Chicken & Black Bean Burrito Bowls

One of my goals with this blog is to show that you can eat healthy, delicious food without losing flavor, getting bored, or following a strict diet or specific eating style. I have nothing against vegetarian, vegan, raw or gluten free diets, but I don’t have any specific reason to follow them myself and I happen to really like animal products. Instead, I focus on eating a diversity of nourishing foods, all while making sure I have something every now and then for my sweet tooth. I’m not afraid of trying foods that fit into those other categories and some of my favorite recipes and food blogs are vegan, gluten free or raw.

Since September, I have been experimenting with an eating style called IIFYM, or If It Fits Your Macros. I think this topic is better suited to its own post, which I’ve been thinking about writing for a while now. I’ve been hesitant though, because I don’t want to scare off readers by thinking that I am a strict Fill In The Blank eater or a hard-core dieter. In fact, I’m far from it. I’ve often felt that I’m not suited to share my knowledge or thoughts on nutrition and exercise since I am not a registered dietitian or certified trainer, but I think I’ve got some insight and tricks that might be helpful to share with others. I’d love to know if these are topics you’re interested in hearing more about, though (especially IIFYM).

Long story short, after months of IIFYM I realized over the last week or so that it’s time for a little break and I’m taking two weeks off to re-energize and get back into intuitive eating. I’m definitely not an expert in any style of eating (except the one where you stuff a whole lot of food into your mouth in one sitting), but I do a lot of research and have experimented with different strategies for healthy eating and exercise.

Now, let’s talk about these burrito bowls, shall we? This is the second week that I’ve made a version of these Chicken & Black Bean Burrito Bowls and they are the perfect make-ahead lunch to bring with you on the go. They are packed with protein, healthy fats, and carbs, and, as a result, are super filling. You can easily make these vegetarian/vegan by skipping the chicken, and even adding tofu or tempeh if you’d still like to get in lots of protein.

Are you wondering how to make perfect shredded chicken? Check out this recent post to get all the deets. It’s way easier than you think, and you can make a big batch and store it in the freezer for later.

Now onto the dressing. This dressing is creamy, salty and just a touch spicy. The almond butter creates the creamy texture without using any dairy products. Some cayenne pepper gives you the necessary heat to make this the ideal Mexican meal. You will need to add a touch of water to thin out the dressing. Start with a small amount and keep adding until you’ve reached your desired consistency. You don’t want it too thin though because it will make your burrito bowl watery.

It’s a good thing there are bright red tomatoes and purple onion in this salad because when I was linking up to Davida’s St. Patty’s Day post the other day I realized that a ton of my recipes are either green or brown. Gotta work on that color diversity.