Kale and Black Bean Power Bowl with Epic Avo Cream

I love Melbourne in Autumn.   Although we still have the occasional warm and sunny afternoon, the mornings are dark, cold, and foggy.  The last hints of summer are well and truly over. It’s time to brace ourselves for the colder months to come.

As someone who loves to cook (and eat) this is the perfect time of year for me.  There’s still heaps of fresh produce to choose from at the market, but it’s cool enough that you can cosy up on the couch with a big bowl of colourful deliciousness and be quite content to stay there.

I had decided to make some guacamole to go with the beans, brown rice, and kale coleslaw I had in the fridge but I wanted to give it a bit of an extra kick.  I’m talking nutrition and flavour-wise.  Enter my Epic Avo Cream.  This stuff is boss.  It totally tastes like it shouldn’t be good for you, but it is.  All those lovely good fats from the avocado, protein from the cashews, the awesome smokey sourness of the lime juice.  Honestly, I could eat a whole jar full with a spoon whist binge watching Season 1 of Stranger Things (no spoilers please, I’m totally hooked 😉 )

Making this Epic Avo Cream is a total breeze and will give your power bowl a delicious kick.  Speaking of my colourful power bowl, this is one of my make-ahead meals that’s perfect for weeknights. Think, big batch of black beans, brown rice, and kale coleslaw on a Sunday or Monday night.  That way you’ve got either lunch or dinner covered for the next 3-4 days.

My Kale and Black Bean Power Bowl truly is a satisfying and nourishing dish.  This bright bowl of goodness is sure to put a smile on your dial, no matter how gloomy it is outside!

Kale and Black Bean Power Bowl with Epic Avo Cream

Serves 4

2 cups black beans (cooked per packet instructions)

2 cups cooked brown rice

4 cups kale coleslaw

4 heaped tbs Epic Avo Cream

2 tbs pepitas (toasted)

For the Kale Coleslaw:

1/2 bunch of kale leaves (torn into bite size pieces)

1/4 red onion (thinly sliced)

1/4 small red cabbage (thinly sliced)

a medium carrot (coarsely grated)

1 stick of celery (sliced)

1 tbs olive oil

1tbs apple cider vinegar

salt (to taste)

For the Epic Avo Cream:

1 ripe avocado

1/4 cup cashews (roasted + salted)

juice of 1 lime

salt and cayenne pepper to taste

Method:

• To make your Kale Coleslaw: put your vegetables into a large glass bowl.  Now add your olive oil, apple cider vinegar and salt.  Using your hands, massage the dressing through the veggies until the kale starts to soften. Have a little taste, add more vinegar or salt if you feel it needs it.  Cover and set aside for at least 1 hour before serving.
• To make your Epic Avo Cream: place all your ingredients into a food processor and blitz until you have a smooth and creamy consistency. It may take a little while for your cashews to break down completely so be patient and keep blitzing until it’s completely smooth.
• Now it’s time to plate up.  Grab yourself 4 bowls and put 1/4 cup of black beans in each.  Next to that put 1/4 cup brown rice.  On the other side put 1 cup of kale coleslaw.  Now dollop a tablespoon of Epic Avo Cream in the middle of each bowl and finally sprinkle over your toasted pepitas.