Homemade Vegan "Chipotle Burrito Bowl"

One of my favorite lunches to grab on the go is a vegan burrito bowl from Chipotle.  However, their version lacks some of my favorite ingredients to cook with when making Mexican inspired food...red peppers, zucchini, fresh jalapeno and wait for it...pineapple.

The sweet juice of pineapple is a welcome surprise when eating spicy food...so give it a try!  This homemade version is also a fraction of the cost of Chipotle!  It makes 4 generous servings.

Nutrition Facts per serving:
Cal-447 Carbs-81 Fat-11 Protein-12 Fiber-14

Ingredients

1 red pepper, thinly sliced

1 green pepper, thinly sliced

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1 zucchini, chopped into bite size pieces

1 can of black beans, drained

1 can of pineapple chunks

juice of 1 lime

2 cups water

1 cup brown rice (yields 3 cups cooked)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp dried cilantro

1 tbsp cumin

1 tsp cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

1 avocado, diced

1 jalapeno, thinly sliced

fresh salsa

Directions

1. Prepare rice.  Boil 2 cups of water, add rice, cover simmer on low for 40 minutes or until water is absorbed.

2. While rice is cooking, cut vegetables and mix with olive oil and spices.  Broil in oven on small baking sheet or pan for 15-20 minutes, flipping vegetables 2-3 times throughout.

3. Drain beans.  Add beans, entire can of pineapple chunks and lime juice to pot and boil until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Layer rice, vegetables, bean/pineapple mix on plate and serve with avocado, jalapeno, and salsa on top.  

Enjoy!

Vegan Potato Leek Soup

This super easy and low cal soup is still satisfying with its rich and creamy texture.  It's also a great base soup for you to play around with and add your own fixings to...but trust me, it's still quite delicious all by itself!  :-)

Ingredients: Serves approx. 12 1-cup portions

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic
3 leeks, sliced and rinsed
4 large russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 tbsp ground thyme
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp red cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
6 cups water or veg. broth

Directions

1.  Cook onion, leeks, garlic and spices in olive oil until soft.
2.  Add water and potatoes, bring to boil, cook until potatoes are soft.
3.  Blend with immersion blender and serve!

Nutrition: Cal-77, Carb-14, Fat-2, Protein-2, Fiber-1