, tofu, seitan, or tempeh.

Add at least three vegetables. One of my vegetables is almost always a leafy green.

Top or mix with a sauce. Salsa, guacamole, teriyaki sauce, peanut sauce, red pepper sauce, or in this case, a mango sauce.

Top with an herb, parsley, thyme, cilantro, rosemary sprig etc. Also think about topping with a seed for more nutrition and crunch like sesame seeds, pepitas, peanuts, pine nuts, sliced almonds etc.

 

Here is the recipe for Isalnd Balck Bean Bowl

Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 1 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup white sweet corn, frozen and thawed
  • 2 tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 1 cup ripe or frozen mango
  • 1 avocado diced
  • ¼ cup raw pepitas
  • 1 cup mango dressing, recipe follows
  • 8 ounces baby kale

Instructions

  1. Cook quinoa as directed.
  2. Put the black beans and corn in a glass bowl and microwave until heated through.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, black beans, corn, tomatoes, and pepper and mix well.
  4.  Add the dressing and stir through. (Recipe follows)
  5.  Place a handful of baby kale into each bowl.  Add bean and quinoa mix.
  6.  Top with diced mango, avocado and pepitas. 

Island Dressing 

  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 mango, peeled and pitted or 1 cup frozen mango
  • 2 green onions
  • 2 tablespoons chopped basil
  • 1 tablespoon minced jalapeno
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin

Put all ingredients into a food processor or high powered blender and combine until smooth