Lighten Up with Bowl Food

Spring is in the air, tantalizing us with the prospect of baring a little skin to the sunshine. If the thought of shedding those layers has you feeling self conscious, it may be time to commit to a bowl food re-set.

You see, while I never DIET, I do occasionally notice the scale inching a bit in the wrong direction. That’s when it’s time to double down on eating healthy bowls. Follow the bowl model, and pile up a bunch of filling whole grains, vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds, and you’ll find it easier to pare down a little.

Add some exercise, and you’re on your way.

For this gorgeous bowl of food, I wanted to make put my fresh turmeric front and center. So, I tossed some in the cauliflower with smoked paprika and roasted it to tender perfection, and then I put some turmeric in the creamy cashew dressing.

I’ve written lots about the health benefits of turmeric, here with a recipe for dal, and here in a juice for healthy skin. Nourished skin will look better in a tank top, right?

Beautiful Fresh Turmeric

To keep me interested in my bowl food, I went for lots of textures and flavors. The turmeric coated cauliflower is smoky and spicy and tender, as is the roasted sweet potato. Kale and red cabbage give us lots of crunch and color.

For a complete meal, you need some protein and fat, and cashews in the dressing as well as on the bowl have plenty. The creamy dressing and crunchy nuts add more textures and flavors.

Creamy or Crunchy, Cashews Rule

Of course, kale and quinoa are superfoods. Sliver the kale thinly, so it will be easier to chew. I used red quinoa, but you can use what is easiest for you, white, three-color blend, whatever is on hand. The protein and fiber are both perfect for keeping you full while you re-set the scales.

All the gorgeous color is not just enticing, but good for you. The pigments that make turmeric golden, kale green, red cabbage purple, and quinoa red are all antioxidants. As long as we are eating well, we might as well protect every cell from the inside out.

Feast On Color!

Welcome Spring, by feeding yourself tasty, invigorating bowl food. You’ll feel great!

Print Pin

Kale Bowl with Quinoa, Spicy Cauliflower and Sunny Cashew Dressing

This is a big bowl of everything you need for dinner right now.

Servings 4 servings

Author Robin Asbell

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup raw cashews soaked
• 2 cups cubed sweet potatoes
• 4 cups cauliflower florets
• 2 tablespoons fresh turmeric divided
• 1 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt plus a pinch or two
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup red quinoa
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 clove garlic peeled and chopped
• 1 bunch lacinato kale stemmed and sliced
• 1 wedge red cabbage slivered
• 1 package enoki mushrooms trimmed
• 1 cup roasted cashews unsalted
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves

Instructions

• First, soak the cashews for at least a couple of hours, preferably overnight, then drain and rinse.
• Heat the oven to 425 F. Spread the sweet potatoes on one sheet pan and the cauliflower on another. Drizzle about half a tablespoon of olive oil on each pan. On the cauliflower, sprinkle half of the turmeric, the paprika, and half of the salt. On the sweet potatoes, sprinkle the pepper and a pinch of salt. Toss each pan to mix well.
• Roast for 20 minutes, then test the cauliflower, it should be tender and browned, take out to cool. Test the sweet potato, it may need another 10 to become tender. Let cool.
• While the veggies roast, cook the quinoa.
• In a Vitamix or other blender, place the lime juice, water, garlic, drained cashews, the remaining tablespoon of turmeric, the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Secure the lid and select Variable Speed 1, then gradually increase to 10, then high. Blend until creamy, scraping down as needed.
• In each wide, low bowl, arrange 1/4 of the kale, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, quinoa, red cabbage, enoki mushrooms, cashews and cilantro. Drizzle with dressing and serve.