Lauren Legere, Adam Rubin & Sarah Simone
November 29, 2023
Background:
The origination of quinoa dates back as far as 3,000 to 4,000 years ago when it was first cultivated by people living in the foothills of the Andean region of South America. It became a sacred crop to the Incas and the name quinoa has roots in their native language of Quechua. Quinoa is a plant that is grown annually to harvest its seeds which have more protein, dietary fiber, B vitamins and dietary minerals than any other grain. The use of quinoa has continued to expand in the culinary world and has become a popular grain to use as a base in many dishes throughout the world. This quinoa bowl with guacamole combines roots from Mediterranean cuisine with Mexican cuisine to create a hearty, nutrient-packed meal. The chickpeas, cucumbers and parsley contribute to the Mediterranean influence while the guacamole represents the Mexican influence. Black beans, tomatoes, and the citrus dressing compliment both cuisines to help create one cohesive dish.
Nutritional Characteristics:
Protein-packed meal: One serving of the quinoa bowl provides 8.3 grams of protein while one serving of the guacamole provides 3.2 grams of protein. Together, a one-serving meal would provide 11.5 grams of protein. Protein is an essential source of energy that our body needs for growth, development, and cell repair.
Vegetarian/Vegan: This meal is completely plant-based and can be enjoyed by anyone who does not consume animal products. It is difficult to add protein to a plant-based diet, which makes this dish a phenomenal option for vegetarians/vegans.
High in Dietary Fiber: One serving of the quinoa bowl provides 7.9 grams of dietary fiber while one serving of the guacamole provides 5.6 grams of dietary fiber. Together, a one-serving meal would provide 13.5 grams of dietary fiber which would cover 48% of your daily value. Dietary fiber is essential for our bodies bowel health and controlling cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
Provides Vitamins and Minerals: Between the lime juice, lemon juice and vegetables, this meal is rich in beneficial vitamins and minerals. One serving of both the quinoa bowl and guacamole provides 20% of daily value in iron, 15% of daily value in potassium, and 7% of daily value in calcium. Vitamins and minerals help boost our immune system and improve the health of our cells and organs.
Gluten-Free: This meal contains no gluten which means it can be enjoyed by anyone with gluten-intolerance or celiac disease. (There are gluten-free options for the tortilla chips)
Citric Acid: The lime and lemon juice gives us great health benefits, including reducing inflammation, improving digestion and boosting immune system.
Other Positive Characteristics:
Simple Preparation: One of the best parts of this meal besides its nutritional value is how easy it is to prepare. Aside from following the directions to cook the quinoa, nothing else needs to be cooked and is added in its raw form. For the quinoa bowl, the vegetables are chopped, and the legumes are rinsed before simply adding everything into one bowl. For the guacamole, all the ingredients are also simply chopped and added to one bowl.
Complex Flavor and Texture: The flavor profile includes the acidity from the lemon/lime juice and tomatoes, the sweetness from the honey, the earthiness from the beans and spices and a buttery nuttiness from the avocados. There is also a lot to enjoy texturally with the creamy guacamole and crunchy, fresh vegetables complimenting the soft bite of the quinoa.
Aesthetically Pleasing: This may seem insignificant, but who doesn’t want their food to look good? This dish has a great appearance with its array of colors and components. When you serve it to someone, you can be certain that they will be impressed.
Safe/Low-Risk: With many recipes, there is risk involved with undercooking poultry, red meat or fish. There is also more risk of bacteria with leafy greens compared to most vegetables. This meal doesn't contain any of these foods which makes it a very safe/low risk meal to prepare.
Doesn't take long to make: The quinoa bowl recipe can be made in 20 minutes and the guacamole bowl can be made in 10 minutes which are both on the shorter side in terms of preparation times.
Multi-purpose: Both recipes can be used in multiple ways. The quinoa bowl recipe can serve as a base to add other types of protein or any other ingredients on hand. The guacamole can be used to top the quinoa bowl or any other type of bowl, used as a dip with chips or veggies, or used in a sandwich or wrap.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
Quinoa Bowl:
Cook quinoa based on instructions of package. Rinse the chickpeas and black beans. Chop the cucumber, tomatoes, and parsley. Add quinoa, chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, beans, and parsley in a bowl together. Add lemon juice, olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper to a separate small bowl and whisk together to make dressing. Pour the dressing into quinoa and mix to combine.
Guacamole:
Cut open avocados lengthwise, remove the put, and scoop out flesh into a medium bowl. Use a potato masher to mash avocado into a slightly chunky texture. Add cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and lime juice. Continue mashing or mixing until desired texture. Add in tomatoes and cilantro until combined. Add extra salt or lime juice to taste.
The Process: Quinoa Bowl
Rinsing the chickpeas:
Dicing the tomatoes:
Pouring the dressing:
The Process: Guacamole
Mashing the avocados:
Mincing the garlic:
Squeezing the lime:
Final Products:
Recipes:
Quinoa Bowl with a Sweet Citrus Dressing
From Simply Quinoa by Alyssa, Published 2020
Yield: 1/2 cup
Serving size: 13
Ingredients:
4 ½ cups cooked quinoa
15.5 oz chickpeas
15.5 oz black beans
1 cup diced cucumber
1 cup diced tomatoes
â…“ cup chopped parsley
Salt and pepper - to taste
Juice of 2 lemons (½ cup)
4 tbsp honey
½ cup olive oil
Pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions:
Cook quinoa based on instructions of package
Rinse chickpeas and black beans
Chop cucumber, tomatoes and parsley
Add all the quinoa, chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, beans and parsley into your bowl.
Add the lemon juice, olive oil, honey, salt and pepper into a separate small bowl and whisk together.
Top your quinoa bowl with the dressing and mix together.
Recipe Rules have been modified using resources from the following website:
Classic Guacamole with Tortilla Chips
From Joy Food Shine by Laura, Published 2019
Yield: 85.7 g & 10 chips
Serving size: 13
Ingredients:
5 Medium Avocados
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup red onion, diced
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
2.5 small Roma tomatoes deseeded and diced
1-2 Tbsp lime juice
½ tsp ground cumin
½ – 1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 bag of tortilla chips
Instructions:
Cut open avocados lengthwise, remove the pit, and use a spoon to scoop out the flesh into a medium-sized mixing bowl.
Use a potato masher or fork and gently mash the avocado, leaving it a little bit chunky at this point.
Add cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, ½ tsp salt, pepper and 1 Tsp lime juice.
If you would like your guacamole smoother, use a fork or your potato masher to mix in the spices as you mash the mixture. If you like your guacamole a little chunkier, use a rubber spatula to stir in the spices until well combined!
Add cilantro and tomatoes and stir until combined.
Taste and add extra salt or lime juice if needed!
Let sit for at least 30 minutes at room temperature before Serving.
You may place it in the fridge if it is made more than 30 minutes ahead of time. I recommend plopping a pit in the middle, adding a splash of lime juice to the top layer, and covering it very tightly with plastic wrap (so no air gets to the guacamole) in order to prevent browning.
Recipe Rules have been modified using resources from the following website:
Nutrition Labels:
