Baja Bowl

I just got these new coconut bowls and was inspired to fill them with something colourful! This bowl is bursting with Mexican flavours. Black forbidden rice provides a platform for tamari roasted yams, chickpeas, avocado, cherry tomatoes, and quick pickled onions, topped with cilantro chili lime vinaigrette and chipotle lime cashew aioli! Start the quick pickled onions the day before or at least 2 hours prior to assembling these bowls. If you are interested, these eco friendly bowls are from coconutbowls.com and are made from reclaimed shells that are tossed into landfill.

 

 

 

Makes 4 bowls

Ingredients:

• 1 can of organic chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 2 ripe but firm avocados, peeled and sliced or cubed
• romaine lettuce, washed and torn
• 20 cherry tomatoes (either halved and raw or roasted for the last 10 min. with the yams)
• 1 1/2 cup of uncooked forbidden black rice
• 2 medium sized yams, peeled and sliced diagonally into 1/4 in. slices
• 3 tbsp. of olive oil
• 2 tbsp. of tamari
• 1 recipe of quick pickled onions (recipe follows)
• one recipe of cilantro chili lime vinaigrette (recipe follows)
• one recipe of chipotle lime cashew aioli (recipe follows)

Quick Pickled onions:

• 11/2 cups of apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp. of pink himalayan salt
• 1 medium sized red onion, peeled and thinly sliced

Combine all ingredients in a 2 cup mason jar. Press the onions down to submerge them into the pickling liquid. Allow them to marinate for at least 2 hours.

 

 

 

Roasted Yams:

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Either slice the yams into thin ovals or french fry like strips. Toss the yams with 3 tbsp. of olive oil and 2 tbsp. of tamari. Spread onto a cookie sheet and bake for 30-40 min., turning a few times as they bake to ensure that they are evenly browned and tender when pierced with a fork.  If you want to roast the tomatoes, toss them in a little oil and throw them in with the yams for the last 10 min. or so.

 

 

 

The Rice:

Combine 11/2 cups of black forbidden rice with 3 cups of water in a medium sized saucepan. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 40 min. or until all of the water is absorbed and the rice is tender. This rice tends to be a little chewier than regular rice when cooked. Turn off the heat and allow to sit for 15 min. covered.

Cilantro chili lime dressing:

• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp. of yellow mustard
• 1 tbsp. of maple syrup
• 1/4 cup of freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 of a chopped and seeded jalapeno pepper (less if don’t like spice)
• 1 cup of gently packed, washed, fresh cilantro
• 1/2 tsp. of pink himalayan salt
• 1/2 cup of avocado oil or any other light tasting oil

In your blender combine the garlic, mustard, maple syrup, lime juice, cilantro and salt. With the motor running, add the oil in a steady stream until well combined. Set aside.

 

 

 

Chipotle lime aioli:

• 3/4 cup of raw cashews soaked in water for at least 2 hours
• 1/4 cup of avocado oil or another light tasting oil
• 1/4 cup of water
• 1 tbsp. of fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp. of pink himalayan salt
• 1 canned chipotle pepper packed in adobo sauce (more to taste if desired)

Combine all of the ingredients in a high speed blender. Blend until silky smooth. Adjust the seasonings if desired.

 

 

 

 

 

The final assembly!!!

Distribute the rice into four bowls. Artfully arrange the romaine leaves, roasted yams, tomatoes, sliced avocado, chickpeas, and pickled onions on top of the forbidden rice. Drizzle generous amounts of the cilantro chili lime vinaigrette and the chipotle lime cashew aioli on top. Top with fresh cilantro!