Sun Goddess Protection Series: Vegan + Grain Free Burrito Bowl

This vegan, grain free burrito bowl will protect your skin from the inside out!

Today is the day! I’m off to an adventure traveling around Cambodia and Thailand – in search of holistic oasis’ and plant-based cuisine. I’ve been looking at the weather forecast there and it’s going to be  hot hot hot. Not to mention that we’ll be close to the equator, so the sun will definitely be beating down on me! 

So to help prepare for a good amount of time in the sun, I’m eating foods that are packed with vitamins and minerals that protect from environmental and UV damage. I’ve been enjoying recipes like the one below these past few weeks to give my SPF and extra boost (and a healthy glow from the inside out). You also may notice that I’ve titled this as a “Sun Goddess Protection Series”, which means I’ll be adding more articles on various ways you can protect your skin from UV damage this summer by eating specific foods + topical beauty remedies (along with a strong SPF). 

You may have seen my article on foods that help give us a summer glow from the inside out, which help us look a taaad bit more naturally tan. I’ve been adding these foods to my diet the past few weeks as well so that I don’t show up to a tropical destination lookin’ like Casper.  I also wrote about the benefits of beta carotene packed foods last week and how this plant pigment also protect our skin from photo-aging and sun damage. So there’s a lot of delicious ways that you can keep your skin safe from sun damage!

Vegan, Grain Free Burrito Sun Goddess Bowl

So what’s so special about this grain free and vegan burrito bowl? It’s packed with ingredients that contain polyphenols, a strong antioxidant that helps our skin regulate functions that protect from sun exposure. 

What are polyphenols?

To break it down, polyphenols are phytochemicals  found in plants that work as potent antioxidants to protect your body in numerous ways. One of my favorites? UV protection. They are super skin savors by protecting your skin from free radicals, reducing inflammation, and help shield us from the sun. 

You can also find polyphenols in teas such as green and black tea. So even drinking tea regularly will give your skin some much needed TLC. 

Polyphenol superstars in my vegan, grain free burrito bowl. 

• tomatoes (also a source of lycopene that is a glorious skin saver)
• onions
• kidney beans
• red peppers
• oregano
• garlic

You can explore a larger list of phenol rich foods here.

So between the amount of polyphenol and caretenoids found in the peppers, you’ve got yourself a great source of antioxidants that help protect our skin cells – yippie! If I piqued your interest about the function of polyphenols, this site offers the detailed low-down on all the different categories and structures of polyphenols. Let’s get to the recipe, already!

Vegan, Grain Free Burrito Bowl: (serves 2)

Ingredients

• 1 can of red kidney beans drained and rinsed
• 1 jar of crushed tomatoes (no sodium or low sodium)
• bag of frozen peppers + onion mix (I like the one from Trader Joes – this keeps the recipe a bit simpler than having to chop up 3 peppers and an onion.) If you want to do fresh from the garden produce, you’ll need: 1 red pepper, 1 orange pepper, 1 green pepper, 1 yellow onion. 
• 2 limes
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 big spoonfulls of vegan Toffuti sour cream (or Greek Yogurt if you eat Dairy)
• Optional – 2 shakes of Go Veggie parmesan cheese (this is not sponsored – this is my new favorite vegan parm.)
• 1 cup frozen roasted corn
• 3 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 packet of low sodium taco seasoning
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 avocado

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, heat up the coconut oil.
2. Add the bag of frozen (or freshly chopped) pepper + onion mix. Cook until sauteed.
3. Add the corn, tomatoes, and beans and cook for about 5 minutes.
4. Add all of the spices, seasonings, 1/2 cup of water and simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Spoon into two bowls, top with the sour cream, and the vegan Parmesan cheese.
6. Slice the avocado in half and top each bowl with half of an avocado.
7. Serve and ENJOY!

This sun goddess protection bowl will nourish your skin from the inside out. Your skin will thank you!