mexican burrito bowl.

Adapted from Good Food.

Okay, so I have to be honest ... we plated this, took a picture of it, ate it in silence, and finally took a breath when there was nothing left but the bottom of the bowl.  This recipe is SO good, especially if you love Mexican food as much as we do.  And I have to be honest, I was a little disappointed it was vegetarian, and even contemplated adding beef or chicken to it but I am very glad we didn't.  It really wasn't until we were sitting in silence, stuffed to the brim, looking at the bottom of the blue bowl that one of us mentioned there was no meat in it.  Seriously.  For two carnivores to eat it without meat and then say we didn't even miss it ... that is saying something.  So, whether you consider yourself to be a carnivore like us, or you prefer vegetarian dishes, we promise this is one worth trying.

print recipe >>

ingredients.
Serves 2

1 Lime
1 Bell pepper
2 Scallions
2 large tomatoes
1/2 Bunch of kale
1 Bunch of cilantro
½ cup Red rice
​Olive Oil

540ml White kidney beans (canned)
40ml Tomato paste (can)
35g Pepitas
½ cup Sour Cream
8g Combined spices (equal parts salt, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder)

instructions.

1. PREP IT. Bring 1 ¾ cups of salted water to boil in a medium pot.  Once boiled, add the red rice and reduce heat. Cover and let simmer for about 40 minutes or until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed. As the rice is cooking, drain and rinse the can of beans.  Cut off the route of the scallions, separating and dicing the whites from the greens.  Toss the washed and dried kale with a drizzle of olive oil, and then season with salt and pepper.  Zest and juice the lime, and then dice up the bell pepper.   Dice the tomatoes into small pieces and coarsely chop the cilantro.
   
   
2. COOK THEM BEANS.  Heat a small amount of olive oil in a pan on medium heat, adding the white bottoms of the scallions and the tomato paste.  Cook for approximately 3 minutes, stirring evenly to avoid burning. Add the beans to the mixture and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Continue cooking and stirring for about 5 minutes, and then move to a bowl and keep warm. 
   ​
3. KALE TIME.  Check the rice to make sure it is not burning and proceed to sauté the kale in the pan you used for the beans with olive oil. Cook the kale for no more than 2 minutes on each side until it is dark and crispy like a vegetable chip. Once cool enough to handle, cut the leaves off the stems and coarsely chop the leaves
   
   
4. LET'S SALSA. In a separate bowl, mix together the peppers, tomatoes, cilantro, and half of the fresh lime juice.  Add in a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper, and stir well.  Using the same pan as the beans and kale, drizzle a small amount of olive oil and add the pepitas.  Stirring often, cook the pepitas for no more than 3 minutes, or until they are well toasted and aromatic.  Once toasted, move them to a small bowl.
   
   
5. FINISH & SERVE.  At this point the rice should be cooked.  Ensure it is removed from the heat and allowed to simmer for at least 5 minutes.  Drain any remaining rice and fluff with a fork.  Once the rice is ready to be served, place the rice on each plate, and top it with the beans, salsa, and grilled kale.  Add a dollop of sour cream, and garnish with the green onion tops and toasted pepitas. Lightly pour a little lime juice over the top, and sprinkle the lime zest for added freshness. For a little heat, we also added home-grown, diced chili peppers.

Love this recipe? Share it!

#takesomethingout