A while back I did a poll on Instagram to have my followers chose the recipe that I’d post next. Not long after that, I had to juggle way too many commitments and I was unable to make time for my website. I’ve been able to stay on top of my Instagram, but not much else. Fortunately, a much-needed quiet Christmas break has afforded me the opportunity to bank some content and catch up on some writing.
First up, by popular demand, we have burrito bowls!
Who doesn’t love a burrito bowl? It’s easily one of my go-to fast food orders when we’re running errands in a time crunch. Mucho Burrito is hands down the king of fast-food burritos in Saskatoon, but I know these may not be the healthiest option. As with all foods, whipping up a homemade version of your fast-food favourites is always more macro-friendly.
Burrito bowls, like build-your-own-pizza, have endless possibilities to match your favourite tastes and nutrition goals. I generally use a 5-step process when assembling a burrito bowl:
Step 1: Choose your base layer
As with winter running, you need a good base layer. Something full of nutrients, that’s filling and can help the other flavours shine. For this, I’ll normally choose brown rice or quinoa for a good mix of carbs, fibre, and protein. For a lower calorie option, consider using spring mix, spinach, or some other greens.
Step 2: Get a protein source in there
It’s really easy to overload a burrito bowl with carbs, especially if you’re following a plant-based diet. For this reason, I’m very intentional about choosing at least one high-protein ingredient as a meat replacement. If you’re an omnivore, this is where you’d add some chicken, carnitas, or steak. For my fellow plant powered home cooks, consider one of these options:
Yves taco ground
Gardein veggie crumble with taco seasoning
Textured vegetable protein cooked in taco seasoning or enchilada sauce
Green lentils boiled and sauteed with onions and bell peppers
Step 3: Add the standard beans and veggies
A burrito bowl isn’t a burrito bowl without some beans and fajita veg, amiright? I like to slice up some onions, red and green bell peppers, and give them a quick sauté. For my beans, my go-to is canned black beans. However, I like to mix them with a tablespoon or two of BBQ sauce or some added flavour.
Step 4: Hit it with some extra veggies
Why not get some extra veggies into your bowl? This will make it more filling, add some great flavours, and squeeze in even more nutrients. Some solid options include summer squash, baked chickpeas, coleslaw, corn (or maybe a corn and bean salsa), or some extra greens.
Step 5: Add your finishing touches
Top your burrito bowl off with those finishing touches. Here, we might use some plant-based cheeze (I recommend Violife), nutritional yeast, salsa, hot sauce, or some other sauce combo. Be mindful of the nutritional content in these options. Lots of sauces are full of oil and can be very calorically dense.
So, there you have it. An easy 5-step guide to build your own burrito bowl. But, if you’re looking for a little extra guidance on getting started, I recommend the following serving for an easy, high protein option to get your started. Here’s whatcha need:
¾ cup cooked brown rice
½ cup of black beans microwaved
1 tbsp of BBQ sauce
½ cup of Bob’s Red Mill TVP hydrated and then sauteed in oil with taco seasoning
¼ onion, sliced
¼ red bell pepper, sliced
¼ yellow bell pepper, sliced
¼ cup of chickpeas tossed in ½ tbsp of oil and seasoned with taco seasoning then baked at 350 for 15 minutes, turning once
¼ cup of corn, microwaved
¼ cup of Pace salsa
Follow the above 5 steps when mixing and layering these ingredients. This serving will get you about 41 grams of protein in 657 calories. This is a very high carb meal, so I’d recommend tinkering with the amount of rice, TVP, and beans if you need it to better fit your macros.