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
Ingredients
- 1 can black beans
- 1 cup red quinoa
- 1/4 red onion
- 1/2 Jalapeno
- 1 avocado
- season to taste
Instructions
- Bring 2 cups of water to a boil over medium-high heat.
- 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.
- 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.
- Halve, pit, and dice the avocado.
- In a bowl, layer the quinoa, avocado, and beans (in that order) and serve.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 3 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 314Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 554mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 16gSugar: 2gProtein: 13g