For our BMS 430 Sports Nutrition potluck, we had some great food creations.  One student developed her own “bowl” with beans and rice and another made “cookie dough dip” out of chickpeas. It’s always fun to see what students prepare to share with the class to help an athlete improve performance.  The students voted and their favorite dish was “One Pan Mexican Quinoa” prepared by Ruchithri Nanayakkara.  This dish has has a kick to it with chili powder and cumin, and also provides healthy fat (avocado), carbohydrates (quinoa) and protein (quinoa).

One Pan Mexican Quinoa

This dish is a great post workout meal for vegan and vegetarian athletes. Quinoa is one of the few plant based sources that contains complete proteins and is packed with antioxidants.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, minced
1 cup quinoa
1 ½ cup vegetable broth
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 ounces) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 cup corn kernels
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon cumin
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and diced
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and jalapeno, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant for about 1- 2 minutes. Next, stir in quinoa, vegetable broth, beans, tomatoes, corn, chili powder and cumin. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring the dish to a boil. Make sure to cover, and cook the quinoa at reduced heat and simmer until it’s cooked through for about 20 minutes. Finally, stir in avocado, lime juice and cilantro.
Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information:
Servings: 4

Per serving: 400 calories, 14 g fat, 27 g carbohydrate, 14 g fiber, 15 g protein