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Quinoa and Black Bean Bowl

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This savory Quinoa and Black Bean Bowl is simple, tasty, healthy, vegan, and gluten-free.  

This savory Quinoa and Black Bean Bowl is simple, tasty, healthy, vegan, and gluten-free.  

To be honest, I discovered this meal by complete accident.  We had quinoa in the fridge for the Healthy Quinoa Breakfast Bowl and some black beans from the previous night’s jerk chicken.  I needed a quick lunch, so I grabbed an avocado from the counter and combined the three.  I was shocked at how good it was, especially considering the absence of meat! To make it even better, it was super easy to make and nutritionally solid.

Handling the Avocado

The key to keeping the avocado in chunks and not smashing to the resemblance of baby food is simple.  Make the cuts before removing the green flesh from the skin. Using a pairing knife, half the avocado, remove the pit, and make both horizontal and vertical cuts on each halve.  Then, simply scoop the perfectly cut chunks out of the skin with a spoon. 

Other Ingredient Tips 

It is 100% possible to make this dish “organic”, if you choose.  When cooking the black beans, I typically add a teaspoon or so of Flavorgod Everything to help develop flavor.  The recipe calls for red quinoa.  Regular quinoa works just as well, but I use red because it has a more nutty taste that adds depth to the dish.  The choice is yours. Enjoy!

Quinoa and Black Bean Bowl

This savory Quinoa and Black Bean Bowl is simple, tasty, healthy, vegan, and gluten-free.  

Ingredients

  • 1 can black beans
  • 1 cup red quinoa
  • 1/4 red onion
  • 1/2 Jalapeno
  • 1 avocado
  • season to taste

Instructions

  1. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the quinoa, reduce heat to low and cover for 15-20 minutes. Stir occasionally. A fork works great to break up the quinoa, or "fluff" it.
  3. While the quinoa is cooking, place the beans and diced vegetables in a small pot/saucepan and bring to a boil. Season to taste. Reduce heat to low and let beans simmer until quinoa is fully cooked.
  4. Halve, pit, and dice the avocado.
  5. In a bowl, layer the quinoa, avocado, and beans (in that order) and serve.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 3 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 314Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 554mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 16gSugar: 2gProtein: 13g
© Cody
Category: 30 Minutes or Less

 

Red Beans & Potatoes

by

Add a little bit of protein and fiber to your carb loaded side with this red beans and potatoes recipe. 

Add a little bit of protein and fiber to your carb loaded side with this red beans and potatoes recipe. 

I used to regularly order a grilled chicken meal when I was living in Bahrain.  I can’t remember the name of the restaurant (Flair, maybe?).  Either way, it came with a side of potatoes that stuck with me.  When I came back home, I started trying to mimic it.  This is a great side compliment to almost any meat and it can hide some extra nutritional value. 

Red Beans & Potatoes

Add a little bit of protein and fiber to your carb loaded side with this red beans and potatoes recipe. 

Add a little bit of protein and fiber to your carb loaded side with this red beans and potatoes recipe. 

Ingredients

  • 6 Idaho Potatoes
  • 1 tbsp of butter
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup of red beans
  • 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp parsley
  • 1/2 tsp garlic
  • salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of water to boil.
  2. Peel and chop the potatoes. Place them in the boiling water for approximately 25 minutes or until they're soft enough to be easily pierced with a fork. Drain.
  3. Add the butter and milk to the potatoes and lightly whip with a handheld blender. You don't want to go too creamy with these. If needed, instant potatoes will work as well and save time.
  4. Place beans and all seasonings into a food processor or blender and blend to the consistency of really thick, pasty oatmeal. You can opt to just mash them (as shown in picture) but we prefer to break them down further. The difference is in the density. Well blended beans provide a more dense, yet consistent side dish. Mashing the beans gives a more "beans and potatoes" feel with light, fluffy potatoes and random bean bites.
  5. Blend the potatoes and beans thoroughly using a fork. If the mixture is too thick, add more milk (1/8 cup at a time) until desired consistency is reached.
  6. Optional: Create a "bowl" within the center of the finished red beans and potatoes. Place 1 tbsp of butter and sprinkle some fresh parsley in the center. The heat from the potatoes should melt the butter creating a bowl of melted goodness that will flow over the dish as guests scoop their servings.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 202Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 232mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 5gSugar: 2gProtein: 6g
© Cody
Category: Side Dish