This bowl is packed with nutrient-rich energy and is true soul food for your luteal phase! Crispy chickpeas, roasted, spicy sweet potato chunks, a tangy avocado pico de gallo, crunchy cucumber, and spicy quinoa rock this bowl together. And the best part? The creamy tahini and lemon dressing rounds it all off. Such a good fit for your needs in the second half of your cycle – delicious, nourishing, and absolutely satisfying!
For this recipe I was quite inspired by this "Sweet Potato Burrito Bowl" from the recipe blog DISHING out HEALTH I did, however, make a few adjustments that make the burrito bowl more complete for me—like adding fresh cucumber or more crunch with the crispy baked chickpeas! Feel free to try the original recipe, cook it yourself, and tell me your favorite in the comments!
This recipe is based on two of my other recipes: the crispy air-fried chickpeas and the creamy lemon tahini dressing. Simply follow these links to prepare these two recipes for your bowl!
I also like to prepare the quinoa base for this bowl the day before, so that I don't have to do too much at once while preparing the bowl. Please refer to the recipe instructions, where I've explained this in detail.
In this recipe, I also use my air fryer* (see remarks) to bake the sweet potato chunks for the bowl. However, you can easily recreate this bowl without an air fryer by crisping the sweet potato chunks in your oven. Instructions for this can be found in my recipe for the Roasted Sweet Potato Salad. The most important thing to remember, is to leave the oven door slightly ajar while baking the sweet potato chunks so that the moisture can escape and the sweet potato becomes nice and crispy!
The list of possible complaints during the luteal phase is long... Everything from water retention to digestive problems and mood swings to back and abdominal pain can be present. Nutrients that can be particularly helpful during this time include vitamins B1, B6, D, and E, as well as iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, omega-3 fats, long-chain carbohydrates, progesterone-like phytohormones, antioxidants, and chlorophyll.
I have specifically selected some ingredients for this burrito bowl so that their nutrients can support you and your hormone balance during this time:
You'll find a wonderful combination of flavors in this quinoa and sweet potato burrito bowl! Roasted aromas from the crispy baked, spicy chickpeas and baked sweet potato, a refreshing acidity from the avocado pico de gallo and crunchy, fresh cucumber. It's served on a bed of spicy quinoa with bell peppers and onions, and topped with a creamy tahini and lemon dressing. Enjoy this burrito bowl for hormonal support during the luteal phase!
Chop the pepper and onion into large, bite-sized pieces. Then add the olive oil to a pan and fry the peppers and onions until soft and lightly browned. Next add the dry quinoa and spices, mix well, and let it roast for a few minutes. Then, press in the garlic clove and let it cook for a bit.
Then deglaze the quinoa base with the vegetable broth and cover the pan with a lid or splatter guard. Reduce the heat slightly and let the quinoa cook until it has absorbed all the liquid, about 15 minutes.
Then season the quinoa base again (with salt, pepper, or more spices to taste) and add more water if it's too dry. Finally, stir in the black beans and cilantro.
Then place the sweet potato in your air fryer* (see remarks) and bake the pieces at 150°C for 12 minutes. Then give the sweet potato pieces a good shake.
Next bake the sweet potato pieces for another 12 - 18 minutes at 180 °C, shaking them every 6 minutes and deciding how long you want to proceed baking them.
Dice the avocado and halve the cherry tomatoes. Then finely chop the onion and, optionally, the jalapeno. Place everything in a bowl and add the lemon juice, salt, and cilantro. Mix well and season to taste.
Dice the cucumber into small bite-sized pieces.
You can find the recipe for the crispy baked chickpeas here.
You can find the recipe for the lemon tahini dressing here.
If you prepared the quinoa base the day before, heat it up in the microwave. Divide it among your bowls. Top each bowl with the cucumber, crispy roasted chickpeas, avocado pico de gallo, and roasted sweet potato - placing each in one quarter of the bowl. Then, dress the bowl with the lemon tahini dressing. Finally, garnish with fresh, finely chopped cilantro and some black sesame seeds.
servings 2
** The daily percentages are based on a 2000 kcal diet. Your daily figures might be higher or lower according to your caloric need.
*Advertisement (Affiliate): If you want to get the same air fryer as me, you can find it here. I'm completely satisfied so far and find it very handy that all parts of the cooking basket can be washed in the dishwasher.
