Quinoa Power Bowl with Honey Lime Dressing from the Southwest

The Southwest Quinoa Power Bowl is a full plant-based dinner made with basic whole ingredients and adobo flavor. This dish will be on repeat if you top it with a homemade honey lime dressing. Protein and fiber are abundant in this dish.

quinoa, avocado, black beans, onion, sweet potato, bell pepper, and kale in a southwest quinoa power bowl with creamy lime dressing, avocado halves, and a linen cloth under the dish

It’s basically the perfect combination of protein, carbs, vegetables, and fat. That’s what gives you the ability to take on almost any task, even cleaning!

Because plants are nutrient-dense, I try to include a lot of them in my meals. This dish may be made gluten-free and dairy-free depending on your grains and dressing components.

You’ll Need the Following Ingredients
The list of ingredients may appear large, but this power bowl dish only has two components: the bowl and the dressing.

Believe me when I say that your efforts will be rewarded!

On the board with text labels are quinoa, bell pepper, sweet potato, southwest spice, olive oil, onion, black beans, cilantro, and avocado.

quinoa in a POWER BOWL with your favorite southwest spice (I used adobo)
onion sweet potato

olive oil
beans (dark)
avocado

red bell pepper
Of course, you can make this dish your own by adding various vegetables, whatever you have on hand, leftovers from taco night, and so on.

DRESSING WITH HONEY AND LIMES
This honey lime dressing is delicious and just requires the following ingredients:

milk made from coconut (plain yogurt also works)
honeydew (or agave if strictly vegan)
olive oil,

lime,

sea salt,

coconut milk, and honey on board with text labels olive oil, lime, sea salt, coconut milk, and honey on board with text labels

What Is a Power Bowl and How Do I Make One?
It’s extremely easy and a fantastic way to get some meal prep done! This is the easiest, quickest dish you’ll ever prepare, especially if you cook the sweet potatoes, onions, and quinoa ahead of time.

JUST A COUPLE OF EASY STEPS
Make the quinoa and set it aside to cool.
Prepare the vegetables.
Prepare the salad dressing.
Combine all of the ingredients.
While this recipe makes around 2-3 servings, you could easily quadruple all of the ingredients to make a nutritious, plant-based supper for a family of four or so.

QUINOA IN AN INSTANT POT
I cooked the quinoa in my Instant Pot, which not only saved time but also ensured that the pot of quinoa did not boil over while I was tending to the vegetables. Seriously, it seems to happen every time, and the Instant Pot always comes to my rescue.

TO COOK: In an Instant Pot, combine 1 cup washed quinoa with 1 1/2 cups water or broth. Cook for one minute on high, then let the pressure naturally dissipate for ten minutes. Unlock the lid, mix, and you’re done!

Next to the dressing pitcher and avocado half are two power bowls with sweet potatoes, red bell pepper, avocado, quinoa, and spinach.

Ways to Have Fun
If you make this power bowl ahead of time, you may eat it cold.

You may also reheat it before serving.

It might also be used as a taco filler or mixed into a bowl of greens for quinoa bowl dishes.

Quinoa power bowls are one of my favorite healthy meal prep recipes since they keep in the fridge for a week. It’s up to you whether you want to mix the dressing in or keep it separate.

This dish should be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for no more than 7 days.

Quinoa Power Bowl with Honey Lime Dressing from the Southwest
The Southwest Quinoa Power Bowl is a full plant-based dinner made with basic whole ingredients and adobo flavor. This bowl will be on repeat if you top it with a healthy, homemade honey lime dressing. Gluten-free and dairy-free friendly, as well as high in protein and fiber.

FOR THE BOWLS INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup quinoa, uncooked
a quarter teaspoon of adobo seasoning (or a southwest flavor seasoning)
a quarter teaspoon of fine salt
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup rinsed canned black beans

1 sliced medium red bell pepper
1 medium avocado, garnished with sliced cilantro
2 cups curly kale, olive oil rubbed (or your choice of greens)
Dressing with honey and lime
4 tablespoons canned coconut milk* 1 teaspoon olive oil, roughly 3 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon honey (raw) (or agave if strictly vegan)
1/8 teaspoon fine salt (or more, depending on personal preference)

INSTRUCTIONS
QUINOA COOKING INSTRUCTIONS: Rinse quinoa in fine mesh sieve and place in small saucepan with 1 1/2 cup water. Allow to come to a boil, then reduce to a low heat and continue to cook for approximately 15 minutes, or until the quinoa is cooked and the liquid has largely evaporated.
Sauté SWEET POTATOES: In a medium skillet with olive oil, cook your chopped sweet potato and onion while the quinoa is cooking. Season with salt and pepper, or extra seasoning if desired. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 10-15 minutes. Optionally, soften sliced bell peppers for around 5 minutes.

TO MAKE THE DRESSING, whisk together all of the ingredients in a medium mixing basin.
BOWLS ASSEMBLY: In bowls, mix together quinoa, kale, potatoes and onions, black beans, bell pepper, and sliced avocado. Dress with honey lime dressing and cilantro, if desired, and serve.
NOTES ON THE RECIPE: If not dairy-free, plain greek yogurt can be substituted for the coconut milk. Double the ingredients for a full-fledged family supper! Any leftover ingredients can be kept in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 5 days.

80 calories, 3 grams of fat, 12 grams of carbohydrates, and 9 grams of sugar in Honey Lime Dressing.

Information about nutrition:
1 bowl = 1 serving
435 calories
8 teaspoons of sugar
727 mg sodium
16 lbs. fat
2 % Saturated Fat
13 g of unsaturated fat
Carbohydrates: 58Trans Fat: 0
15 grams of fiber
13 grams of protein
0 mg cholesterol