Can I make the beef protein bowls in advance?

Yes, you can! These are fabulous for meal prep and make a wonderful, filling lunch. Each element will keep for about five days in the fridge. The avocado will dull in color a bit the longer it's stored (the lime juice helps it keep its color, but it will fade), but is still fine to eat. You can enjoy them hot or cold too.

Can I use my air fryer to cook the sweet potatoes?

Yes! The sweet potato will cook faster in the air fryer - just 12 minutes at 400°F/200°C.

Viral Beef, Sweet Potato and Cottage Cheese Protein Bowls

Name: Viral Beef, Sweet Potato and Cottage Cheese Protein Bowls
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: american
Ingredients: 3 large sweet potatoes; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 large ripe avocado; 1 lime, juiced; A handful of cilantro, chopped; Salt; Black pepper; 1 cup cottage cheese; A handful of cilantro leaves, chopped; 2 teaspoons ranch seasoning; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 3 garlic cloves, crushed; 1 tablespoon ground cumin; 1 tablespoon smoked paprika; 1 teaspoon chili powder; 1 tablespoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon salt; 1lb/500g ground beef; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 1 can black beans (400g/15oz can), drained; A handful of spinach leaves; Hot honey sauce; Pickled jalapenos; A handful of cilantro leaves

Description

Gorgeously spiced taco beef, smashed limey avocado, charred sweet potato AND creamy cottage cheese drizzled with sweet, spicy hot honey makes these viral protein bowls the perfect quick, easy and genuinely filling meal for any day of the week. Plus, they come together in less than 30 minutes.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the sweet potatoes -

3 large sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt

For the whipped avocado -

1 large ripe avocado
1 lime, juiced
A handful of cilantro, chopped
Salt
Black pepper

For the cottage cheese -

1 cup cottage cheese
A handful of cilantro leaves, chopped
2 teaspoons ranch seasoning

For the taco beef -

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1lb/500g ground beef
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 can black beans (400g/15oz can), drained
A handful of spinach leaves

To garnish -

Hot honey sauce
Pickled jalapenos
A handful of cilantro leaves

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Instructions

Cook the sweet potatoes. Heat your oven to 430F/220C. Cut your sweet potatoes into bite-sized cubes, then arrange in a baking dish or lined oven tray. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil then scatter with 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika and salt. Toss to mix the seasoning through the potatoes, then transfer to the oven. Cook for 20 minutes, until lightly charred on the outside and cooked through (you should easily be able to pierce them with a knife). PRO TIP: You can also cook them in the air fryer at 400F/200C for 12 minutes.
Make the smashed avocado. Add the ripe avocado flesh to a small mixing bowl, then add the lime juice, a big pinch of salt, a good grind of black pepper and the chopped cilantro. Use a fork to mash the avocado. Taste and season with a little more salt if needed. Set aside.
Season the cottage cheese. Mix the cottage cheese with the chopped cilantro and the ranch seasoning. Set aside for now.
Cook the spices. Set a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat, then add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the crushed garlic, 1 tablespoon of ground cumin, 1 tablespoon of smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon of chili powder, 1 tablespoon of dried oregano and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring, for a minute.
Cook the ground beef. Add the ground beef and use a wooden spoon to break it up in the pan. Cook until brown and any water has evaporated. Add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and stir through the beef for a couple of minutes. Add the black beans and spinach leaves, then stir through the beef so that the spinach wilts and softens. Remove the pan from the heat.
Assemble the bowls. Divide the sweet potatoes between plates, then top with the beef, smashed avocado and the cottage cheese. Drizzle with hot honey sauce, then scatter with cilantro and a few pickled jalapenos.

Notes

INGREDIENT NOTES: This is one of those brilliant blank canvas type recipes where you can really play around, based on what you have on hand. Adding extra veggies works well – think steamed or grilled broccoli, beans or a quick tomato cucumber salad. Use good quality, full-fat cottage cheese for the best flavor – I’m not a huge cottage cheese fan which is why I like to season it up a bit in this recipe – but you could skip that if you don’t want to.

SUBSTITUTIONS: Swap the ground beef for ground turkey, chicken or a plant-based alternative. You could use Kidney beans, borlotti beans or white beans instead of black beans if you like. If you really don’t like cottage cheese, use thick Greek yogurt (or labneh), or whipped feta. If you have taco seasoning on hand, you could use a couple of tablespoons of that in the beef if you prefer.

STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS: This is a fabulous recipe to make ahead of time – every element keeps well for five days in the fridge – and is great hot or cold. You’ll notice the avocado will dull in color over time (the lime juice will prolong the color a little but it will eventually get quite muted and you’ll see brown bits. Don’t worry though as it will still taste lovely.

Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 20
Category: meat
Method: stove top
Cuisine: american

Nutrition

Serving Size: 300g
Calories: 513
Sugar: 12.6g
Sodium: 1042.3mg
Fat: 18.5g
Saturated Fat: 4.5g
Unsaturated Fat: 2.4g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 48g
Fiber: 13.2g
Protein: 41.3g
Cholesterol: 81.8mg