So happy to come out with another mini meal plan! This series is one of my absolute favorite things to work on. It definitely takes a lot of planning and energy, but making interconnected recipes that flow into each other is endlessly inspiring and satisfying. This kind of work reminds me that home cooking doesn’t need to be complicated to be good, that leftovers are a true gift, and that food waste is not a necessary part of life (though it’s so hard to avoid!).
This mini is even more fun than usual, since it includes a wholesome treat recipe among the savory ones. The whole thing is centered around black beans – a magical ingredient that will make its way into tacos, bowls, and brownies. As usual, we walk you through some simple prep steps and provide a shopping list for all the ingredients. If you enjoy this mini, check out this more wintery black bean meal plan we did a few months ago, as well as all our meal plans. Let’s get started :)
Menu
- Creamy Black Bean Bowls
- Refried Black Bean and Cauliflower Tacos
- Black Bean Raspberry Brownie Bites
*all recipes are vegan and gluten-free, see the recipes for serving sizes
Shopping List
(Print)
Bring this list with you when you go food shopping, it’s got all the ingredients you’ll need for the recipes in this meal plan mini. All the items are separated by category, to make the shopping easier and more efficient. Take the time to look over this list beforehand and cross out any items you already have. The hope here is that you own some of the pantry staples, spices, and maybe even some of the produce required, which will help minimize the list. Add whatever other ingredients you’ll need for the week here, if doing shopping for the whole week.
- 1 1/2 yellow onions
- 1 medium red onion
- 1 head of garlic (7 cloves)
- 2 jalapeno peppers
- 2 limes
- 1 very large or 2 small heads of cauliflower
- pint of cherry tomatoes
- about 4 avocados
- about 6 oz fresh or frozen raspberries
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 1 bunch scallions
- 3 cups dry black beans
- 2 cups rice of choice or quinoa
- 1 cup untoasted cashews
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
- black pepper
- smoked paprika
- chili powder
- cumin seeds or ground cumin
- bay leaves
- sea salt
- olive oil or other cooking oil of choice
- coconut oil
- brown rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- tahini or other nut butter
- vanilla extract
- cocoa powder
- coconut sugar
- baking powder
- hot sauce (optional)
- corn tortillas or other tortillas of choice
Basic Prep
1) Cook the beans and make the Creamy Black Beans
- 3 cups dry black beans
- sea salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion - sliced in half
- 1 jalapeño - slit down the side
- 5 cloves of garlic - smashed and peeled
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- juice from 1 lime
- Soak the beans overnight or up to 24 hours in plenty of purified water with a splash of apple cider vinegar.
- Drain and rinse the beans. Place them in a large soup pot and cover them with purified water by about 2". Add a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for 30 minutes. Taste for doneness. If the beans are not completely soft, continue to cook until fully done. Salt at the last 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove 1½ cups of the beans to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to make the brownies.
- Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion halves, face down, and the jalapeño. Let sit on the heat for about 4-5 minutes, flipping the jalapeño halfway through, until the vegetables are slightly charred. Add the garlic cloves and let them get fragrant for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Remove some water from the pot with the cooked beans, so that the beans are just covered by the water (by about 1"). Add the charred onion, jalapeño, garlic, and the oil from the pan to the pot. Add the paprika, chili, cumin, another generous pinch of salt, black pepper, and bay leaves, mixing everything in. Bring the beans up to a very strong simmer over medium heat. Let simmer, with the lid askew, for 30-45 minutes, until the bean liquid has reduced and become creamy, and until the beans are buttery soft. The liquid will thicken more once it cools. Turn off the heat and mix in the lime juice. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust if needed. Remove the jalapeño, onion, and bay leaves.
- Remove 2 cups of the creamy beans to an airtight container, catching some of the liquid but not too much. These will be used for the Refried Black Bean Cauliflower Tacos (recipe below), so keep them refrigerated until ready to make the recipe. Use the rest of the creamy beans in the Creamy Black Bean Bowls (recipe below).
2) Cook the Rice or Quinoa
- 2 cups rice of choice or quinoa
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper (optional)
- olive oil (optional)
- brown rice vinegar (optional)
- Cook the rice or quinoa according to the instructions on the package (if your rice came in a package), or any other cooking method you prefer, like in a rice cooker, etc. We like to cook our rice with a generous pinch of salt, a grind of black pepper, a glug of olive oil, and a small splash of brown rice vinegar, which makes it infinitely more flavorful. Use in the Creamy Black Bean Bowls (recipe below).
3) Make the Quick Pickled Onions
- ½ cup brown rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup warm purified water
- 1½ teaspoons sea salt
- 1 medium red onion - thinly sliced
- Combine the vinegar, water and salt in a large glass jar. Close the jar and shake to dissolve the salt. Add the onion and shake once again to mix.
- Let the onions marinate at room temperature for at least 1 hour. The onions will become more flavorful as more time passes. Store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
4) Make the Cilantro Jalapeño Crema
- 1 cup untoasted cashews - soaked in water for at least 15 minutes
- ½ cup purified water
- juice from 1 lime
- ¼ - ½ of a jalapeño
- handful of cilantro (tender stems included)
- sea salt
- Drain and rinse the cashews. Place them in an upright blender, along with the purified water, lime juice, jalapeño, cilantro, and sea salt to taste. Blend on high until smooth, adding small splashes of water if the sauce seems too thick. Taste for salt and adjust if needed. Keep refrigerated in an airtight container.
5) Roast the Cauliflower
- 1 very large or 2 small heads of cauliflower - chopped into bite-sized florets
- olive oil or other cooking oil of choice
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 6 scallions - sliced into ½" pieces
- Preheat oven too 400° F (200° C). Prepare 2 parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Distribute the cauliflower between the baking sheets, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and cumin seeds. Mix to coat. Place in the oven and roast for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, flip the cauliflower on both trays and add the scallions, mixing them into the cauliflower. Roast for 10-15 more minutes, or until the cauliflower is very soft and caramelized and the scallions are slightly charred.
Recipes
These bowls are all about the creamy black beans, which make the best case for cooking beans from scratch. They turn out so velvety and flavorful, and you can change up the spices and aromatics based on your preferences. They’re delicious simply served over something starchy like rice or quinoa. But a few of our punchy, colorful toppings from prep day take them to that completely next level. Best part? These bowls come together in no time since you’ve done all the prep.
- about 5 cups creamy black beans (recipe above)
- about 6 cups cooked rice or quinoa (recipe above)
- quick pickled onions (recipe above)
- cilantro jalapeño crema (recipe above)
- other topping suggestions
- cubed avocado
- sliced cherry tomatoes
- fresh cilantro leaves
- sliced green onion
- Serve the warm creamy black beans in individually portioned bowls, over warmed rice/quinoa, topped with quick pickled onions, crema, avocado, tomatoes, cilantro, and/or green onion.
We’re so obsessed with these tacos! They repurpose the creamy black beans in a refried bean scenario, which gives them a totally new life. In addition, the tortillas get loaded up with our roasted cauliflower and scallions, quick pickled onions, crema, tomatoes, cilantro, and/or any other toppings you like on your tacos. The result is a perfectly filling and flavorful package that we crave constantly.
- olive oil or other cooking oil of choice
- ½ yellow onion - diced
- sea salt
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cloves of garlic - minced
- 2 cups creamy black beans (from above)
- refried black beans (recipe above)
- warmed corn tortillas or other tortillas of choice
- warmed roasted cauliflower and scallions (recipe above)
- cilantro jalapeño crema (recipe above)
- quick pickled onions (recipe above)
- cubed avocado
- sliced cherry tomatoes
- fresh cilantro leaves
- hot sauce (optional)
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of sea salt, and sauté until translucent, about 7 minutes. Add the chili powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and garlic, and mix everything in for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Mix in the beans and let them warm through.
- Mash the beans with a potato masher or a fork right in the skillet, until most of them are mashed, with some whole pieces remaining throughout. Cook for an additional 2 minutes, adding small splashes of water if the beans seem too dry. Taste for salt and adjust when needed. Serve warm in the tacos.
- Spread a generous amount of black beans in the bottom of each tortilla. Top with the roasted cauliflower and scallions, dollops of crema, quick pickled onions, avocado, tomatoes, cilantro, and hot sauce, if using. Enjoy right away.
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
- 1½ cups plain cooked black beans (from recipe above)
- 3 tablespoons soft coconut oil, plus more for oiling the tin
- 2 tablespoons tahini, almond butter, or other nut butter of choice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- pinch of sea salt
- about 6 oz fresh raspberries (or frozen but not thawed)
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175° C). Prepare a 12 hole muffin tin by oiling each hole with soft coconut oil.
- In a small bowl, combine the ground flax with 6 tablespoons of water. Whisk together and let sit while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- In a large bowl, mash the black beans until smooth. Add the oil, tahini/nut butter, vanilla, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, and salt to the bowl. Mix everything together until smooth. Fold in the flax mixture, which should be thickened to a raw egg-like consistency at this point. Carefully fold in the raspberries. You can also do all this mashing and mixing in a food processor if you prefer.
- Distribute the brownie mixture in the oiled muffin tin, patting it down into the muffin holes somewhat evenly. I like to use slightly dampened hands for this, but you can also use a wetted spoon. Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the brownies are dry to the touch on the outside and fudgy on the inside. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before removing the brownies from the pan. Keep refrigerated or frozen in an air-tight container.
Sandy says
Once I cook the black beans can they be frozen? I am the only one eating beans in our family ;)
Thank you for your wonderful recipes!
Anya says
Hi Sandy,
Yes, you can definitely freeze them! I recommend freezing them covered by their liquid, which keeps them from getting freezer burnt.
Laura says
These are SO GOOD!!! Mine completely collapsed in the middle, though. What did I do wrong?
Anya says
Hi Laura,
So glad you enjoyed the brownies! They tend to do that. I think it’s because they’re made with black beans instead of flour, so the baking powder interacts differently with the beans.
Dana Lamm says
Hello Anya,
Can I substitute cacao powder for cocoa powder?
I’m planning to do this mini meal plan this week. So helpful!!
Thanks so much!
Masha says
Hi Dana,
Yes, that should work! Hope you enjoy the mini :)
Dana Lamm says
Thanks so much for your response, Masha
Amy says
Hi!!! I am oil free. Can you think of a non-oil substitute for the coconut oil in this recipe?
Amy says
I should clarify, for the brownie recipe.
Anya says
Hi Amy!
It’s hard to say because I haven’t tested them out without oil. They might be ok without oil as is, or increasing the amount of nut butter a bit might work. Sorry I’m not of more help, please let us know if you try them!
chinnaddington says
Looks amazing. Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing.
Kamile says
Hello! What are the two extra tablespoons of sugar for in the brownie recipe?
Also, thank you very much for the meal plans, my life is easier now! :-)
Anya says
Hello Kamile,
So glad you’re enjoying the meal plans! The full 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons of sugar get added to the bowl with the black beans as per the recipe. Hope this makes sense.