Create a bowl of healthy goodness from plants and feel good from the inside out.
Making a healthy bowl is so easy, take a good size bowl and fill and layer it with ingredients you may have in your pantry, from your garden and or in your refrigerator.
Think about a grain you like, then think of a protein you can add, next choose a healthy fat then finish with a few of your favourite vegetables add some edible flowers and herbs or micro greens.
Have fun making your own combination of healthy goodness in a bowl.
Once you have made up your bowl then think of a nice dressing to drizzle over it.
For my healthy goodness bowl I used quinoa for a grain, I added tempe bacon for the protein (find the recipe on a previous post) then I added edamame, purple cabbage, cucumber, tomato, mini capsicum, avocado, beetroot, micro greens and edible flowers.
For a dressing I made a simple lemon vinaigrette - lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, salt, dijon mustard and extra virgin olive oil.
INGREDIENTS
QUINOA: actually is a seed although it is classified by some as a wholegrain. It is considered a complete protein, meaning it contains all the essential amino acids in their necessary amounts. Quinoa is rich in protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals. It comes in a variety of colours the one I have prepared is multi coloured (black, red and white). When cooking quinoa you just add water to a ratio of 2:1 _ two being the water and one being the grain and cook for 15 minutes on a low heat.
Swap out Quinoa for steamed brown rice or wild rice, millet, bulgar wheat, kamut, amaranth, freekeh, farro or sorghum.
TEMPHE: is a plant based meat alternative made from fermented soybeans. It has a firm texture and a mild nutty flavour with the ability to absorb flavours from sauces and marinades. It has a ton of benefits such as lowering blood pressure, improving cholesterol, protecting your heart, promoting good bone health, improving insulin resistance, lowering inflammation. It also has cancer fighting and antioxidant properties. Not keen on tempe then swap out for tofu, lentils, beans or chickpeas.
EDAMAME: are young soybeans that have soft texture and a mild sweet nutty flavour. A good source of protein, iron and calcium.
AVOCADO: contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats known as the good fats which play an important role in heart health. They are a great source of nutrients such as potassium, magnesium, folate, vitamins C, E, K and vitamins B2, B3, B5 and B6. Use in place of butter on bread or crackers.
PURPLE CABBAGE: this vegetable is vibrant in colour and can be enjoyed, raw, cooked or fermented and can be added to a variety of dishes. It belongs to the brassica plant group and is known for reducing inflammation, strengthening your bones, improving your gut function and improving your heart health.
TOMATOES: come in a variety of shapes and colours. They are a major source of the antioxidant lycopene which gives tomato its red colour. Lycopene a plant compound has been linked with helping in the prevention of prostate cancer. Fibre, potassium and vitamin C play a role in supporting a healthy heart. Eat this vegetable daily and improve your health.
CAPSICUM: also know as sweet pepper or bell pepper is very high in vitamin C. Helps improve eye health, prevents anaemia, reduces anxiety, prevents cancer, boots your immune system, improves the health of your bones. So add more of this vegetable into your diet.
MICRO GREENS: not only add colour to your dish but are rich in nutrients and full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
EQUIPMENT: a good size bowl to add in your layers of vegetables etc.
RECIPE is for one bowl increase ingredients to suit the number of people having a goodness bowl.
1/4 cup quinoa grain
1/2 cup of water
1/4 'chicken like' or vegetable massel cube (optional)
1/2 cup Edamame
1/2 cup packed purple cabbage, finely shredded
1 small cucumber, sliced
6 spicy tempeh strips, sliced diagonally (see previous blog post)
6 mini tomatoes cut in half
1/2 a medium capsicum sliced
1/2 a ripe avocado sliced into bite size pieces
Garnish with micro greens and a sprinkle of black sesame seeds
METHOD:
*In a small saucepan add water and a 1l4 massel cube, place over medium heat and dissolve the stock cube.
*Once dissolved add quinoa grain and bring to a boil then turn heat down to low and simmer for about 15 minutes with the lid on until water has been absorbed.
* Remove from heat, fluff up grain with a fork and let cool.
*Prepare the other components that will make up the wellness bowl
ASSEMBLE:
*Have your bowl ready, now take each component of the dish and place it around the bowl. Arrange it how you like mixing colours and textures.
*make a simple dressing and drizzle over the healthy goodness wellness bowl just before eating.
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