Move over, Chipotle! This vegetarian meal prep burrito bowl recipe will help you get a week’s worth of healthy lunches on the table in just 15 minutes and can save you money too!
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Pure Flavor®. As always, all opinions are my own.
My vegetarian meal prep burrito bowl recipe is packed with plant-based nutrients like cauliflower rice, beans, corn, red onions, avocados, cilantro, and Sangria® Medley Tomatoes. Then drizzled with a creamy honey lime dressing. This time-saving recipe will help you get a healthy lunch or dinner on the table in less time than it takes to run to chipotle AND for a fraction of the cost!
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February is National Heart month! Such a great time to check in and ensure we are taking care of our hearts. Sadly, heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women. The good news is there are steps we can take to lower our risk for heart disease. As a Registered Dietitian, I speak with clients all the time about simple swaps to make foods more heart-healthy. One of my favorite tips is to try to make at least one meal a day a plant-based meal since these meals have been shown to have all kinds of heart-healthy benefits.
Plant-Based Meals Can Help:
Lower cholesterol levels
Plant-based diets are high in fiber and beneficial vitamins and minerals that have been shown to reduce total cholesterol levels and lower the risk of heart disease.
Reduce inflammation
Inflammation is a major contributor to heart disease, and plant-based diets have been shown to reduce inflammation in the body.
Improve blood pressure
A diet high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains has been shown to reduce blood pressure and decrease the risk of heart disease.
Antioxidant protection
Plant-based foods are rich in antioxidants, which help protect the heart and blood vessels from damage.
Overall, incorporating more plant-based foods into your diet can be an effective way to improve heart health and reduce the risk of heart disease. So maybe instead of having bacon and eggs for breakfast, you opt for oatmeal, fruit, and nuts. Or maybe for dinner, you trade out the chicken in your stir fry for some tofu or edamame? I personally like to make this swap at lunchtime.
My meal prep burrito bowl recipe makes this swap easy and super flavorful! These bowls are ready in just 15 minutes, and your lunches are ready for the week ahead!
What is a burrito bowl?
A burrito bowl is a deconstructed burrito. So take all of the yummy burrito filling out of the tortilla (like protein, beans, lettuce, rice, corn, salsa, sour cream, cheese, etc.) and serve it in a bowl.
Are burrito bowls healthy?
Absolutely! Especially when they are loaded with plant-based nutrients like these! My meal prep burrito bowl recipe includes cauliflower rice, beans, corn, red onions, avocados, lime juice, cilantro, and my favorite Sangria® Medley Tomatoes. These tomatoes are flavorful and contain heart-healthy nutrients like fiber, potassium, and iron.
I feel like potassium doesn’t get enough “airtime” regarding our heart health. Foods rich in potassium are important in managing high blood pressure since potassium helps lessen the effects of sodium. Potassium helps the kidneys excrete excess sodium in our body instead of retaining it. So basically, the more potassium you eat, the more sodium your body can release when you use the restroom :).
The American Heart Association recommends 4700 mg of potassium a day. One serving of these tasty tomatoes has 500 mg of potassium, or 10% of your daily needs! Avocados, beans, and yogurt are also great sources of potassium, making this one potassium-packed bowl!
Ingredients Needed:
Brown rice
Cauliflower rice
Cilantro
No added salt black beans
Avocado
No added salt sweet corn
Red onion
Lime juice
Chili powder
Ground cumin
Cayenne pepper
Greek yogurt
Honey
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
How to make a burrito bowl?
Step 1:
Cook the brown rice. When pressed for time, I love using microwavable brown rice. I also love cooking brown rice in my instant pot. Here are the instructions.
Step 2:
Add cauliflower rice to a medium-sized skillet and saute for 3-5 minutes or until tender or the liquid is absorbed if using frozen cauliflower rice. Turn off the heat.
Step 3:
Add the cooked brown rice and ¾ cup of cilantro to the cauliflower rice. Stir to combine. Divide the rice mixture into 5 containers. Set aside.
Step 4:
In a medium-sized bowl, make the corn salsa by combining the sweet corn, remaining cilantro, onion, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper to taste.
Step 5:
Add greek yogurt, lime juice, honey, olive oil, and salt and pepper to a mason jar. Shake vigorously to combine.
Step 6:
Assemble the meal prep burrito bowls. Divide the corn salsa, Sangria tomatoes, black beans, and avocado between the 5 rice-filled containers.
Step 7:
When ready to eat, top with the honey lime dressing and enjoy!
Vegetarian Meal Prep Burrito Bowl Recipe
Ingredients
For the Bowls:
- 2 cups brown rice
- 1 ½ cups cauliflower rice
- 1 bunch of cilantro 1 cup chopped, divided
- 1 pint Sangria® Medley Tomatoes halved
- 2 cans no added salt black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 avocado diced
For the Corn Salsa:
- 1 can no added salt sweet corn rinsed and drained
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- ½ red onion finely diced
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- ⅛ tsp chili powder
- ⅛ tsp ground cumin
- ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Honey Lime Dressing:
- 3 tbsp Greek yogurt heaping
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- 1 ½ tbsp honey
- 1 ½ tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the brown rice per package instructions. When pressed for time, I love using microwavable brown rice. I also like to batch cook it in my instant pot. See notes for a link to the recipe.
- Add cauliflower rice to a medium-sized skillet and saute for 3-5 minutes or until tender/ the liquid is absorbed if using frozen cauliflower rice. Turn off the heat.
- Add the cooked brown rice and ¾ cup of cilantro to the cauliflower rice. Stir to combine. Divide the rice mixture into 5 containers. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, make the corn salsa by combining the sweet corn, remaining cilantro, onion, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Add greek yogurt, lime juice, honey, olive oil, and salt and pepper to a mason jar. Shake vigorously to combine.
- Assemble the meal prep burrito bowls. Divide the corn salsa, Sangria tomatoes, black beans, and avocado between the 5 rice-filled containers.
- When ready to eat, top with the honey lime dressing and enjoy!
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
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