Creamy Rice Bowl – A New Favourite Recipe

This recipe involves making a spice blend, a sauce, and the recipe. But a little work is SO worth it, you won’t be disappointed! I love the flavor of this recipe so much that I could probably eat it every day. The great thing is this recipe also freezes very well, so you can double the batch and freeze some (if you don’t eat it all) for future meals. So at least this way you save on time the next time you want to eat it – which, if you’re like me, you will crave it regularly. I’m drooling a little while posting this one.

This recipe comes from Thrive Foods, another great Brendan Brazier book.

Shanghai Rice Bowl

(recipe claims to serve two but I think it makes more – depends on how big of an eater you are I guess)

• 1/3 cup water
• 4 baby bok choy, cut in half lengthwise (or chopped smaller if you like)
• 6 Tbsp olive oil
• 6 tbsp tamari (or could be replaced with soy sauce, etc)
• 3 cups shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and halved if large (I just used reg. sliced mushrooms)
• 4 cups cooked brown basmati rice
• 1/2 cup tahini sauce (recipe below)
• 2 tsp mixed herbs (recipe below)
• 2 cups sunflower sprouts (I used an alfalfa sprout mixture)
• 2 Tbsp hulled hemp seeds (Hemp Hearts)
• 1 cup cooked or canned chickpeas (I just tossed in the entire can)

Tahini Sauce (makes more than you need for single recipe)

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (I’m not a huge parsley fan, so I halve that amount)
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2/3 cup filtered water
• 1/2 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)

In a blender, process garlic, parsley, salt & lemon juice until smooth. Add water & tahini, process until smooth. Add a bit of water if too thick. Can be stored in a container in the fridge for 4 days. (You only need 1/2 cup of this sauce for the single recipe above).

Mixed Herbs (makes more than you need for single recipe)

• 1 Tbsp dried oregano
• 1 Tbsp dried basil
• 1 Tbsp dried marjoram
• 1 Tbsp dried dill
• 1 Tbsp dried thyme
• 1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 1/2 tsp dried sage

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Store in an airtight container – it will last forever. Just rub it between your fingers before using to release the flavors. Use on pastas, salads, rice bowls, etc. Or save it for every time you make this recipe!

OKAY DON’T GET INTIMIDATED AT THIS POINT. I realize it looks like a lot, but it’s really not! Here comes the easy part:

• Make sure you’ve cooked your rice if you haven’t already. Let it cook while you get the rest of the recipe together and set aside until you need it.

• Put the water in a wok or skillet over high heat. Add the bok choy and cover. Steam until the bok choy is almost tender (5 minutes). When the water evaporates, add 2 Tbsp of the olive oil, 2 Tbsp of the tamari, and the mushrooms. Saute 5 minutes until bok choy and mushrooms aare tender. Set aside.
  

  Some prepped bok choy, with the sprouts ready for later.

  

  Oooh, steamy!!

• Get a large pot, or you could possibly use the pot you cooked the rice in if it’s large enough. Combine the 4 cups of cooked rice with the 1/2 cup tahini sauce, 4 Tbsp olive oil, and 4 Tbsp tamari. Sprinkle with 2 tsp mixed herbs and add in the sauteed bok choy/mushroom mixture. Give this all a good stir.
• Then stir in the sprouts, hemp seeds and chickpeas.
  

  Not the best final shot. I was distracted by the deliciousness so I forgot about proper photography!

• ENJOY!!

Ceviche – Raw salad cooked by citris juice

I had no idea what Ceviche was, I  just knew when I read the ingredients on the recipe it looked good! I came across it in my Vegetarian Collection cookbook. The cookbook says it is commonly served throughout Central and South America, but is usually made with seafood in it. You could eat this like a salad or heap it on top of crispy whole wheat pita bread like we did! The ceviche is “zingy” and flavorful. It also has ingredients I normally don’t like raw if at all, like olives and tomatoes, but I gobbled this up! The fat fills you up, and not in the gross “I need to unbutton my pants and let my gut fly” kind of way, so you could have it as a light supper, snack, or appetizer.

Vegetarian Ceviche

• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• half jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
• 1 can hearts of palm, drained and rinsed (check the Indian isle of your grocery store)
• 2 avocados, peeled and pitted
• 2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 cup finely diced red onion
• 1/2 cup chopped green olives (optional)

In a large bowl, whisk together lime juice, salt and pepper. Whisk in oil until thickened. Stir in parsley and jalapeno.

Real men eat plants and know how to make delicious food 🙂

Cut hearts of palm into thin rings and avocado into 1/2 inch pieces; add to bowl along with tomatoes, onion and olives. Toss to coat. Let stand for 10 minutes, or refrigerated, up to 6 hours (I’m not sure when happens after the 6 hours…this is just what the recipe states).

While the flavors mingled together, we split whole wheat pitas, brushed them with a little olive oil and a sprinkle of garlic powder, baked them on an oven sheet at 375 for about 5 minutes (this is just a guess – just watch them. They should get brown and crispy but they burn easily, so keep those peepers peeled!)

Nom nom nom…