DECONSTRUCTED SUSHI BOWL

SERVES 2 TO 4 PORTIONS

SUSHI BOWL

1 large or 2 small watermelon radishes, thinly sliced

Salt to taste

3 cups cooked white sushi rice (or short-grain black rice)

Lemongrass Tofu or Chile- Roasted Tofu

3 small carrots, peeled and julienned

1 cucumber or 1/2 English cucumber, thinly sliced

1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced

1 or 2 nori sheets

1/4 cup sliced green onions (green and white parts)

Pickled ginger

Black and/or white sesame seeds

DRESSING

3 tbsp. gluten-free tamari

2 tbsp. brown rice vinegar

1 tbsp. mirin

NUTRITIONAL VALUES

Calories: 298kcal
Fat: 20.1g (2.4g S.Fat)
Carbs: 25.4g
Protein: 12g
Sugar: 10.6g
Sodium: 143mg

METHOD

Lay out the radish slices on a few paper towels ten minutes before serving. Season with salt and set aside until ready to serve.

Separate the rice into two bowls. Tofu, carrots, cucumbers, radishes, and avocado should be added on top.

Using a sharp knife, cut the nori sheet in half lengthwise. Using a sharp knife, cut each half into thin strips. Garnish each bowl with nori strips, green onions, pickled ginger, and sesame seeds.

In a small cup or bowl, combine the tamari, vinegar, and mirin. Drizzle a little over each bowl. Serve right away. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.

RECIPE NOTES

If you can't find watermelon radishes, substitute 5 or 6 thinly sliced regular radishes.

BUDDHA BOWL

SERVES 4 PORTIONS

2 medium sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and chopped into 1- inch cubes

Olive oil spray

2 pinches of smoked paprika

Salt and black pepper to taste

3 cups water

1 1/2 cups roasted buckwheat groats (kasha)

2 to 3 cups chopped spinach

1 1/2 cups cooked, warm kidney beans (or one 420g / 15 oz.) can, rinsed and drained; or use another bean of your choice)

1 cucumber, sliced

1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and sliced

Pickled Red Cabbage & Onion Relish

Lemon Tahini Sauce or Avocado Ranch Dressing

1/3 cup toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

NUTRITIONAL VALUES

Calories: 119kcal
Fat: 10.1g (2.1g S.Fat)
Carbs: 7.7g
Protein: 1.9g
Sugar: 1.6g
Sodium: 22mg

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C, or gas mark 7). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Spray the pan with olive oil and spread the sweet potato cubes out. Toss in the paprika, salt, and pepper to coat. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and browned, tossing once halfway through to ensure even cooking. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Cook the buckwheat groats while the sweet potatoes are cooking: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Return to a boil after adding the buckwheat groats. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 11 to 12 minutes, or until most of the water has been absorbed. Remove from the heat and season with salt.

Fill each bowl with spinach, buckwheat groats, beans, sweet potato, cucumber, avocado, and cabbage relish before serving. Drizzle with the dressing and sprinkle with the toasted pepitas.

VARIATIONS

You can substitute 3 cups cooked grain of your choice for the buckwheat groats, such as rice, quinoa, millet, amaranth, or even farro (though this will not be gluten- free).

JACKFRUIT CARNITAS BURRITO BOWL

SERVES 4 PORTIONS

JACKFRUIT CARNITAS

One 567g (20oz) can jackfruit (packed in water or brine, not syrup), rinsed and drained

1 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 medium sweet onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, chopped

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ancho chile powder

1/2 tsp. ground coriander

1/2 tsp. paprika

1 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth Juice of 1 lime

2 tbsp. maple syrup

Salt and black pepper to taste

LIME CREMA

1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked in warm water for at least 1 hour and drained, water reserved

3 tbsp. reserved soaking water

3 tbsp. lime juice

1 tbsp. vegan mayonnaise

BOWL

3 cups cooked white/brown rice

One 425g (15oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 tbsp. lime juice

Salt and black pepper to taste

4 handfuls baby greens

2 cups halved cherry tomatoes

2 avocados, pitted, peeled, and sliced

Pickled Red Cabbage & Onion Relish

NUTRITIONAL VALUES

Calories: 934kcal
Fat: 3.1g (6.5g S.Fat)
Carbs: 145.7g
Protein: 15.8g
Sugar: 8.2g
Sodium: 118mg

METHOD

Pull the jackfruit apart with your fingers or a fork until it resembles shredded meat. Don't be concerned about the seeds; they'll soften and break apart as they cook. Place aside.

In a large shallow saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil. Sauté the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent. 5 to 7 minutes, add the jackfruit and chipotle and cook, stirring occasionally, until the jackfruit begins to stick to the pan.

Stir in the oregano, cumin, ancho chile powder, coriander, and paprika until evenly distributed. Cook for approximately 2 minutes. Combine the broth, lime juice, and maple syrup in a mixing bowl. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a low heat. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has been absorbed and the jackfruit begins to stick to the pan. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Make the lime crema while the jackfruit is cooking: In a food processor, combine the crema ingredients and process until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Refrigerate until ready to use.

In a pot, combine the rice and beans (if you just cooked the rice, simply add the beans to the rice in the pot) and cook for a few minutes over medium heat, until heated through. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper.

Fill four bowls with a handful of greens each to serve. To each bowl, add cilantro rice and beans, jackfruit carnitas, cherry tomatoes, and avocado. Drizzle each with lime crema and top with a heaping pile of relish. Serve right away.

VARIATIONS

If you prefer burritos (and who can blame you? ), fill a tortilla with all of these ingredients.

SPICY SESAME SOBA NOODLE BOWL

SERVES 4 TO 6 PORTIONS

1 bunch broccoli, chopped into florets

2 tbsp. sesame oil

Salt and pepper to taste

3/4 cup tahini (gluten-free if necessary)

3 tbsp. tamari (gluten-free if necessary)

2 tbsp. brown rice vinegar

1 to 2 tbsp. sriracha (or other hot sauce)

1 tbsp. maple syrup

1 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

One 340g (12oz) package buckwheat soba noodles (or vegan angel hair pasta or spaghetti; gluten-free if necessary)

1 1/2 cups frozen shelled edamame

2 large carrots, peeled and julienned

Sesame seeds

Chopped green onions (green and white parts)

NUTRITIONAL VALUES

Calories: 301kcal
Fat: 24.8g (3.5g S.Fat)
Carbs: 15g
Protein: 7.6g
Sugar: 4.3g
Sodium: 687mg

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C, or gas mark 7). Use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to line a baking sheet. Spread the broccoli out on the baking sheet and drizzle with sesame oil, then season with salt and pepper. To fully coat, toss everything together. Toss once halfway through and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tender with slightly crispy edges. Set aside after removing from the oven.

While the broccoli is roasting, bring a large pot of water to a boil.

You can make the sauce while you wait for the water to boil: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the tahini, tamari, vinegar, sriracha, maple syrup, ginger, and garlic powder and stir until smooth. Place aside.

Once the water is boiling, add the noodles and cook until al dente according to package directions. Add the edamame about 1 minute after you add the noodles to the water. When the noodles are done, drain them and rinse them with cold water before draining again. Place in a large serving bowl. Add the sauce and mix well. Stir in the carrots and roasted broccoli to combine. Serve with sesame seeds and green onions on top. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days.