Butternut Squash Burrito Bowls

Butternut squash burrito bowls are healthy, easy vegetarian dinner! Filled with black beans, pico de gallo, kale & avocado, they're hearty & delicious.

Sometimes I feel like I have a never-ending stream of ideas. One idea leads to the next and a few tangents later they multiply into lists full of recipe possibilities. Other times, I’m completely blank.

This is the part where I usually talk about how I was romantically re-inspired after a stroll through the farmers market. But not this time. This weekend, we strolled and we market-ed. Still blank. Then, this idea popped into my head at Chipotle, of all places.

It was a rare day that we were even at Chipotle, (we usually favor our local Freebirds). Either way, I’m a sucker for a burrito bowl and I loved the idea of adding butternut squash for a seasonal spin.

I’m also a sucker for alliteration – so the 3 B’s in Butternut Burrito Bowl had a nice ring to it. Although I actually have 4 B’s in here, if you count the brown rice. (btw, if anyone from Chipotle is reading this: Brown Rice. Just sayin’).

This ingredient list looks long, but feel free to take it in pieces. No corn? Skip it. Tomatoes out of season? Use a good store-bought salsa instead.

I made a creamy avocado sauce with yogurt and cilantro. If you’re vegan, you can use cashews and water in place of the yogurt. And if you’re blender-less (or just short on time), mash up the avocado with lime and salt for a basic no-fuss guacamole. If you’re paleo – leave out the rice and beans and turn this into a big kale salad.

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Butternut Squash Burrito Bowls

 

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Author: Jeanine Donofrio

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Tomato-corn pico de gallo*

• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• ½ cup fresh corn kernels
• ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Juice of 1 lime
• ½ sliced serrano
• Small handful chopped cilantro
• Sea salt and fresh black pepper

For the bowls:

• 1 small butternut squash, peeled & cubed
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• Sea salt and fresh black pepper
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• A few leaves of kale (lightly massaged with olive oil)
• ¼ cup toasted pepitas

Avocado crema:**

• 1 ripe avocado
• ¼ cup yogurt (vegan sub: ¼ cup cashews + ¼ cup water)
• Juice of ½ lime
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tablespoon minced onion
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• Sea salt and fresh black pepper
• Water, as needed, to thin

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Make the pico de gallo: In a small bowl, mix together the tomatoes, corn, onion, garlic, lime juice, serrano, and cilantro with pinches of salt and pepper. Let chill for at least 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings before serving.
3. Drizzle the butternut squash with a little olive oil, salt & pepper. Roast for 30 minutes, check and flip and continue roasting until golden brown (about 10 more minutes). Remove from oven and toss with the chili powder.
4. Make the avocado crema: In a blender, mix together the avocado, yogurt (or cashews), lime, garlic, onion, cumin, coriander, cilantro, salt & pepper. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings. Chill until ready to use.
5. Assemble bowls with brown rice, black beans, kale, butternut squash, and the pico. Top with the toasted pepitas and serve with the avocado crema.

Notes

*If corn is out of season, skip it. If tomatoes are out of season, sub in a good store-bought salsa instead of making the pico recipe.

**If you don't have a blender, just mash the avocado with salt & lime for a quick and easy guacamole.

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