Healthy Sweet Potato Burrito Bowls are easy, delicious and heart healthy. This is the perfect plant-based meal when you want something quick and satisfying. It also happens to be vegan and gluten free.

overhead view of Healthy Sweet Potato Burrito Bowls in white bowls with a black fork

New favorite meal alert! I seriously love a dinner that revolves solely around vegetables and if there was one vegetable I could NEVER get sick of, it would definitely be sweet potatoes.

Every time I’m in the grocery store, I swing by and grab a sweet potato even if the recipe I’m making doesn’t call for it. You never know when you’re going to have a sweet potato fry craving! Plus, they are high in many important nutrients; like fiber as well as vitamin A, vitamin C, manganese and several other vitamins and minerals.

Another great thing about this majestic root vegetable is that there are so many different ways to prepare it. YOU CAN…

  • Spiralize it into NOODLES
  • Chop it into a HASH
  • Make it into PATTIES
  • Slice them up into NACHOS
  • oooorrr bake them and STUFF them with all of your favorite toppings (WINNER)

ingredients for Healthy Sweet Potato Burrito Bowls; red onion, limes, chopped yellow bell pepper and sliced cherry tomatoes

This recipe is really quite simple, requiring ingredients that you can buy pre-made or follow the instructions below and make homemade salsa and guacamole. It’s entirely plant-based, gluten-free and heart healthy.

Because there is a history of heart disease in my family, I’m VERY cautious about the foods that I feed myself and my family. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common type of heart disease and the leading cause of death in the United States in both men and women. CAD occurs when blood vessels of heart become narrow, making it difficult for blood to flow to the heart. [i]

People with CAD may experience pain, shortness of breath, fatigue or even nothing at all. They also may be at risk for a heart attack.[ii] While it’s super important to take steps to prevent CAD, it is also necessary to clear arteries that have become “clogged” in order to restore blood flow to the heart.

rustic salsa, brown rice and black beans for stuffing Healthy Sweet Potato Burrito Bowls

CAD may be managed with a mixture of lifestyle changes and treatment options, with medications often being chosen as a first line of treatment.[iii]

  • In some cases, surgery may be needed. But there are other options too; including percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), a minimally invasive procedure that is used to manage CAD. Everyone – regardless of their health – should enjoy their food and lifestyle while being mindful of their wellness. By making heart-healthy ingredient swaps, you can make a popular dish better for your heart.
  • Some heart-healthy swaps and recipes may not be right for everyone. You may want to talk to your doctor before making any changes to your diet. You should follow your doctor’s guidelines or dietary restrictions for heart disease.
  • To learn more about CAD and healthy cooking options, visit HeartHealthyBeats.com, a resource developed by Boston Scientific.

Healthy Sweet Potato Burrito Bowls stuffed with brown rice and beans in white bowls

HEALTHY SWEET POTATO BURRITO BOWLS FOR HEART HEALTH:

So what makes these bowls heart healthy –

  • These burrito bowls are filled with whole grain brown rice, which is so much better for your heart than refined grains.
  • It’s great to give up meat at least one night a week and fill up with veggies. This plant-based meal is perfect for “Meatless Monday” or whatever day of the week you want to swap out meat for a veggie meal.
  • There is plenty of flavor using cilantro and other spices, so you won’t need to add much salt.
  • The avocado used as a topping is a fabulous heart healthy fat.

Healthy Sweet Potato Burrito Bowls in white bowls with black fork

 

Hope you guys love these burrito bowls as much as I do. If you give them a try be sure to snap a picture and tag it on Instagram using #kimscravings and @kimscravings IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 😊) Also, leave a comment below!

overhead of Healthy Sweet Potato Burrito Bowls in white bowls, topped with guacamole and purple cabbage

overhead view of Healthy Sweet Potato Burrito Bowls in white bowls with a black fork
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5 from 11 votes
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Healthy Sweet Potato Burrito Bowls

Yield: 4 stuffed sweet potatoes
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 30 mins
An easy, delicious and heart healthy plant-based meal.
Author: Kim

Ingredients

  • 4 small sweet potatoes (about 2ish pounds total)
  • 2 cups cooked brown or basmati rice
  • 1 cup cooked black beans, I used canned, rinsed and drained
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Rustic salsa

  • 1 yellow or red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • ½ cup red onion, finely diced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1 ½ teaspoons olive oil
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Guacamole

  • 1 ripe medium avocado
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

For serving

  • Shredded cabbage or romaine lettuce, hot sauce

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
  • Place the sweet potatoes on baking sheet, and prick each one a couple of times with a fork. Bake until very tender, about 45 minutes.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, combine the rice, black beans, cumin, garlic powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • Make the rustic salsa: In a medium bowl, combine the bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, red onion, lime juice, cilantro and olive oil. Season the mixture with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Set aside.
  • Make the guacamole: Peel the avocado and extract the pit. Place the avocado flesh in a medium bowl and mash with a fork. Once you’ve broken it up a bit, add the garlic, lime juice, cilantro and salt. Mash the avocado until the seasoning is evenly distributed and you have a chunky paste. Set aside.
  • Place each baked sweet potato in a shallow bowl. Cut along the top of the sweet potato and pull back the skin. Spilt the sweet potatoes a little bit to make room for the fillings.
  • Divide the rice and bean mixture among the sweet potatoes (spillover is fine!). Top each bowl with ¼th of the rustic salsa. Finish each plate with a dollop of the guacamole and some shredded cabbage on top. Serve with hot sauce on the side if you wish.

Notes

  • These burrito bowls are filled with whole grain brown rice, which is so much better for your heart than refined grains.
  • It’s great to give up meat at least one night a week and fill up with veggies. This plant-based meal is perfect for “Meatless Monday” or whatever day of the week you want to swap out meat for a veggie meal.
  • There is plenty of flavor using cilantro and other spices, so you won’t need to add much salt.
  • The avocado used as a topping is a fabulous heart healthy fat.
Author: Kim
Course: Main
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Serving: 1stuffed sweet potato, Calories: 388kcal, Carbohydrates: 67.1g, Protein: 10.5g, Fat: 10.9g, Saturated Fat: 1.8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5.5g, Sodium: 1183mg, Potassium: 29mg, Fiber: 15.7g, Sugar: 12.3g, Vitamin A: 3350IU, Vitamin C: 85.8mg, Calcium: 90mg, Iron: 3.1mg

Did you make this recipe?

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[i] Coronary Artery Disease. MedlinePlus. NIH U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM). Available at: https://medlineplus.gov/coronaryarterydisease.html. Accessed March 2018.

[ii] What Is Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)? Boston Scientific. Available at: www.ispciforme.com. Accessed March 2018.

[iii] How is CAD Treated? Boston Scientific. Available at: www.ispciforme.com. Accessed March 2018.