Here’s a little something to bring your cholesterol levels back to safety after your Sunday steak night! 

Steak is fun, but we know we can’t live like that every day. So for the start of the week, I’ve got a more responsible, but no less tasty meal for us all.

In this bowl here I’ve got quinoa, pinto beans, avocado, cilantro, roasted jalapeño, sour cream, lime, pico de gallo, and the escabeche I told you about last week. Doesn’t it all just look so wholesome and colorful? It’s a bit like telling your arteries, “Thanks for the fun weekend! You can go relax now.”

It’s also super easy! Just make a batch of quinoa and boil some beans (pintos, or sub with whatever your favorite is) and then add any and all garnishes you like! Don’t love avocado? I don’t understand but you can leave it off! Not into spicy? Skip the jalapeño! Can have taco flavors without cheese? I’ll allow it. Want crunch? You could add pepitas, and now I’m wishing I had.

Whatever you choose, just make it colorful, ok? Color means flavor and vitamins and minerals, and to me, a visual invitation to grab a giant spoon and dig in.

Pintos and Quinoa Bowl with Garnishes

• 2 cups dry quinoa
• 1 lime, zested and juiced
• 2 tbs cilantro, chopped
• 4 cups cooked pinto beans (homemade or canned)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano

Garnishes:

• escabeche
• avocado
• pico de gallo
• lime wedges
• cilantro
• roasted jalapenos
• crema/creme fraiche/sour cream

1. Bring 6 cups of water to boil with a generous pinch or two of salt. Add quinoa, lower heat and cook on low for 15 minutes, covered, or until quinoa is tender and translucent. Drain any excess water, cover pan with a clean dishtowel and replace lid. Let sit for 10 minutes, then fluff and stir in lime zest and juice and chopped cilantro. Keep warm until ready to serve.
2. While quinoa is cooking, saute garlic in 1 tbs olive oil until fragrant, then add beans and oregano. Season with salt and pepper and stir occasionally until beans are warmed through, adding a little water to the pan if needed to keep from getting too dry.
3. To serve, spoon quinoa into bowls and top with beans, then garnish with anything desired, using the list above as a guideline for ideas.

Notes:

• You can use veggie or chicken stock instead of or in addition to water for more flavor if you like when cooking the quinoa. Just make sure you are working with 6 cups of liquid total.
• I recommend cooking your own beans for this, just because they taste better, but I didn't include a recipe for that, because I usually just follow Mark Bittman's instructions, and so far I have yet to make a batch that didn't come out split or a little overcooked. One day I will practice enough to get around to posting a bean recipe on here, but today is not that day.