I should’ve planned out the beginning of this year better.
I worked pretty hard at the end of last year. At one point, I was juggling 5 jobs. Literally. (The woahs of freelance life are, well, filled with woah.)
If I were smart, I would’ve planned a getaway for the first few months of 2014 to the land of warmth and the free. What land that might be, I don’t really care. This past week in Philadelphia was brutal, and I would’ve killed to be working remotely in a far away town. You feel me? Add some waves and fresh fruit, and we could’ve really rang in the New Year right. Forget all this cold January nonsense.
Looks like I’ll be hustling extra hard to make that happen next winter. Another New Years resolution to add to the list? Maybe. For all you other northeasterns (and everywhere else it’s cold), I say we do it together.
In the meantime, you can find me snuggling up with warm bowls of comfort like this. Think lots of hearty winter squash and sweet potatoes, and nourishing whole grains and legumes. This will be a year of health, an on-going resolution I strive to keep because I know when I’m eating my best, I’m feeling my best. I’m sure you can agree.
This particular wholesome meal was triggered by a recipe I saw on My New Roots. Sarah, the author, runs the kind of blog I could stare at for hours, filled with tons of inspiring photos and lots of inventive healthy recipes. Check her out if you don’t know her already.
Feel free to add your own winter ingredients to this. I could envision steamed turnips thrown on top, or kohlrabi sliced into matchsticks and included with the raw component. Toasted sesame seeds make a great addition too. I tossed a few on top the next day.
Stay warm my friends, and enjoy!
WINTER NOURISH BOWL WITH GREEN PUMPKIN SEED SAUCE
Yield: Serves 3
Inspired by My New Roots
INGREDIENTS
- 2/3 cup brown rice
- 1/3 cup green lentils
- ¼ – ½ tsp. sea salt
- 1 head broccoli
- 1 medium sweet potato, diced
- 1 beet, shredded
- Juice of ½ lemon or lime
- Drizzle of olive oil
- Green Pumpkin Seed Sauce (see below)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Combine rice and lentils in a medium bowl, cover with water and wash well, rubbing grains and legumes together. Drain and repeat until water is clear. Cover with water again and soak overnight / for up to 8 hours in the fridge, if possible. Drain and rinse.
- In a medium saucepan place the rice and lentils, plus 1½ cups water (if soaked – add 2 cups water if un-soaked), and sea salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook covered until water has been absorbed and rice and lentils are cooked through (about 30-45 minutes depending on if you soaked the grain or not).
- While the rice and lentils are cooking, chop the broccoli into florets and the sweet potato into bite-sized cubes. About 15 minutes before the grains have cooked (check the water level before adding veggies – if it’s dry, add a little more liquid), add the sweet potato. After five minutes, add the broccoli on top of the sweet potato.
- While the rice and lentils are cooking you can also blend together the sauce (see below).
- Toss beets with a squeeze of lemon or lime juice, a drizzle of olive oil and some salt.
- To assemble the bowl, simply spoon in the cooked rice and lentils with the steamed veggies, add the beets on the side and pour sauce over. As Sarah of My New Roots says, give thanks for the abundance and enjoy.
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PUMPKIN SEED CILANTRO SAUCE
INGREDIENTS
- -1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
- -2 medium cloves garlic
- -Knob of fresh ginger
- -1/2 Tbsp. maple syrup
- -3 Tbsp. olive oil
- -1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- -3 Tbsp. lemon juice
- -1/3-1/2 cup water
- -Scant 1/2 tsp. salt
- -1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
- -Cayenne pepper to taste
- -1/2 bunch of cilantro, plus more for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast pumpkin seeds, stirring every so often, until they begin to pop. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- In a food processor, pulse to mince garlic and ginger. Add cooled pumpkin seeds and blend on high. Add remaining ingredients (start with ¾ cup water) and blend, scraping down the sides periodically. Add remaining water as needed to suit your desired consistency. Season to taste.
- If any is leftover, store in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
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Author: Grace
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