“Bowl” meals
The past few days have been cold, wet, and grey – a reminder that winter is quickly approaching. This dreary weather makes me crave rich, flavorful food to warm and soothe my soul. My fridge was stocked with root vegetables from my CSA, so I decided to make some delicious fall-friendly caramelized roasted vegetables.
I set about washing, peeling, and chopping red and yellow onions, garlic, turnips, parsnips, carrots, brussels sprouts, and red potatoes, along with my few remaining yellow squashes and a green bell pepper. Sprinkled with salt and pepper and rubbed with a tablespoon or so of olive oil, the sheets went into a 400-degree (F) oven. Since I wasn’t following a particular recipe, I roasted mine for about 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so, until they were tender and browned.
I’m perfectly happy eating roasted vegetables by themselves, and I couldn’t stop myself from enjoying some right out of the oven, but I also wanted to create a complete meal with them. I decided to make a “bowl” recipe.
One of the handy things about bowl meals is their versatility. Each recipe generally contains a grain, vegetables, and a sauce, and from there the only limit is your imagination (or pantry). Don’t have any rice? No problem! Use quinoa, buckwheat, millet, or any other whole grain you have on hand. Out of fresh broccoli? Throw in some cauliflower, asparagus, or green beans! No time to make a sauce before dinner? Whip some up over the weekend to have on hand or just use your favorite bottled salad dressing.
Bowls are also convenient when putting together meals for people with different likes or needs because diners can choose their preferred components. Those desiring a higher protein content can simply include some cooked beans (garbanzo, black, lentils, etc.) or leftover cooked meat. If seeds are a safe option they can be sprinkled on top to provide crunch and additional plant-based protein, along with some healthy Omega 3 fats.
The whole-grain and vegetable base of most bowls provides not only a variety of vitamins and minerals, but also a hefty dose of fiber, which is often lacking in our diets. The parsnips and turnips in my vegetable combination are both good sources of fiber, along with Vitamin C, Vitamin K, and several B vitamins. Carrots are a well-known source of Vitamin A. Cruciferous vegetables like brussels sprouts contain phytonutrients that may help reduce inflammation in the body. In short, vegetables are amazing – eat more of them!
The majority of the sauces I found paired with roasted vegetables, and indeed most of the sauces I found paired with bowls, are made with tahini or hummus (which itself is made with tahini). Tahini is a paste made from sesame seeds, so it’s not an appropriate sauce ingredient for those with a sesame allergy. To avoid sesame, home-made tahini-free hummus like this one from The Wholesome Dish can be used. For my dinner I chose to try the Minimalist Baker’s Dill Garlic Sauce, which worked nicely with my roasted veggies.
For my next bowl, I think I’ll try Cookie and Kate’s carrot ginger dressing. Or maybe my aquafaba-mayo-based dressing. Or maybe the Minimalist Baker’s Roasted Rainbow Vegetable Bowl. The possibilities are endless! It’s going to be a delicious winter.