I prefer food drama over daytime drama, so go ahead and put away all the mayhem of Monday and saddle up to this twisted bowl of @traderjoes black bean rotini. No gluten and practically zero effort for 15 grams of protein and 14 grams of fiber…from the black bean pasta alone! Dig in friends, we got quite a week to power through…

I love a big bowl of pasta like anyone else. While I’m not gluten intolerant, I like to get more bang from my pasta with ingredients like black beans, chickpeas and lentils, which can boost the protein and fiber content. The body digests beans slower than meats, so dishes like this can keep you feeling full longer. This black bean pasta (rotini) from Trader Joe’s is gluten-free, organic and easy on the budget too at $2.99 for a 12 oz bag.

The noodles are dense with an earthy black bean flavor, so I wanted to contrast it with something a bit lighter and fresh. I found inspiration from caprese salad, using heirloom cherry tomatoes, which provide a pretty contrast to the black pasta. Paired with some fresh mozzarella and a little greenery from spring peas as well as edamame (mostly because I had some leftover in the freezer), this came together in about 20 minutes and was perfect after a busy Monday. Bonus: it’s good hot or cold, so guess who’s having this for lunch too?

Black Bean Pasta Salad
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
– 12 oz bag of Trader Joe’s Black Bean Rotini
– 1 pint of heirloom cherry tomatoes
– 1 cup of fresh or frozen spring peas
– 1 container of fresh mozzarella pearls
– Olive oil, salt and pepper to taste
– Optional add-ins: arugula, edamame, Parmesan.

Directions:

Step 1: Bring a medium pot of salted water to a bowl. Follow package instructions to cook pasta. If using frozen peas, add the peas to the water with the pasta. Drain.

Step 2: Slice the mozzarella pears and cherry tomatoes in half.

Step 3: Toss the pasta, peas, cherry tomatoes and mozzarella together with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Optional sprinkle of Parmesan to finish.

Three simple steps, 20 minutes or less. Because it’s Monday and ain’t nobody got time to make dinner. Happy Meatless Monday!

Product image credit of Popsugar. Recipe images my own.

The post Bean-anza appeared first on The Shooks Life.

Happy Earth Day y’all! This salad is brought to you by Mother Earth and all her magical vegetable glory. Made this colorful rainbow kale bowl / salad from my delivery of @imperfectproduce. Hard to believe, right? Jam-packed with goodness and my fav southwestern sweet potatoes, I can’t wait to eat this salad all week long. See below for the dEATs!

One of the healthy rules that I live by is counting colors, not calories. Eating a diverse palette of colorful food is an easy way to ensure you’re getting a well-rounded base of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Phyto-what? Phytochemicals are compounds produced by plants to thwart predators and diseases. There’s evidence that these compounds can help humans fend off disease as well. It’s phytochemicals that give produce the array of hues that span the rainbow.

Here’s a quick guide to the rainbow of nutrients you can expect from each color group:

• Red: lycopene gives these veggies their bright pigment. Lycopene is an antioxidant associated with heart heath and cancer prevention.
• Orange: fruits and veggies are rich in vitamin C, beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin, which is converted by the body into Vitamin A. There’s a reason you’re told to eat carrots for vision health!
• Yellow: these veggies are rich in lutein, which is also good for eye health. Get some vitamin C from these fruits & veggies too!
• Green: chlorophyll gives these veggies their vibrant color. Green veggies are an excellent source of acid, vitamin K, carotenoids, potassium, and omega-3 fatty acids.
• Blue/Purple: this hue comes from anthocyanins, an antioxidant that is good for the heart and supports healthy blood pressure.

For more info on @imperfectproduce, check out my blog post or my unboxing video. Less waste, more good-for-you veggies and all at a reduced cost. Give it a whirl here.

Now, what you’ve been waiting for – the recipe!

Rainbow Kale Bowl
Servings: 2-3

– 1 bunch of Tuscan kale
– 1 bunch of rainbow carrots, thinly sliced
– 1 can of low-sodium black beans, rinsed
– 1 sweet potato, diced
– 1 tsp cumin
– 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
– 1 avocado*
– 1 lime
– 1 cup cooked red quinoa
– 1 can of vegetable broth (optional, can sub 2 cups of water)
– Olive oil, salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Quinoa: Bowl 2 C of vegetable broth in a 2 quart pot. Rinse the quinoa and add to the pot of boiling broth. Cook for 15 minutes or until light and fluffy and the liquid has cooked off. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Southwestern Sweet Potatoes: Prep the sweet potato by peeling and then dicing. Heat a skillet to medium high, add a bit of olive oil. Place the sweet potatoes in the skillet with the cumin, paprika and a touch of salt and pepper. Cook for roughly 10 minutes, or until the pieces can be easily pierced with a fork. Set aside to cool.

Kale Bowl:

Step 1: Remove the ribs of the Tuscan kale and roughly tear. Place in large bowl. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and the juice of 1/2 the lime. Massage.

Step 2: Mash the avocado with the juice of 1/2 the lime along with salt and pepper.

Step 3: Assemble the by placing the kale in two individual bowls. Top with the quinoa, black beans, sweet potatoes, carrots and avocado mash.

*Shortcut: Sub the avocado for Wholly Guacamole.

Enjoy!

The post Eat the Rainbow appeared first on The Shooks Life.