Dairy-Free, Nut-Free, Vegan
SERVES 4
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES / COOK TIME: 50 MINUTES
A simple, balanced bowl is perfect for a busy weekday lunch or dinner and can be altered easily for different tastes within a family or household. Prepare all the healthy ingredients and then set them out for each person to assemble their own bowls, adding more or less dressing or vegetables and adjusting for their favorite toppings. You can use this dressing on other types of salads, as well, or as a dipping sauce for fresh vegetables.
1 cup brown rice
2 cups water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced, divided
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
½ teaspoon salt, divided
2 small jalapeños, seeded and chopped
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, grated
1 cup cilantro sprigs
Juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon maple syrup
⅓
cup tahini
1½ tablespoons miso
4 cups spinach
1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and sliced
1 cup shredded carrot
Bioactive ingredients:
brown rice, olive oil, garlic, beans, chile, ginger, tahini, miso, spinach, avocado, carrot
1.
In a medium saucepan, combine the rice and water. Bring to a boil.
2.
Reduce the heat to low. Cover the saucepan, and simmer for 45 minutes, or until all of the water has been completely absorbed and the rice is fluffy. Remove from the heat.
3.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.
4.
Add two-thirds of the garlic, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until starting to brown.
5.
Add the chickpeas.
6.
Increase the heat to medium-high. Cook the chickpeas for 3 minutes. Toss, and continue to cook for 2 minutes more, or until golden brown. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of salt. Remove from the heat.
7.
To make the dressing, put the jalapeños, ginger, cilantro, lime juice, maple syrup, tahini, miso, the remaining third of the garlic, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt in a food processor or blender. Pulse until the ingredients are blended. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed to make the consistency pourable.
8.
Place about ¼ to ⅓ cup of the cooked rice in the bottom of
each of 4 bowls, followed by 1 cup of spinach.
9.
Arrange the avocado and carrot in sections on top.
10.
Drizzle 2 to 3 tablespoons of the dressing over the top of each bowl.
11.
Add ¼ cup of the roasted chickpeas on top of each bowl.
Per Serving:
Calories: 563; Total fat: 28g; Saturated fat: 4g; Protein: 15g; Total carbohydrates: 68g; Fiber: 14g; Sugar: 8g; Cholesterol: 0g
VARIATION:
If the jalapeño in the dressing is too hot, consider using an Anaheim pepper instead for a milder flavor. You can swap out the cilantro for parsley if desired, and consider using quinoa as a base instead of rice. Swap out the spinach for arugula, kale, or red-leaf lettuce to mix it up.