Easy Burrito Bowl With Black Bean Sauce

The last few months, I’ve been getting a little frisky with gluten. Maybe it’s this icky winter, but I’ve just been wanting comfort food. And sometimes I feel comforted by bready things. Lately gluten has been seeming more harmless to me. Seeming. I’ve been eating a lot of sprouted breads and tortillas because they’re definitely healthier than regular ol’ breads…but I’ve been overlooking the fact that a lot of them have naturally occurring gluten. I don’t have Celiacs, but just like Drake, my belly is sensitive. And the more I’ve been getting loose with my old friend gluten, the groggier and less sparkly I’ve been feeling.

So last week, I decided to return to my non-negoitiable, gluten-free ways for awhile. I’m not saying I’ll never have a piece of Ezekiel Bread again (I’m for sure making this next Thanksgiving), but for me, even sprouted breads have a tendency to give me the blues. Cutting it out again – 100% – has made me realize that most times I just use bread as a container/plate/serving vehicle for all the yummy ingredients I actually want. On the go, it’s easier to wrap everything up in tortilla and throw it in my bag. Now wrap-free, I’ve been using my ball jars more – McDonald’s Shakeup style – layering all the ingredients together. I looked in my bag yesterday and was rocking three jars! A smoothie, a snack, and lunch…apparently it’s my new thing.

Speaking of tortilla-lessness, this bowl is my new favorite. It’s a riff on Terry Walter’s black bean dip recipe that turns it into a creamy sauce. It’s easy to make and can last you a few bowls. I went with pretty classic, burrito-style ingredients in mine, but you could add butternut squash, mushrooms, or quinoa to soup it up even more. And if you’re not ready to leave your wrap life behind just yet, this sauce tastes great as a spread, or like Terry intended it…as a dip.

{ Easy Spicy Black Bean Sauce } 
  adapted from Terry Walters

1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 tablespoons chiles, chopped (I used a poblano and Thai chili)
1 tablespoon chile powder
1 1/2 cups black beans
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 cup vegetable broth + more to sauté onions
Salt to taste

In a small skillet over medium heat, sauté garlic and onions in vegetable broth until soft. Add chile powder and chiles and remove from heat.

Add black beans, onion mixture, and tomato paste to a high-speed blender or food processor and combine until blended. Add vegetable broth and process again until you get the consistency you want. Salt to taste. Heat or serve room temperature over taco bowl!

PS – To make the cilantro and onion topping…I mixed up 2 tablespoons of onion, 1 tablespoon cilantro, and a tablespoon of fresh lime juice. Done!

HOMEWORK TIME: 
For the next few days, check in with your belly. Have you been getting frisky with something it doesn’t quite like? If you’ve been less energized or feeling like a sluggish chub – maybe tweak a little something to get you back on your game. Let me know how it goes!