The Mexican vegetarian bowl is an inspiration from Chipotle. The chipotle bowl offers you a variety of options to choose your bowl.
The beauty of the Mexican vegetarian bowl is you have all the nutrients together in a single bowl. For instance, a grain, protein, veggies, and sauce to go together.
The ingredients list may look bigger, but it is all easily available in your pantry. If you have a busy day use frozen stir fry vegetables, canned beans, easy to cook rice, or quinoa available in packets. Above all, the hint of lemon is more important. So squeeze more…….
Benefits of the ingredients: (source)
Black bean: It has anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant properties and contains fiber.
Vegetables: contains minerals, vitamins, and nutrients.
Variations:
You can use store-bought or fresh homemade guacamole, any type of vegetables you like, grains of your choice. I am sorting out some of the options below to choose from for your bowl.
Grains:
I have used brown rice here. There are wide options you can choose from white rice, quinoa, barley, buckwheat, and gluten-free options like cauliflower rice and broccoli rice.
Beans:
Pinto beans, black beans, and refried beans. You can either use the canned one or soak the beans overnight and pressure cook or cook in a wide vessel. I love making my own beans with the control of sodium in it.
You can use canned or cooked beans just like that for the bowl. I can’t eat plain beans, I prefer (Mexican)seasoning it. (Refer to recipe card)
Veggies:
Prefer any vegetable of your choice which has a crunchy texture in it. I have used color peppers and broccoli. On a busy day, I would suggest using frozen stir-fry vegetables, which works perfectly.
Sauce:
If using a store-bought, you have a wide range to choose from any type of sauce to different ranch available. I have used homemade Chipotle sauce for this bowl. You can use the almond sauce too.
Other bowls:
You can check my other bowl, Buddha bowl with tofu in almond dressing with grain, veggies, protein, and sauce with a different taste.
Can we meal prep this bowl?
Yes, definitely you can. Plan ahead and prepare your grains. Once cool down store in an airtight container and refrigerate it. Similarly, veggies can also be stored ahead. Moreover, the sauce can be done a week before.
To serve:
Before serving, warm all the grains and veggies. If using avocadoes, lime for more flavor, cut before serving. Use fresh cilantro for garnishing.
Assembling the bowl:
I enjoy putting a lettuce bed on my bowl first and then comes the choice of your grain, vegetables, protein, and sauce. If you want to wrap like a burrito you can try this healthy amaranth flour tortilla.
Diet-friendly:
You can choose this bowl in any type of diet you are. For a vegan option, skip the sour cream and chipotle sauce. In the paleo diet, use cauliflower rice and avoid the beans, and use and paleo sauce made with nuts. The ketogenic diet, skip grain and beans add sour cream and chipotle sauce with added protein for your diet.
Mexican vegetarian bowl
Ingredients
For stir-fried vegetables
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 jalapeno chopped
- 1 onion sliced
- 1 tbsp garlic chopped
- 1 cup color peppers sliced
- 1 cup brocooli florets
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- salt to taste
Cilantro-lime rice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 jalapeno choppped
- 1 cup cilantro chopped
- 1 cup brown rice
- 2 cups water
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- salt to taste
Seasoning black bean
- 1 cup black bean canned or soaked and cooked
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup tomato puree
- 1 tbsp jalapeno chopped, optional
- 1 tsp taco seasoning
- salt, lemon juice, cilantro to taste
For bowl
- 1 cup lettuce chopped
- salsa
- avocadoes optional
- sour cream
- chipotle sauce
Instructions
Stir Fried Vegetables
- Heat a pan add olive oil, jalapeno, onions and fry till onions are transuclent.
- Add vegetables, salt, and cumin powder and fry until veggies are crunchy. Keep aside.
Cilantro-lime rice
- In an Instant pot or a big saucepan add olive oil, jalapeno, and cilantro and saute for 30 seconds.
- add the soaked(minimum 30 minutes) and drained brown rice, salt, and lemon juice and fry for a minute.
- add water and close the lid. For the Instant pot set to pressure cook mode and close the vent and set timer for 10 minutes. For the saucepan keep checking in between, if need, add more water and cook rice until soft. Garnish with fresh cilantro after it is done.
Black bean (seasoning optional)
- On the heated pan add olive oil, jalapeno, tomato puree, taco seasoning, and cook till oil comes out.
- add the cooked or canned beans without water, salt to taste, and saute for few seconds Switch off the flame. For garnish add lemon juice and cilantro. Keep aside.
Assembling the bowl
- In a bowl spread the shredded lettuce. Add cilantro-lime rice on one side.
- Spread black bean, veggies, and top with fresh avocadoes, salsa, a dollop of sour cream, and chipotle sauce. Serve immediately.
Notes
- seasoning black bean is optional.
- Any choice of veggies can be used.
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