Nourish Bowl

I’ve definitely been taking advantage of all the Brussel Sprouts on sale lately! How about you? What are your favorite fall fruits and veggies? I also love me some Acorn squash, pears, persimmons, dates, and pomegranates as well. Wholesome bowls with the current season in mind is definitely the way to go.

As for Brussel Sprouts, this Nourish Bowl is one of my favorite ways to incorporate this healthy cruciferous vegetable into my whole food plant-based diet.

Brussel Sprouts are full of fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. And when prepared properly, they are also freaking delicious. Enjoy!

Nourish Bowl - Makes 2 bowls

• 2 cups cooked quinoa

• 2 cups Brussel Sprouts, washed, ends trimmed off and cut in half

• 1 can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained

• 4 cups of kale, shredded

• 1/2 cup of sauerkraut, divided

• 1 Tb of BBQ sauce of choice or Korean gochujang paste

• 1 Tb coconut aminos ( tamari or soy sauce can be used instead )

• 2 tsp roasted sesame seeds or furikaki, divided

• 1 avocado cut in half and sliced

• 1 lemon sliced in half

• Creamy Lemon Tahini Dressing ( recipe can be found on my “Dressings” page. Link HERE )

*Preheat oven to 375F and cook quinoa according to the package instructions.

*Put washed and sliced Brussel Sprouts in a medium-size bowl and add 1 Tb of coconut aminos and the juice of 1/2 of a lemon. Next, spread Brussel Sprouts on a parchment-lined baking tray.

*Place one can of rinsed and drained chickpeas in the medium-size bowl and toss with 1 Tb of BBQ sauce or gochujang paste until well coated. Place chickpeas on a second parchment-lined baking tray.

*Put baking trays in your pre-heated oven for 30-40 minutes or until desired “crispiness” has been reached.

*Place shredded kale in a medium-size bowl and squeeze the remaining lemon half over the kale. Massage the lemon juice into the kale and set aside.

To Assemble Nourish Bowl

Separate the kale into 2 medium-size serving bowls. Add 1 cup of cooked quinoa on top of the kale. Next, divide the Brussel sprouts and BBQ chickpeas and arrange them in the serving bowls. Top Nourish Bowl with 1/2 of a sliced avocado, 1/4 of a cup of sauerkraut, 1 tsp sesame seeds, or furikaki and Tahini Miso Dressing.

The Grain-Based Macro Bowl

I probably make a variation of a Macro Bowl about 3-5 times a week. So comforting, so full of flavor and so incredibly healthy for you. This “easy to throw together” bowl will make a wonderful staple for you and your family during these stressful times.

Feel free to play around with the base ingredients that I have listed below. Please use whatever you currently have in your pantry and fridge because there are no strict rules for this bowl.

For the bowl pictured above, I used chickpeas, quinoa, a variety of sweet potatoes, raw kale, sauerkraut, chopped almonds, and a tahini/lemon/miso-based dressing. The idea is to use some sort of plant-based protein ( tofu, tempeh, beans or lentils ), some sort of grain ( quinoa or rice ) or another whole plant carb like sweet potatoes or squash, some veggies ( raw or fresh ), some sort of fat ( tahini, avocado, or nut butter ) some seeds or nuts for some crunch, some sort of fermented food like sauerkraut or kimchi and, ideally, some sort of sea vegetable like crushed nori.

The Grain-based Macro Bowl

• 1 cup cooked quinoa

• 1/2 cup of roasted sweet potatoes

• 1/3 cup of chickpeas

• 1 large handful of shredded kale

• a couple of tablespoons of sauerkraut

• 1 Tb chopped almonds

• a couple of Tbs dressing ( see recipe below )

• 1/2 of a sliced avocado

• Layer in a bowl, top with dressing, and serve.

Prep for Roasted Potatoes

Take 2 or more sweet potatoes and cut into small cubes ( you may skin them if you prefer ). Toss potato cubes with 1-2 tsp of olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper. Next, spread seasoned potato cubes on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Roast potato cubes at 425F for 40 mins until crispy and browned. Flip potatoes halfway through. Oven temps can vary so some potatoes may need less of more time to reach the desired crispiness. Save any leftovers in the fridge for the next day.

Prep for cooked Quinoa

Rinse 2 cups of dried quinoa if a mesh strainer for about 1 minute. Place in a medium-size soup pot with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil over med-high heat then cover and reduce heat to very low. Cook covered for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, leave the lid on, and “steam”. Remove lid and fluff cooked quinoa with a fork. This makes a lot of quinoa. I like dividing this into 1 cup servings and placing it in the freezer for later use.

My favorite Macro Bowl Dressing

• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

• 2 Tbs water

• 2 Tbs avocado oil

• 2 Tbs tamari or low sodium soy sauce

• 1/4 cup light miso

• 1/3 cup tahini ( you can omit this for a lower fat dressing )

• Mix in a small mason jar. Keeps for about 1 week in the fridge.