Fresh Fiesta Bowl w/ Avocado Cilantro Lime Rice
This bowl is light, satisfying and full of flavor. It's the perfect weeknight meal that doubles as a way to use up your fridge ends. Plus, it's vegan!
After a long, busy day of holiday prep I was craving something nutrient dense and satisfying. There’s something about eating the rainbow that makes me just feel good, so that’s what this bowl was all about. I added each item because it’s what I had and it’s what my body was wanting. Turns out it tasted pretty good together too! In this post I’ll outline mini-component of this meal. Feel free to mix and match as you’d like!
The Base- Avocado Cilantro Lime Rice
1 cup uncooked Basmati or Jasmine rice
1 ripe avocado
Juice of 1/2 lime
1/3 medium jalapeño chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
Handful of cilantro
1/3 cup water
Salt and pepper
Cook at the rice per package directions (I aways recommend tossing in a little olive oil or butter and salt for flavor). Once the rice is cooked set it aside. In a food processor or high-speed blender, combine remaining ingredients and blend till smooth. You may need to adjust the amount of water depending on how thick your mixture is. Once blended, add avocado mixture to the rice and stir to combine. Optional: Chop up and mix in a little more cilantro for an extra fresh taste. Serve with whatever you’d like!
The Toppings- “Quickled” Red Onion
1/2 red onion sliced thin
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 apple cider vinegar
1 tbs salt
1 tbs sugar
Crack of black pepper
This recipe is fool-proof, super versatile and elevates any dish you add it to (plus people think you’re super fancy). Despite the name “quickles”, "aka, pickles very quick, these quickles get tastier and tastier the longer they sit (up to about a week in the fridge). Combine all ingredients in a mason jar, seal, and let sit. It’s that easy. Add to tacos, curries and Mediterranean dishes for a fresh and zesty twist.
The Toppings- Pico de Gallo
5-7 Roma or other vine ripe tomato, diced
1/4 small red onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
Handful of cilantro, chopped
Juice 1/2 lime
Salt and Pepper
Optional: 1/3 jalapeño, chopped small
Again, super easy and super delicious. I love pico de gallo but often find my self disappointed with store bought versions due to funky after tastes or excessive salt. All you have to do here is combine the ingredients above and enjoy. Delicious with chips or topping off a dish. Bonus- this recipes makes enough to share, too!
The Toppings- Spiced Kale and Black Bean Taco “Filling”
1 bunch of kale, chopped
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
Salt and pepper
This was my meat-substitute-hearty-warm-filling-taco-inspired improvisation. My body was craving the deep leafy green of the kale, and I knew I needed a little black-bean protein boost, hence this creation. Add olive oil to a pan and heat up. Add kale first and allow to wilt for a few minutes before adding the black beans. Once all ingredients are added and combined, add in spices and adjust to taste. Cook for 8-10 minutes to allow kale to break down it’s tough fibers and absorb all that yummy taco-esque flavor. This worked great here in my bowl, but could also work well as a meat substitute in standard tacos.
Final Notes
Last, I added some raw yellow pepper for crunch and topped with some whole cilantro leaves and a wedge of lime. What I liked about this meal is it’s open for total customization. You have some old cherry tomatoes? Make salsa! No kale or black beans laying around? Use instead chickpeas and spinach, or forget the greens all together and throw in some sweet potato. The pillars of this dish should remain the same: flavorful rice base, sweet elements (quickles), spicy elements (salsa), savory elements (faux taco filling) and a little bit of crunch (raw bell pepper). Switch around the produce but keep the flavors the same and you can still enjoy a yummy, hearty, vegan fiesta meal!