Burrito Bowl with Creamy Chipotle Sauce

Makes 3-4 burrito bowls

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked rice or quinoa

1/2 cup salsa

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

2-3 roma tomatoes, diced

1 1/2 cups corn (I used frozen corn, thawed)

Romaine lettuce, chopped

Creamy chipotle sauce*

Other additions: onion, green onion, bell pepper, avocado, cheese, cilantro

Directions

Cook rice. (For firmer rice, use 1 cup rice + 1 1/4 cup water.)

While rice is cooking, prep your veggies and make the creamy chipotle sauce.

When rice is cooked, stir in salsa.

Begin layering your bowl: start with rice, then black beans, and vegetables.

Drizzle the creamy chipotle sauce on top and enjoy.

*Creamy Chipotle Sauce:

1/2 cup plain greek yogurt

1 chipotle in adobo sauce

1/2 tsp. adobo sauce

1-2 cloves garlic

1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

1/8 tsp. cumin

Scrape away the seeds from the chipotle with a knife (use caution when handling chipotle, and wash your hands when done.)

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.

Taste and adjust seasonings/consistency as necessary.

Tips: if the sauce is too thick, thin it out with more lime juice, or olive oil. If it's too thin, add more greek yogurt. If you like a touch of sweetness, add some honey/agave.

Vegetable Medley Bowtie Pasta Salad

Ingredients: 


16 ounces of bowtie pasta
4 cups of broccoli florets
2 cups cauliflower florets
2 cups of frozen corn, thawed
2/3 cup of Goddess salad dressing (mine came from Trader Joes)

Directions:  


Prepare pasta according to directions.  Just before pasta is done add the broccoli and cauliflower to boiling water.  Cook 1 to 2 minutes more.

Drain pasta and vegetables and combine corn in a large bowl.  Toss lightly with the dressing and serve.

Serves:  8

Stacked Roasted Vegetable Enchilada Bake

Stacked Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas

9-10 corn tortillas, halved

1 poblano chile, cut into matchsticks
2 red bell peppers, cut into matchsticks
1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 medium onion, halved and slivered
1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
3 T heat-safe oil like grapeseed or coconut
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and black pepper
2 cups homemade or store bought salsa/pico de gallo
2 ounces baby spinach leaves (about 2 big handfuls)
2 cans of pinto beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups shredded cheese (I used a cheddar-Monterey Jack blend)
sour cream and thinly sliced scallions (green onions) for garnish, if desired

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly oil a large shallow roasting pan or rimmed cookie sheet.

Place poblanos, red bell peppers, cauliflower, onion, and corn kernels onto cookie sheet. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle the cumin and minced garlic over top. Add a generous pinch or two of salt and black pepper, then use your hands to mix everything together. After everything is coated well, spread the vegetables evenly in the pan. Roast for 30-40 minutes until vegetables are tender and begin to brown in spots. Stir or shake the pan every 10 minutes for even roasting.  Remove pan from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

Prepare an 8x8x2 or 9x9x2-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray. Spread 1/4 cup of salsa into the bottom of the baking pan. Add a layer of tortilla pieces, to completely cover the salsa. Top with 1/3 of the vegetables, a handful of spinach, 1/3 of the beans and 1/3 of the cheese. Make a second layer of tortilla, salsa, vegetables, spinach, beans and cheese. Top with with a layer of tortillas, salsa, vegetables, beans and cheese. Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and everything is heated through.

Let it sit for 5 minutes and cut into squares. Serve with sour cream and a sprinkle of sliced scallions.

Serves 4-5

Jamaican-style Black Bean and Coconut Cornbread Bake

2 Tbs. olive oil, plus more for greasing pan
2 15-oz. cans black beans,rinsed and drained
1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes with mild green chiles, juices included
1 1/2 cups frozen yellow corn, thawed
1/2 tsp. jerk seasoning, or more to taste
1/2 tsp. salt, divided
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 Tbs. sugar
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
2/3 cup light coconut milk

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil 8-inch-square baking dish with olive oil.
2. Stir together beans, tomatoes and juices, corn, jerk seasoning, 1/4 tsp. salt, and pepper in medium bowl. Adjust seasonings with more jerk seasoning, if desired. Spread in prepared baking dish.
3. Whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt in separate bowl. Add coconut milk and 2 Tbs. oil, and stir until just combined—do not overmix. Spread batter over bean mixture with spatula. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes, or until topping is lightly browned and toothpick inserted in center of topping comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Serves: 6
Serving size: 1 cup
Calories: 346
Fat: 9g
Protein: 13g
Carb: 57g

*** (out of 5-star rating)

I made this for dinner- I couldn't taste the coconut very much (which may be good for those who don't favor the coconut so much) but all in all this was pretty good and definitely filling!

Black Bean & Toasted Corn Tacos

• 1 cup cooked black beans
• 1/2 cup prepared salsa
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
• 2 1/2 tsp. ground cumin, divided
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 4 6-inch corn tortillas
• 12 baby spinach leaves
• 1/2 cup jarred roasted red pepper strips
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
• 2 small green onions, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
• 1/4 cup crumbled cotija

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring beans, salsa, garlic, and 1 tsp. cumin to a simmer in saucepan. Reduce heat to medium low, and cook 5 to 6 minutes, or until soft. Remove from heat, and mash with fork to crush beans for creamier filling, if desired.
2. Heat skillet over medium-high heat, and coat with olive oil cooking spray. Wrap corn in paper towels, and squeeze out excess water. Add corn to skillet in single layer, and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 tsp. cumin, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste. Cook 5 to 10 minutes, or until golden and crispy, stirring frequently.
3. Preheat oven or toaster oven to 350°F. Toast tortillas in toaster oven 1 minute to soften. Alternately, bake tortillas on taco baking rack in oven 7 to 10 minutes, or until crisp. Fill each tortilla with 1/4 cup beans, 1/4 cup corn, 3 spinach leaves, red pepper strips, cilantro, and green onions. Top each taco with 1 Tbs. cheese.

Serves: 4

Serving: 2 Tacos

Calories: 362

Fat: 4g

Protein: 14g

Carbs: 74g

****1/2 (Star-rating out of 5)

The husband really liked these and said he would most certainly eat them again! Hooray! A winner. I found the cotija cheese at Trader Joes. Warning: These are really cumin-y (I like to make up words) so if you don't favor cumin so much maybe cut it in half. Fresh cilantro is a must- dried just won't cut it in these.