I have a confession to make—I am crap at budgeting. I know it stems from some lack of self-control and excessive use of the Amazon app, but it’s a habit I can’t kick. Between my inability to say no to myself and my insistence that I am an adult after all and I can do what I want even at the expense of my saving’s account I’ve had to find other ways of sticking to my budget.
One lifesaver has been prepping my lunches on Sundays to ensure that I have something healthy, affordable, and delicious. It’s so easy to fall into the trap of getting take out, going up to the disappointing work cafeteria, or worse eating a sad, soggy sandwich from the café’s fridge in our building. This means I don‘t finish lunch and always ends in some serious hanger on my part at about 3 or 4 pm.
I’ve figured out what works best for me and (big surprise) grain bowls are a huge hit for me. They’re easy to prep on the weekend and you can assemble them ahead of time so they’re ready to go every morning for you. They’re healthy, they’re filling, and they’re a way to get vegetables into my diet which I’m not always the best at doing.
That’s where this chorizo quinoa bowl with roasted veggies comes into play. It hits all the notes of ‘tex-mex’ but without the food coma that follows a big meal like that. It’s also easy to prep up and leaves you with minimal dishes which is a win-win if you ask me!
Here’s what you’ll need:
Makes six servings
- 1 pound chorizo sausage, in casing
- 2 bell peppers, chopped
- 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
- 2 sweet potatoes, chopped
- 2 cups brussel sprouts, halved
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
For the chipotle yogurt sauce:
- 1/2 cup greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo
- 2 tablespoons adobo sauce from can
- 1 cup of quinoa cooked according to the package directions–will yield 3 cups of cooked quinoa
Preheat oven to 350 F. Pat chorizo dry and place onto a lined baking sheet. In a medium bowl, combine peppers and sprinkle with half of the spices and a tablespoon of olive oil. Mix until combined and place onto a lined baking sheet with the chorizo.
In the same bowl combine sweet potatoes and brussel sprouts with remaining spices and one tablespoon of olive oil. Mix until combined and place onto a separate lined baking sheet.
Place sheet trays in the oven and roast for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, flip the vegetables and chorizo. Rotate the trays and return them to the oven for an additional 15 minutes. Remove the sausage and peppers from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Allow the sweet potatoes to cook until tender enough to be pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a cooling rack.
Once the sausage has cooled, slice into 1/4″ rounds.
While the vegetables and sausage are cooking make the sauce by combining all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Assembly:
Place 1/2 cup of cooked quinoa, 1/2 link of chorizo, and 1/4 cup of each vegetable into a bowl. When it’s time to eat your lunch reheat the bowl and top with the chilled chipotle yogurt sauce.