Let the power of these three sisters fuel your day! Corn, beans, and squash are three of the earliest crops grown by Native Americans in the Sonoran region. Nicknamed the “Three Sisters,” they thrive when planted close together, and when eaten together they are nutritionally complete. If you’ve never tried Tepary beans, this recipe is an excellent place to start. Tepary beans have a rich, meaty flavor and firm texture – they’re available online, but you can substitute other prepared beans instead. This recipe was first published in my cookbook, Taste of Tucson: Sonoran-Style Recipes Inspired by the Rich Culture of Southern Arizona. The photograph for this recipe is an American Photography Award winner.
This Three Sisters power bowl brings the Three Sisters together in a single breakfast bowl that is vegetarian and gluten-free. Quinoa cooks directly in spicy green tomatillo salsa and broth. Tepary beans, roasted corn, spiralized zucchini, sliced avocado, and pico de gallo arrange around the top, with a fried egg in the center.
What Are the Three Sisters?
The Three Sisters are corn, beans, and squash, three crops that Native peoples of the Americas, including the Tohono O’odham of the Sonoran Desert, have cultivated together for thousands of years. Corn stalks give beans a place to climb. Beans fix nitrogen that feeds the corn and squash. Squash leaves shade the ground and hold moisture. Each plant supports the others, which is why they earn the name sisters rather than just crops.
In this bowl, roasted corn represents the first sister, tepary beans the second, and spiralized zucchini the third. Together they form a nutritionally complete meal that is high in protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats.
Ingredients
- 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 cup Spicy Green Tomatillo Salsa , Get the recipe
- 2 cups uncooked quinoa
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro firmly packed
- 2 cups spiralized zucchini or other summer squash
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 4 eggs
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 cups Tepary beans prepared according to package directions
- 1 cup roasted corn kernels defrosted if frozen
- 2 large avocados sliced
- ½ cup Pico de Gallo salsa
Instructions
- Bring broth and Green Tomatillo Salsa to a boil in a medium pot. Add the quinoa, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 12 minutes or according to package directions. Remove from heat, stir in chia seeds, cilantro and zucchini. Cover and steam for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the butter in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Fry the egg to your desired doneness. Season with salt and pepper.
- Divide the prepared quinoa among 4 serving bowls. Arrange the prepared Tepary beans, corn, zucchini, avocado slices, and chunky pico de gallo salsa around each bowl and top each with an egg. Serve immediately.
