This vegetable-packed bowl is full of a rainbow of colors and plenty of nutrients. The dressing brings Asian flavors to the dish that are common to Thai cuisine.
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces brown rice noodles or 1 cup uncooked brown rice
- 1 bell pepper, red and/or yellow, julienned
- 1 carrot, julienned
- 1 cucumber, julienned
- 2 cups shredded purple cabbage
- 2 scallions, chopped
- 1 cup cooked edamame, or other protein of choice
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, optional
- 8 basil or cilantro leaves, for garnish
Instructions:
- Cook rice noodles or brown rice, depending on which you’d like to use as the base of your whole grain bowl. Set aside.
- Cut up your veggies (see "Heather's Healthy Hints" below) and cook your protein of choice.
- In a jar with a tight fitting lid (like a clean jam jar) put all dressing ingredients in and shake well until combined. Alternatively, put all ingredients into a small bowl and whisk. Thin the dressing further if desired with additional water, adding 1 tablespoon at a time, until your preferred consistency is achieved. Note: This makes enough to lightly dress the bowl. If you like dressing/sauce, the recommendation is to double the dressing, that way you have plenty of extra to drizzle over the top to taste.
- Toss your grain (rice noodles or rice) with the dressing. Divide dressed grain evenly between individual serving bowls. Arrange vegetables in rainbow order around the edge: red, orange, yellow, green and purple. Garnish with sesame seeds and basil or cilantro if desired. Enjoy and be nourished!
Dressing:
- ¼ cup nut butter, either almond or peanut
- 2 tablespoons water, for thinning
- 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon minced ginger
- Dash of Sriracha, optional for heat
Nutrition (per serving): Calories 375, Total Fat 15g, Carbohydrate 50g, Protein 15g, Sodium 450mg
Heather’s Healthy Hints:
What does "julienned" mean? It is a French culinary term that means to cut into thin strips. You might think of these as "matchstick" cuts.
Find more recipes and healthy eating tips in Cooking Up Health.