Mexican Buddha Bowl Meal Prep

HOW TO MAKE MEXICAN BUDDHA BOWL MEAL PREP

THE BENEFITS OF THE INGREDIENTS IN THIS RECIPE

Brown Rice: A Great Base for Meal Prepping

One of my go-to ingredients when meal prepping is brown rice. For me, rice is a versatile and healthy addition to almost any meal, and I use it as a base for many of my dishes; it's usually very filling too.

When you're meal prepping, it's crucial to have a good base – something that you can cook up quickly so that you can add the rest of your ingredients once the base is done cooking. That's why I like using brown rice. It takes less than 30 minutes to cook, and I can incorporate it into just about anything I'm making for dinner that week. It's definitely worth investing in a rice cooker, as this will prep your brown rice to perfection with little effort every time! I use a Lakeland multicooker which provides me with many other functions such as perfect quinoa, slow cooking, oatmeal, yogurt, and even cakes!

Another great thing about rice is that it's very versatile. There are many different types of rice that you can try depending on what you're in the mood for. Here I've paired brown rice with black beans and that's my favorite combination for this Mexican Buddha Bowl! But there are many other combinations that you could try. You really can't go wrong with rice because the possibilities are endless!

Black Beans: A Great Source of Protein and Fiber

Next on my list of favorite ingredients for meal prepping with Mexican food is black beans. These beans are full of protein and fiber, and they're really filling too! I eat a lot of beans and lentils throughout the week because they're so convenient and easy to prepare, and I like to add them to my buddha bowls to help bulk them out and add extra calories and protein.

Black beans are a great source of protein, which is important for maintaining muscle mass and keeping your metabolism going. It's also essential for helping your body to repair and rebuild after a workout. Black beans are also a good source of iron, which is important for carrying oxygen to your cells and preventing fatigue. Beans provide a source of folic acid, which is important for pregnant women because it helps to prevent birth defects.

All beans have similar levels of protein and nutrients, although black beans in particular are especially good for you because of their dark purple colour pigment called Anthocyanins. These pigments contain antioxidants which help to protect your cells from damage and can even help to prevent cancer. So be sure to add black beans to your buddha bowls to make them even more flavorful and nutritious!

Sweet Potatoes: A Great Source of Vitamin C and Fiber

Additionally, sweet potatoes are my absolute favourite ingredient for meal prepping with Mexican flavours. Sweet potatoes are a great source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and fiber, and they're easy to incorporate into so many sweet and savoury meals.

Including them in your diet is a great way to increase your vitamin A intake. Vitamin A is essential for healthy skin and your eyes, nose, throat, and mouth, and it helps your body fight off infection and can even help to prevent cancer!

Sweet potatoes are also a great source of fiber, vital for keeping your digestive system healthy. Fiber helps to keep you regular and can even help to lower your cholesterol levels. So eating sweet potatoes regularly is definitely a good idea if you want to improve your overall health.

Sweetcorn: A Great Way to Add Flavor and Nutrition to Your Mexican Meal Prep!

I love to add sweetcorn to my Mexican buddha bowls because it's full of antioxidants which are highly beneficial to your health. They have been shown to reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, and other serious illnesses.

As a bonus, they're also a great low-calorie food to eat if you're trying to lose weight! They add bulk to your bowl without adding too many calories and keep you feeling full for a long time.

Sweetcorn is a great option for your Mexican Buddha Bowl because it is a staple in Mexican cuisine and a great way to pump up the dish's nutritional value without putting in a lot of work. All you have to do is boil the corn and add it to your bowl when ready to eat! It's so quick and easy to do, and it packs a ton of flavour and crunch into each bite of your Buddha Bowl.

Roasted Vegetables: Roasted vegetables are another great option for meal prepping with Mexican food.

The roasted vegetables in this dish are a great way to add some extra flavour and nutrients to your meal. Bell peppers are full of vitamins C and K and carotenoids, which can help protect your eyes from macular degeneration as you age.

They also contain anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants which can help reduce inflammation in your body, which can lead to various diseases.

Adding roasted vegetables to your Mexican meal prepping is a great way to increase your meals' nutrient and antioxidant content without much extra effort or time. Just throw your veggies (I went with bell pepper, onion, and sweet potatoes) in the oven for 30 minutes or so, and they're done! Then add them to your bowl, and you're good to go!

Cashew Cream: Another great way to add some extra nutrition and flavor to your Mexican Buddha Bowl is by adding a dollop of cashew lime cream.

Cashew cream is a great source of healthy fats, protein, and vitamins. It's also incredibly versatile and can be used in various ways. You can use it as a dipping sauce for your vegetables or add it to your Buddha Bowl for an extra creamy and flavorful addition. Here, I added lime juice and topped it with some lime peel for that extra zing!

Avocado: And finally, no Mexican meal prep would be complete without avocado!

Lastly, avocado is another great option for meal prepping with Mexican food. Not only is it delicious and healthy, but it's also extremely convenient.

My favorite things to add to this buddha bowl are freshly chopped tomatoes and avocado. That's a great combination because it gives the salad tons of flavor and colour. Plus, tomatoes are high in vitamin C, which is great for keeping your immune system healthy. And avocados have healthy fats, which are essential for good nutrition.

Avocados contain oleic acid, which helps lower cholesterol levels and reduces the amount of fat absorbed in your intestines. They're also a great source of healthy monounsaturated fats, which can help reduce the risk of heart disease!

Plus, avocados are a great source of vitamin E, which can help protect your heart and brain from damage due to free radicals in the body. This makes them a great option to incorporate into your meal prep!

So there you have it! These are my favorite ingredients for meal prepping with Mexican food. They are easy to prepare and add tons of flavor and nutrients to your meals. Prepping your meals this way is an easy and efficient way to start a healthy diet.

Mexican Buddha Bowl Meal Prep Recipe

This recipe is perfect for meal prepping because it provides plenty of nutritional benefits and uses simple ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen. It also takes minimal effort, making it a great recipe to try out if you want to improve your meal prep game!

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

For the buddha bowl

• 2 medium sweet potatoes
• 2 bell peppers
• 2 medium onions
• 1 cup brown rice, cooked
• 3 large tomatoes, chopped
• 1 small tin of corn
• 1 tin of black beans
• 1 avocado
• 1/4 jar jalapenos

For the cashew lime cream

• 1/2 cup cashews soaked
• 1 limes juice
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 cup unsweetened plant-based milk
• 2 tbsp jalapeno brine from the jar
• 1 small pinch of salt

METHOD

1. Pre-heat your oven to 180c, gas mark 4, or 350F. Peel the sweet potatoes, chop and deseed the red peppers, and chop the onion into large chunks. Spread them out on a baking tray, I like to use a silicone baking mat instead of oil. Roast for 25-30 minutes until cooked through and starting to char.
2. Prepare you cashew cream by blitzing the ingredients in a high speed blender, if you forget to soak your cashews you can boil them to 10 minutes to use in this recipe. Once your cashew cream is smooth, place it in the fridge until using.
3. Prep you black beans and corn by rinsing and combining them, chop your tomatoes, and avocado.
4. Now it's time to make up your bowls, spilt the brown rice into 4 containers or bowls, then add equal portions of black beans and corn, tomatoes, roasted veggies. Then top with avocado, cashew cream, and jalapenos.

Serve warm or place in the fridge up to 3 days as a meal prep. You can choose to add avocado and the cashew cream on the day of serving.

Enjoy!

Recipe by Rose Wyles - The Vegan Nutritionist

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