Veggie and Rice Bowl with Cilantro Lime Ranch

Generally, I feel like we make pretty good food choices around here.  We tend to eat a variety of food, and a lot of vegetables and fruit, but I also really like making desserts and sometimes go overboard for holidays. Yesterday was Valentine's Day, and we celebrated all weekend.  

Between Friday, Saturday and Sunday, I made lemon ice cream with an orange, hibiscus syrup, an angel food cake and  beet waffles.  Sugar overload!  The angel food cake was sort of an accident, because we had a bunch of egg whites left over from the ice cream, and I obviously didn't want them to go bad... And I refuse to eat egg white omelets.  

I am craving vegetables after our sugary weekend, and this meal is perfect for it.  It is hearty, beautiful, and super nutritious, and also really simple.  I have found that some of the simplest meals are some of my favorite.  

This is a 30-minute meal, if you use canned black beans or make crockpot beans in advance.  Also, we have a rice cooker, which cooks rice extremely quickly, but if you don't have a rice cooker, you do minute rice, or stovetop.  Hopefully this tasty recipe will help you recover from your sugary weekend, too!  

Also, on an unrelated note, today is the last day to vote for the Mrs. Meyer's Contest!  Thank you all for your support!  I am so grateful!  

Veggie and Rice Bowl with Cilantro Lime Ranch:
serves 4

1 large sweet potato, diced into 1/2" cubes
1 red pepper, destemmed, seeds removed, and thinly sliced.
1 Tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 cups cooked black beans or a can of rinsed black beans
3 cups cooked rice
1/2 cup cilantro lime ranch dressing (see recipe below)

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone mat.  Spread diced sweet potato and red pepper out on the silicone mat.  Pour olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder over the top and mix around with clean hands or a spoon, until the vegetables have been evenly coated in the oil and spices.  Spread them out so they are not overlapping too much, and form a single even layer across the pan.  Cook in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a fork easily pierces the potato.

Layer rice, black beans, and sweet potato, from bottom to top, and finish with a few slices of red pepper.  Top with ranch dressing.

Cilantro Lime Ranch: 
Makes 3/4 cup

1/2 cup mayo
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/8 cup finely chopped, de-stemmed cilantro
2 tsp lime juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic
1/4 tsp sugar
sprinkle pepper

Combine all ingredients in a jar.  Stir with a spoon, or shake until combined.  If you can't get rid of the lumps, run it in a food processor, or blender for 20 seconds.