Vegetarian Burrito Bowls

I love going out to eat just as much as the next Robert. Chipotle and Moe's are fantastic, but when they're hitting you up for around $10 a bowl, its easy to see where the paycheck goes. I'm not working just to afford eating fancy every day! Just to be clear, however, I do enjoy fancy foods. I love them, in fact. But what I love more than eating them is learning how to make them and saving some money.

We're all fans of a good burrito bowl, agreed? Yes? Good. Here's something you can make for yourself to prep for 4 days of lunch, save money, and eat healthier using these simple ingredients.


You'll need:

• Brown Rice (1 cup dry)
• Canned Black Beans (1 can)
• Red Onion (1 small)
• Salsa Mild (4 tbsp, home made Pico de Gallo works great too!)
• Cumin (1 tsp)
• Cherry Tomatoes (2 cups)
• Avocado (1 ea)
• Cheese (1 bag cheddar or choose your favorite & grate)
• Cilantro (1 handful)
• Basil (1 handful)
• Lime (2 ea)
• Salt & Pepper (add to your taste)

Steps:

1. Cook the brown rice whichever preferred method you choose. I like my trusty rice cooker; it cooks rice perfectly every time. Allow your rice to cool. To speed things up, add to the refrigerator or freezer but do not forget about it!
2. Drain and rinse the black beans
3. Finely chop the red onion, cilantro, and basil. 
4. Add the onion, beans, and brown rice to a medium mixing bowl. 
5. While mixing, add salsa, juice of one lime, cumin, and half the cilantro & basil.
6. Add salt and pepper and stir to combine everything evenly. Cover and set in refrigerator while preparing the next steps. 
7.  Thinly slice or cube the avocado and half cherry tomatoes. 
8. Grate your cheese, if needed.
9. Slice lime into 4 pieces
10. In 4 containers: set rice evenly, arrange avocado and cherry tomatoes separated with grated cheese, and stick a lime on the side for extra flavor. 

Pro Tips:

• I won't suggest how much cheese you use, but I will say that sometimes less is more -particularly when eating healthy.
• Meatless Crumble can be added for extra protein, I prefer Morningstar or Boca. 
• Avocado that is ripened will discolor after a day or so. If you have left over lime juice, use some on the freshly cut to help keep it's color. 
• I like to control my heat, so I keep a bottle of hot sauce for when I want it. 

And there you have it! 10 easy steps, we've set ourselves up with healthy burrito bowls for 4 days of the week, and saved money in the process.

Lets eat!
-Robert