Recipes » Main Dish » Mexican Power Bowl
T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies

Ingredients

  • Baby kale, arugula, or romaine lettuce
  • 2 cups Roasted Butternut Squash
  • Tortilla Chips
  • 2 cups Homestyle Refried Beans
  • 4 cups Mexican Rice
  • Nacho Cheese Sauce or Good Foods’ Plant-Based Queso
  • 2 cups Mango Pico de Gallo
  • Guacamole
  • Sprouts (optional)

Roasted Butternut Squash

  • 2 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
  • ½ cup diced onion
  • ½ cup diced bell pepper
  • 6 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 Tbsp lime juice
  • ½ tsp lime zest

Tortilla Chips

  • 4 corn tortillas, cut in triangles

Homestyle Refried Beans

  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 1 cup pinto beans, cooked and drained
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • ¼ tsp smoked paprika
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • 1 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 Tbsp lime juice
  • Low-sodium vegetable broth, as needed

Mexican Rice

  • 2 cups quick-cooking (parboiled) brown rice
  • ¼ cup diced onion
  • ¼ tsp ground turmeric
  • ¼ tsp ground cumin
  • 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • Chopped cilantro to taste

Nacho Cheese Sauce

  • ¼ cup oats
  • 1 cup hot water
  • 3 Tbsp tapioca starch
  • 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • ¼ tsp turmeric
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • ¼ tsp garlic powder
  • 1 ½ tsp white miso paste
  • 1 Tbsp roasted red pepper
  • 1 tsp maple syrup

Mango Pico de Gallo

  • 2 cups grape tomatoes, diced
  • 1 large mango, diced
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro

Instructions

Roasted Butternut Squash

  • 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  • 2. In a bowl, combine all ingredients except the lemon zest.
  • 3. Place the seasoned butternut squash and veggies in a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the squash is cooked but firm.
  • 4. Remove from the oven and add lemon zest. Mix well.

Tortilla Chips

  • 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  • 2. Cut the tortillas into fourths or eights, depending on how big you want your chips to be.
  • 3. Arrange them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  • 4. Bake the chips for 10–15 minutes, or until toasted but not burned.
  • 5. Allow the tortilla chips to cool completely before serving.

Homestyle Refried Beans

  • 1. Heat a medium saucepan, then add onions. Sautée over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, adding vegetable broth as needed to prevent sticking.
  • 2. Add the beans, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic, sea salt, and tomato paste. Stir well, and cook for 3–4 minutes.
  • 3. Use a potato masher to mash the beans, adding vegetable broth if they are too thick.
  • 4. Remove from heat. Add lime juice and stir to combine.

Mexican Rice

  • 1. Heat a medium saucepan, then add onions. Sautée over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, adding vegetable broth as needed to prevent sticking.
  • 2. Add the remaining ingredients, except the cilantro, and bring to a boil.
  • 3. Cover and lower temperature to medium-low. Cook for 25 minutes.
  • 4. Fluff with a fork or spoon and add cilantro.

Nacho Cheese Sauce

  • 1. Place all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.
  • 2. Pour the mixture into a saucepan and heat over medium-high heat. Stir constantly until a gooey, cheesy consistency forms. This takes about 5 minutes.
  • 3. Remove from heat.
  • 4. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Mango Pico de Gallo

  • 1. Place all ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.

Mexican Power Bowl

  • 1. Place baby greens in a bowl.
  • 2. Arrange the rice, beans, chips, squash, and pico de gallo on top of the greens. Top with guacamole and sprouts (if using), and drizzle with the plant-based Nacho Cheese Sauce.

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