Even though it’s the dead of winter and all I want to do is crawl under the blankets with some hot cocoa and a chocolate bar, I’ve been making an extra effort to increase my veggie intake. The more veggies I eat, the more chocolate I can have, after all. It’s simple math. Some days it’s easy to forget how great I feel when I’m fueling my body with a rainbow of plants; they keep me sane during the cold, dreary days of winter. Food has this amazing power to influence my mood (much like exercise) and I often tell myself that feeling better is only a meal (or workout) away. It really is true! So keep this in mind if you are feeling the effects of a long winter like I am. Healthy eating begins with the very next meal…
I go through vegetable phases all the time. Right, now I’m hooked on cauliflower (enough to turn it into creamy alfredo which you seem to be enjoying a lot!), cabbage (via sauerkraut…lol), and sweet potatoes. Always sweet potatoes. This tasty lunch is something I threw together recently and I loved the combo so much I decided to share with you. The main event is an energizing black bean and sweet potato quinoa salad. The only thing I missed was a sliced avocado (I opened it up and it was all bruised…sigh), so if you have some around definitely throw it in.
In addition to the salad, I added roasted sweet potato rounds (because you can never have too much sweet potato on a cold winter day), roasted cauliflower, hemp hearts. and a big ‘ol scoop of hummus for good measure. Since I already had the salad made in advance, all I had to do was throw the veggies into the oven to roast while I tended to other things. It came together quite fast! Three cheers for leftovers.
This isn’t so much an exact recipe I’m sharing today, but more of a show and tell to hopefully inspire you to create your own. I lightly adapted one of my favourite quinoa salads from last year (see link below), and then added in other things to create a filling and feel-good lunch bowl! Oh by the way, as my sister discovered last weekend, this quinoa salad is also fantastic in a wrap with hummus and other veggies. A very good idea, I’d say!
For the bowl:
– Black Bean & Quinoa Salad (I made it with roasted sweet potato instead of carrots – loved this variation so much!)
– 1-2 cups chopped roasted cauliflower
– 1 sweet potato, sliced into rounds and roasted
– hummus, as needed to get your daily quota (the salad is so good mixed with some hummus, FYI)
– hemp hearts, for garnish (adds more protein and healthy fats…and let’s not forget edible confetti)
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So there you have it. A mood-booster-in-a-bowl.
Is it spring yet?
This looks amazing! Do you always make your own hummus or do you ever use store bought? If so, what brand do you buy? I have always loved hummus at middle eastern restaurants but as a new vegan I feel like I should incorporate it more into my daily meals but I hate being stuck with hummus breath! Any tips for that too? :)
I love making my own, but I go through it waaaay too quickly to keep up! hah. The brand I buy the most is Sunflower Kitchen (it’s made locally).
i love this idea. there is nothing more comforting than a bowl of warm veggies. simple fact.
I often (ok, probably too often…there’s a good chance I might drive everyone but my husband insane with this habit) quote lines from Austin Powers movies, and my immediate response to seeing this bowl of delicious veggies was a hearty “Get in mah belly!” a la Fat Bastard. It looks and sounds amazing, and all those warm veggies are just what the doctor ordered amidst the latest polar vortex nonsense.
This one is on the “to make list” for sure. I too am on a cauliflower kick right now, what is that about, I used to hate it. On a side note, I made your enchiladas last night (for the whole fam, hubby and two kids, 8 and 11) we all devoured them. Even hubby agreed (sometimes he’s a hard sell), that avocado cream totaly made it. It tasted so sinful, yet it was not. Thanks again Angela you food genius you. Stay warm!
That black bean, quinoa & sweet potato salad looks great. Hard to go wrong with any of this! Big bowls of veggies are the way to go :)
Pinned it! That looks delicious! Can’t wait to try it.
-Bethany
positivethinkingpositiveliving.blogspot.com
Love this. I’m so ready for spring, too!
I loveee the more veggies=more chocolate theory : ) I was wondering, what are the hemp hearts like? I haven’t seen them but want to try them out!
Your Feel Good Lunch Bowl looks great! I’m always looking for new recipes with hemp hearts and I love all of the ingredients you chose.
Thank you for all that you do!
Pinned!
K-
I adored your big vegan bowl recipe so much I can’t wait to try this! :DD
I wanted to dive right into your bowl after seeing the first picture of it. I love loading up on a big bowl of veggies – sweet potatoes are my favorite winter addition! I like to hit up a salad bar (like Whole Foods) and try new veggies as well as the many salads they make. It’s my usual treat after I take a yoga class. Talk about feeling great!
So many of my favorite foods in one bowl!!
love this kind of bowl..you can never have too much sweet potatoes or hummus in a bowl.
Hi,
I was wondering if you make the hummus or you buy it? If you buy it what brands do you like? You are amazing
Hi Carla, I’ve been loving a local brand called Sunflower Kitchen lately. I make it when I have time, but I go through the stuff way too fast to keep up it seems!
This looks so good! It looks like it delivers the perfect mix of creamy and crunch. If only I could download it and eat it….LOL!
— Alex at brainyGirlsBeauty.com
Oh wow! I completely agree with you, exercise and good food does wonders for my mood. Then again, if I need to eat a big slab of chocolate, I will do that as well. It’s important to trust your instincts. I’m very much looking forward to trying this recipe! xoxo
OMG this just made me call in my dinner order to the Thai restaurant. Delicious.
I’m been putting together some awesome lunch bowls lately–it is just so addictive coming up with different combinations! Yours looks great!
This looks so wonderful and filling. I love all the ingredients!
This looks very filling and tasty! I might have to make this tonight as I have all the ingredients on hand. Perfect for next day lunch leftovers. Since you’re on this cauliflower kick, any chance you have experimented with cauliflower crust pizza? I’m dying to know your thoughts on that!? I’m going to attempt a 2nd go this weekend as the 1st try didn’t pan out the way I hoped for. I live in Seattle, WA. It’s dreary we’re counting days til spring as well.