Sample Blog Post for a Lab Reflection: "Quinoa Burrito Bowl"

Ever since my husband and I went to Mad Mex for his birthday dinner and I had their Kaya black bean dip, I've been wanting to use the black beans that were in my pantry at home.  I love the flavors of a burrito... but I'm not a huge rice fan... And I could honestly do without the tortilla as well.  Sooooo... That's when I came up with my quinoa burrito bowl.  And I must say it was delicious!!!

I started by cooking 1/4 cup of quinoa in 1/2 cup of chicken broth and slicing up lots of onions, peppers, and tomatoes (About 1 cup of each).  I love quinoa because it has the texture of rice but is so much tastier and better for you! It's one of the only plant foods that is a complete protein!   Quinoa takes about 20 minutes to cook and simmer, so it's a good idea to get that going first and chop and cook everything else while it does that.

I sautéed the onions and peppers in a little olive oil spray first, and then once they were browned added the tomatoes and a half cup of black beans.  I cooked all of that for a few more minutes with some common Mexican spices including paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, oregano, garlic and chili powder.  I wish I could give you the measurements, but I never measure spices when I'm cooking; I always just season to taste.  My taste is probably too spicy for most people anyways:)

After that, I stirred in my cooked quinoa and sprinkled about a tablespoon or two of shredded Colby Jack cheese. Man did this have a lot of flavor!!! 

And there you have it...a delicious healthy meal prepared in 20 minutes!  This would also be delicious with some diced avocado (for some healthy fat) or even a little Greek yogurt as a garnish too, I just didn't have any on hand this time!

Check Out These Nutrition Facts:

Calories     425

Fat   5 g

Fiber    14 g

Total Carbohydrates 75 g

Protein   20 g

Vitamin A. 17%

Vitamin C  203%

Iron 32%

Calcium 27%

Full Recipe

Ingredients:

1/4 c. quinoa

1/2 c. chicken broth

1 c. each onions, peppers, tomatoes, or other veggies

1/2 c. black beans

1/4 c. shredded cheese
paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, oregano, garlic and chili powder to taste

Directions:

Prepare quinoa in chicken broth.  

Saute veggies in a separate skillet.  Season to taste with above spices.

Stir in black beans and cooked quinoa.  

Top with cheese and serve!