WHAT THE… BOWL?

Super Bowl Sunday or not, you’ll score points with this easy to prepare dish.  Make it a snack or make it a meal–it’s up to you!  My family loved this and I’m so confidant you will be happy serving it to yours.

Choose a shallow bowl to make a eye catching presentation with an array colorful veggies and garnishes or pick a deep one to pile everything on top in larger quantities for bigger eaters!! Nibbler or down-home nosher alike, the more you pile into your bowl, the less snack breaks you may take during the game! Plus, this can be so simply tailored for any individual taste preferences… more guac or less red peppers … no chips, etc… Have fun with this one!

FILLING (yes it is!)

2 cups soaked quinoa (about 30 minutes or more; rinsed several times to get rid of the phytic acid …just wash until the soapy, bubbly stuff gets clear,)

3-4 cups of BPA-free canned black beans rinsed

1 cup of chopped onions

1 jalapeno chopped

1 cup of grape tomotoes halved

1 cup of roasted and/or fresh red bell peppers chopped or julienned per preference

1 bunch of stemmed cilantro

1 cup each of homemade or store bought guacamole and salsa or pico de gallo

1 cup fresh or frozen corn sauteed with olive oil (or ghee for non Vegans) and seasoned with pepper

2-3 avocados sliced

1 head of romaine or other leafy lettuce sliced to make long shreds of lettuce, not boxy chopped pieces

1 lime sliced into wedges

1 bag of chips… baked or traditional according to your guests’ needs

WHAT NOW?

Cook quinoa with bit of olive oil and seasonings of choice. Simmer black beans in another pot after sauteeing onions and jalapeno in it first. Season to taste with sea or Himalayan salt and add water as needed. An option would be to add cilantro to the bean mix to add more flavor. Prep all the filling ingredients listed and feel free to add your own, like shredded chicken or shoestring style jicama! There is no limit!

On a health note, I encourage you to squeeze the lime onto the corn because it is designed to be paired to assist in digesting the corn… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nixtamalization As seen in nixtamalization, an alkalizing solution like lime-water helps corn or masa more readily digestible in our gut because the Niacin (aka B3) is released by the corn and assimilated easier in our systems. Furthermore, studies show Calcium is also more available in corn mixed with lime. Cool, right?!  I love knowing how to how food is best appreciated naturally.

…okay… geek-time is over… back to the bowls…arrange as you feel artistically inspired and just adjust portions according to how “hangry” each guest is… this is excellent for leftovers the next day because it tastes great warm or cold! ENJOY… again and again! Btw— here’s the link about the word hangry :

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Hangry

Have a super day and awesome February!