GRATITUDE BOWL

Being grateful is the root of happiness.  It is so easy to take things for granted and forget to be grateful for what we have.   Taking a moment to think about those things that we love and appreciate, gives us a better outlook at life. We can switch a whole mind set with being grateful, by transforming a negative thought into a thankful one.

Eating should be a special time where we enjoy and savor cuisine that we, or someone else conceived for us, Meals are made with more than mere ingredients  They are made with  love and creativity. They also have an important function to feed our bodies with nutrients while also appealing to our palate. That makes savoring a dish something special, something to be grateful for.

I called this bowl the gratitude bowl, because it is made with a lot of ingredients that I love to eat. Quinoa, lentils, beets, pine nuts, kale, and tahini. But beyond that they are extremely nutritional and beneficial to my body, they allow me to be healthy and feel energized. It is also colorful and pretty to look at, which is a nice bonus and pleasing to the eyes. For all that, I am grateful.

GRATITUDE BOWL

Ingredients:

For the bowl:

1 1/2 cups of dried quinoa, rinsed

3 cups of veggie broth

2 roasted beets (click  How to roast beets for method), cut in wedges

2 avocados, pitted, skin removed and sliced

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 cup of dried black lentils

1 medium fennel bulb, cored and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices

1 large garlic clove, chopped

2 cups kale, stem removed, chopped coarsely

1/4 cup of pine nuts
1/4 cup of hemp seeds

Sea salt and pepper to taste

For the dressing:

2/3 cup of tahini

1/2 cup of orange juice

2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil

1 inch piece of ginger, skin removed and chopped

1 date, pitted (if hard, soak in warm water for 30 minutes, then drain)

1/2 teaspoon of cumin powder

2/3 cup of water (maybe a little more depending on how thick your tahini is)

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

In a small saucepan, place the lentils with 4 cups of water and bring to a boil under medium high heat.  Reduce the heat to low, and let it simmer for 25-30  minutes until the lentils are tender. 

Drain the lentils and reserve.

In a small saucepan, under medium high heat, bring the veggie broth and the quinoa to a boil.

Once boiling, reduce the heat and let it simmer under low heat for 20 minutes.

Turn off the heat, cover, and let it stand for 5 minutes.

Fluff with a fork, before using.

In the meantime, in a large skillet, heat up the olive oil over medium heat.
Saute the fennel slices and garlic for about 3 minutes, until softened.
Add the cooked lentils, the kale, and the pine nuts, and cook until the kale is wilted, about 3-4 minutes.
Season with sea salt and pepper.

To make the dressing:

Put all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until very smooth.


To assemble:

Split the cooked quinoa into 4 bowls.  Top evenly and separately the avocado slices, beet wedges, and the lentil, quinoa, and fennel mixtures.
Drizzle with the dressing, and sprinkle with hemp seeds.
Season with sea salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

This will make 4 bowls