Burrito bowl

For some time, my husband and I would often struggle to think of what to cook for dinner. At some point during the work day I would inevitably text him to ask what he felt like eating that night, and he would predictably respond with either ‘Dunno’ or ‘Anything’. I found it so frustrating! I mean, it’s great that he’s not a fussy eater (bless his cotton socks, he has always eaten whatever I’ve plonked in front of him, no matter how unappealing), but I always found it difficult to make the all important decision of what we would eat at the end of the day.

A few months ago, my husband inspiringly suggested we come up with a theme for each night of the week, making it easier for us to choose what to have. It’s the best idea he’s ever had. Monday nights would be fish, we decided. On Tuesdays we would cook pasta or noodles. And Wednesdays – well, Wednesdays are our favourite. Mexican!

Burritos, tacos, enchiladas, and quesadillas often grace our dining table on a Wednesday evening. And during the summer months, this burrito bowl tends to make an appearance too. Now, I don’t mean to dissuade you from making this at any other time of the year (in fact, I strongly encourage it) but it is particularly great in warmer weather because of the freshness that ingredients such as tomato, spinach and avocado bring to it.

The ingredients you choose to add to your burrito bowl are entirely up to you – the ingredients listed in the recipe below are probably the ones I use the most when I make burrito bowls, but you can change it up. If you don’t like spinach, use oak or iceberg lettuce. Not a fan of the beans? Leave them out. Want a lighter dish and don’t feel like adding rice? You can substitute extra veggies instead, such as diced cucumber and capsicum. If, like me, you’re not a fan of sour cream, don’t worry about adding it. You can totally adapt this recipe to suit yourself or your family.

Often when we make these burrito bowls we will double the recipe so we have enough for lunch the next day. The leftovers can be eaten cold straight from the fridge, or if you prefer the rice and beans to be warm, heat them up separately before adding the fresh ingredients to your bowl. You will be the envy of your work colleagues if they catch you in the office kitchen assembling this for lunch!

This recipe makes 2 serves.

Provecho!

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Burrito bowl

1/2 roasted chicken, shredded

1/2 brown onion, diced

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp sweet paprika

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup brown or white rice, cooked

2 cups spinach leaves

1 tomato, diced

1/2 cup corn kernels

1/2 tin black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 avocado, thinly sliced

1 lime, halved

Sour cream, to serve (optional)

Tomato salsa, to serve (optional

1. Heat a large frying pan with a splash of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook for a few minutes until lightly browned.
2. Add the shredded chicken, cumin powder, sweet paprika and salt, and cook for a few minutes until fragrant. If using cold chicken, cook until chicken is heated through. Remove from heat.
3. To assemble, take two bowls and scoop half the rice into each. Then place half of the spinach to one side of each bowl, then add the beans, corn, tomato, chicken and avocado, side by side.
4. Squeeze fresh lime juice over each of the bowls, and top with sour cream and salsa if desired.