Mar 15

Mar 15 In the Kitchen - Rainbow Grain Bowl

Yesterday was a snow day for much of New York, and instead of spending my homebound afternoon cooking a cream-based soup or hearty pasta dish, I opted for something healthier (that also allowed me to use up a bunch of veggies at risk of being left to rot at the bottom of the crisper): the grain bowl.

The grain bowl is the food trend du jour, and with good reason. They're healthy: an easy way to get your daily vegetable quota in one sitting. They’re versatile: the range of ingredient combinations and flavor profiles is endless. And of course, they’re pretty. The mix of textures and jewel-toned roasted vegetables is highly photogenic, and, maybe most importantly, they’re an ideal vehicle for fried eggs and sliced avocado—which I’ve deduced are the hallmarks of instagramable food.

In my experience, a good grain bowl consists of three things:

Grains —This is your base layer. I usually use quinoa but really any grain will do. Try brown or black rice, barley, farro, bulgar, millet, or couscous.
Vegetables — I prefer a mix of cooked and raw veggies and shoot for a mix of savory, tangy/acidic, salty, and sweet flavors.
Extra stuff — Cheese, hummus, a drizzle of salad dressing, a sprinkle of sesame seeds or nutritional yeast, a poached egg, a couple strips of bacon—anything that adds a little depth of flavor is a good idea.

Below are recipes for the components of my favorite grain bowl. It's filling, delicious, and has a great balance of flavor. But really, there's no wrong mix of ingredients. Cook whatever rice or barley or quinoa you have on hand. Roast any veggies you have sitting in your fridge. Top your bowl with whatever sounds good--whether that's cheese, pancetta, sriracha...or avocado slices and a poached egg.

Chances are, it will taste as good as it looks.

Perfectly Cooked Quinoa

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa
1 ¾ cups water or broth
Sea salt

Directions:

Place quinoa and water in a pot with a big pinch of salt over high heat (if using broth in place of water, skip the salt). Bring to a boil and then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for about 15 minutes until all of the liquid is absorbed (but quinoa is still wet) and the germs have begun to spiral.

Turn off heat, place a dry paper towel between the pot and the lid, and let sit for at least 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

Recipe from Gwyneth Paltrow's It's All Good

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Ingredients:

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper

Directions:

Drizzle olive oil over tomatoes and toss until evenly coated. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and spread on a baking sheet. Roast at 425° for 20-25 minutes (you'll probably hear the tomatoes burst and sizzle, it's okay!). Remove from oven and let cool.

Spicy Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

2 medium sweet potatoes, washed, peeled, and cut into small cubes
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Cayenne or red pepper flakes

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°. Toss cubed sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt, and red pepper. Spread on baking sheet and roast for about 25 minutes, turning once after 15 minutes. Once potatoes are golden brown and easily pierced with a fork, remove from oven and serve.

Shiitake Mushroom “Bacon” Bits

I don't believe in bacon substitutes--it's a perfect food and shouldn't be messed with--but these roasted shiitakes taste shockingly like crispy bacon bits. If you're vegetarian, don't eat pork, or just want to try something new, give this recipe a whirl.

Ingredients:

2-3 cups sliced shiitake mushrooms
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Toss sliced mushrooms with a few drizzles of olive oil. Spread mushrooms on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until mushrooms are dark and crispy around the edges. Cooking time will depend on the size of your mushrooms, mine typically take about 45 minutes to get extra crispy. Remove from oven and let cool. Mushrooms will get a bit crispier as they cool.

Carrots with Black Sesame & Ginger

Ingredients:

4-8 carrots (approx. 4 cups), cut into matchsticks
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tsp finely minced fresh ginger
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp toasted black sesame seeds
Coarse sea salt

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add ginger and cook until ginger is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add carrots and toss to coat with the gingery oil. Add a big pinch of salt and ¼ cup water and turn the heat down to medium-high. Cook until the carrots just begin to soften and the water evaporates, about 5 minutes. Stir in sesame oil, soy sauce, and sesame seeds and serve.

Recipe from Gwyneth Paltrow's It's All Good

Massaged Kale with Lemon & Olive Oil

It sounds insane, but this method of preparing raw kale makes it tastier and easier to digest. Both the citrus and the kneading help to break down the kale’s toughness, making it tender and less bitter.

Ingredients:

1 large bunch of kale (either curly or lacinato)
1 lemon
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt

Directions:

After washing and drying your kale, cut out the tough center ribs and slice the leaves into thin strips. Place kale strips in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, the juice of your lemon, and a few pinches of salt. Massage kale for about 30 seconds, tossing to make sure all the leaves are coated with the olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. After 30 seconds of kneading, taste a piece and if the kale still seems too tough or bitter, massage for 30 more seconds.

Other Delicious Toppings: