Green Chile Tahini Glow Bowl
This delicious and nutrient dense bowl is perfect for the transition from summer to fall. It’s light and fresh enough for summer, but green chile season is August-September so this bowl celebrates those end-of-summer flavors and has cozy elements - like the warm quinoa and beans, and the creamy tahini - to get you in the autumn mood as well.
I’m calling this a “Glow Bowl” because it is whole-foods, plant-based meal well balanced with protein, carbs, healthy fats, and phytonutrients, with an emphasis on the healthy fats which are known to nourish the skin and help create a glow-from-within. This is particularly true because of how essential healthy fats are to hormone production and balance. Healthy fats also help with the absorption of other nutrients, particularly those greens! Not to mention, fiber is incredibly important for detoxification which is also key to achieving a glow (and good health in general, of course)!
I’m not a nutritionist or qualified to give you an explanation on what makes a fat source healthy vs. unhealthy, but of course, anything in its whole form is going to be healthier than the refined/processed version (i.e. an avocado is more nutritious than avocado oil). So by ‘an emphasis on healthy fats’ I mean we are incorporating 3 different whole, plant-based fat sources in this dish: tahini (ground sesame seed paste), avocado, and almonds.
ingredients
Greens - You could substitute baby spring lettuce mix or massaged kale, but the sharp, peppery flavor of arugula adds a nice element to this bowl.
Green Chilies - A beautiful close to the summer season and welcome into fall flavors.
Beans - The humble, but powerful, plant protein source. Navy beans hold up well and their mild flavor meshes well with the green chile.
Quinoa - Another great source of plant protein (actually considered a complete protein with all 9 essential amino acids) and packs more fiber than most grains.
Tahini - Creamy and nutty, this sesame seed paste is an excellent source of healthy fat. It can be a bit bitter sometimes, so the salt and lemon juice help balance the flavor.
Avocado - The most well-known and loved source of healthy fat!
Almonds - Yet another healthy fat. Though, unlike the creaminess of the tahini and avocado, the almonds provide a wonderful crunch!
HOW TO MAKE THE BOWL
The quinoa is cooked in vegetable broth (I used my beloved Better Than Bouillon, as always) for added flavor with no added effort.
The beans are simmered in canned, diced green chilies with some extra spices. Easy!
Prepare the tahini dressing and toast the almonds.
Assemble the quinoa and beans atop a bed of greens and add the toppings: avocado, tahini dressing, and the toasted almonds.
the recipe
Green Chili Tahini Glow Bowl
Ingredients
Instructions
- Rinse the quinoa.
- Combine the quinoa and broth in a small saucepan. Bring it to a boil. Cover with a lid and turn the heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- Make sure all of the liquid has cooked off. If so, turn the heat off and leave it covered until you're ready to assemble the bowls.
- Drain and rinse the beans.
- In another small pan/saucepan, combine the beans, green chilies, and spices. Simmer until most of the liquid has cooked off and the mixture thickens.
- Whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, minced garlic, and salt. Add the water, tablespoon by tablespoon, until the consistency is thin enough to drizzle (or to your preference).
- Toast the sliced almonds in a small pan, stirring/flipping frequently, until golden and fragrant.
- Add arugula to a bowl. Add a scoop of quinoa and a scoop of the green chili beans.
- Top with avocado, the toasted almonds, chili flakes, and extra lemon if desired.