10-Minute Mexican Bowl

39g protein | 16g fibre (or 12g without the orange dessert) | 473 calories

This quick and colourful bowl is a weekday win, ready in just 10 minutes and designed to fuel your body with real food. With nearly 40g of protein and 16.4g of fibre, it’s the perfect balance of macronutrients to support blood sugar, satiety, and muscle recovery. It’s also naturally rich in polyphenols - plant compounds that support gut health and reduce inflammation, thanks to a diverse mix of beans, vegetables, spices, salsa and citrus.

Polyphenol-Rich Ingredients in This Bowl:

• Red capsicum

• Spring onion

• Black beans

• Avocado

• Salsa & spices

• Cara Cara orange

What Are Polyphenols and Why Do They Matter?

Polyphenols are natural compounds found in plant foods that act as antioxidants and anti-inflammatories in the body. But they’re also prebiotic powerhouses — many of them resist digestion in the small intestine and instead reach the colon, where they feed beneficial gut bacteria. These good bugs, in turn, ferment polyphenols into bioactive metabolites that support digestion, immune function, metabolic health, and even mental wellbeing.

Including a wide variety of polyphenol-rich foods daily, like in this Mexican bowl, helps promote microbial diversity and overall gut resilience one of the foundations of long-term health.

(Li et al., 2023)

Ingredients:

• 100g red capsicum (about 3/4 of a capsicum)

• 100g extra lean grass-fed beef mince

• 75g black beans (1/3 of a can)

• 1/4 cup of corn kernels

• 20g avocado

• 20g cottage cheese (about 4 tsp)

• 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1x (4g) small spring onion, chopped

• 1-2 tbsp of salsa

• Seasoning to taste: smoked paprika, garlic powder, ground cumin, ground coriander.

• Salt to taste

• *Optional: Cara Cara orange for dessert or fruit of choice.

Method:

1. Heat a pan over medium heat and add the olive oil.

2. Add the extra lean beef mince and cook until browned, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks.

3. Sprinkle in your seasoning and stir to coat the mince.

4. Add the red capsicum and cook for 2–3 minutes until just softened.

5. Toss in the black beans and corn, stir through, and let it warm for another 1–2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

6. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.

7. Top with sliced spring onion, cottage cheese, avocado, and a spoonful or two of salsa.

8. Serve with a juicy Cara Cara orange (or your fruit of choice) on the side for a bonus hit of fibre and polyphenols.