Things I like:
Ankle boots (size 6 1/2…any takers?)
Organic grocery stores
RMS Beauty products
The local farmer’s market
My glorious candy-red Vitamix
Traveling the world
Reading cookbooks
Vintage cookware
Oceans, lakes, rivers, streams, waterfalls, bathtubs…
Going on nature walks
And eating every meal out of a bowl.

I like bowls. Scratch that – I love bowls and I love eating out of them. In my perfect world, I would eat everything out of a bowl. Maybe because I’ve become that person who doesn’t care if her separate dinner entities touched, in fact, I want them all to moosh together – preferably on a bed of grains or greens. My unplanned meals have turned into huge (mixing) bowls of leftovers, beans, seeds, pieces of salmon, olives, raw veggies, and everything and anything else straight out of the refrigerator.

Now that I’ve told you possibly way too much about how weird I am – let me introduce you to these Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burrito Bowls. Everything you could ever want is in this bowl: spicy roasted sweet potatoes, nutty and protein packed quinoa, sautéed Vitamin K and iron rich greens, avocado for healthy fats, sweet tomatoes, tangy lime, and a spicy jalapeno tahini drizzle for a kick. Because this meal is in bowl form, it’s wonderful to stir together and get big bites of spicy sweet potato with warmed sautéed greens and creamy avocado all on one fork.

I also love how warming this bowl of goodness is. I realize that half of the country is experiencing something horrific called a “polar-vortex” (I’m never happier to be a desert dweller when the rest of the country is buried in snow) and that eating a cold salad is probably at the very bottom of their list, after shoveling the driveway for the umpteenth time. So here’s a better way to eat salad: warmed. Although sautéed greens do lose some of their nutritional values when cooked, their antioxidant carotenoids actually become more bioavailable. Even more so, cooked spinach provides higher levels of Vitamin A than its raw equal. Of course, the longer you cook your greens, the more nutrients they lose. Keep your cooking time to less than 5 minutes, and your greens will be good to go!

So does your perfect world involve lots of meals out of bowls? I hope so, and I hope these Black Bean & Sweet Potato Burrito Bowls drizzled with Jalapeno Tahini Dressing become one of your main bowl squeezes!

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burrito Bowls

Serves 2

Sweet Potatoes:
1 large sweet potato or two smaller sized sweet potatoes, cut into cubes
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
Loving pinch each of ground cayenne, cumin, and chili powder
A sprinkle of sea salt and pepper

Jalapeno Tahini Drizzle:
1 jalapeno, seeds removed
3 tablespoons tahini
3 tablespoons lime juice
A handful of cilantro
1 clove of garlic
Sea salt
¼ cup filtered water, or less for thinner consistency

Greens:
1 teaspoon olive oil
3-4 big handfuls organic baby spinach
1 handful baby kale, or chopped lacinato kale (thick stems removed)
A sprinkle of sea salt and pepper
A squeeze of lime

Other Burrito Bowl Components:
1 cup quinoa, cooked according to package directions
1 (15 oz) can of black beans, drained, rinsed, and heated
1 avocado, sliced
2 tomatoes, sliced

Preheat oven to 425° F.

Start with cooking your quinoa according to packaged directions. As a general rule, the ratio is ½ cup uncooked quinoa to one cup water. Bring quinoa and water to boil, reduce to a simmer and cook 15-20 minutes. One quinoa is cooked; fluff with a fork, remove from heat, and let sit.

While quinoa is cooking, prepare your sweet potatoes. In a baking tray place melted coconut oil and cubed sweet potatoes. Sprinkle spices and salt and pepper on sweet potatoes and toss to coat. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are soft and tender when pierced with a fork.

As the sweet potatoes roast, make the Jalapeno Tahini Drizzle. Place all ingredients, except for the water, in a blender or food processor and blend until combined. Slowly add in water until you’ve reached the desired consistency you’d like.

When everything is just about ready, sauté your greens. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil over medium heat in a skillet. Add in spinach and kale and season with salt and pepper. Sauté greens until wilted and broken down, about 3-5 minutes. Don’t overcook them! Finish greens off with a squeeze of lime and remove from heat.

In two bowls, divide up your burrito bowl components. Place cooked quinoa, warmed greens, sweet potatoes, and cooked black beans into the bowls. Add in tomatoes, avocado, and cilantro. Drizzle with jalapeno tahini dressing and devour! Enjoy warm.