#RavsRecipes: Rainbow Superfood Bowl
I do this thing that I'm really proud of:
I eat leftovers.
For a long time, they were the scourge of my cooking life. I would open my fridge, surveying it's bulging contents with dismay. Yes, it's food. Yes, having a full refrigerator is a supreme privilege. But the thought of eating cold food almost never appealed to me.
Because I am a conservationist at heart, and because I've traveled to some of the most poverty-stricken areas in the world, I would not allow my Leftover Aversion dictate the way I want to eat and carry out my refrigerator life.
One way around this was to make a meal that I really love once a week. A meal that makes me feel nourished and comforted and good about eating it. Leftovers are easy to eat when you really enjoy what you're eating. I would save one serving for the fridge, and another for the freezer if it would reheat well.
The second way around it, (and my absolute favorite) is creating a second life from single ingredients. During the week, I save a little bit of this and that, and then add a few fresh veggies and BOOM. Leftover magic.
The basic components are:
-1 cup cooked grains or pasta
-a serving of protein
-a small serving of leftover cooked veggies
-a couple of extra fresh, diced veggies
-an avocado or cheese (or both!)
-fresh herbs
-yummy, flavorful sauce
This week, I was inspired by one of my favorite old friends, Les. Les grew up in a Mexican-American home about 1/2 mile away from me. I was good friends with Les and their older sister, and one of my favorite things I've ever eaten was a fresh tortilla dipped in guacamole made by their mama. I can still taste it 20 years later.
Les is undergoing top surgery very soon, and I have been reflecting this week about how amazing it has been to bear witness to their slow, steady, beautiful transformation over the years. I'm thrilled that Les will feel a little more at home in their body.
So here's a little food transformation in honor of a bigger, more epic life transformation. If you are interested in supporting Les, here's a link to the fundraising page. Les is a full-time mechanic and part time driver, and won't be able to work for several weeks because of the surgery. A little kindness and solidarity goes a long way.
Ingredients for Bowl
1 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 cup black beans
1/2 cup corn (I used leftover grilled corn, but canned or thawed corn would work)
1 small avocado, diced
1 small tomato, diced
1 sweet yellow pepper, diced
1 Tbsp fresh green onion
Directions for Bowl
Mostly, just put it all in a bowl. You can watch the video to see how to do it artfully(ish), or just pile it in.
Directions for Cilantro Lime Sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lime juice
1 handful of cilantro
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions for Cilantro Lime Sauce
Throw everything in a blender or nutribullet, and blend until creamy. Drizzle or douse your Rainbow Superfood Bowl with the sauce and enjoy immediately.
For extra credit points, try shaking a little chili lime salt on the bowl for extra flavor.
