Warm Seasonal Grain Bowl with Tahini Dressing
Grain bowls are one of those meals that are incredibly easy to adapt to whatever you have in the kitchen and whatever is in season.
Ayurveda recommends cooked food, because it is easier on our digestion and more readily available for the body, too. Particularly as we move into the colder months, I find a warm grain bowl much more satisfying and nourishing.
The basic idea is simple:
A grain + seasonal vegetables + optional protein + dressing + something fresh or crunchy on top.
Once you know the formula, you can make a different version throughout the year.
Ingredients
Grain
Allow approximately 1 cup cooked grain per person.
For this autumn version, choose from:
Pearl barley
Quinoa
Rice
I particularly like pearl barley. It’s not strictly an autumn grain, but it’s nourishing and gives the bowl a lovely texture.
Seasonal vegetables
Choose two or three vegetables, depending on what you have available.
For an autumn bowl, try:
Carrot
Beetroot
Sweet potato
Squash or pumpkin
Green beans
Peas
Spinach
Chard
Kale
Steam the vegetables until cooked but still retaining some texture. Root vegetables, squash and pumpkin are also lovely roasted in the oven.
Optional protein
For an autumn bowl, add one of the following if you would like a more substantial meal:
Sprouted/activated whole mung beans - steam with the vegetables or add as they are if your digestion is strong.
Paneer
Tofu
For the tofu, I like to marinate it with fresh ginger, cumin, turmeric and a little black pepper before cooking.
To finish
Try:
Fresh parsley
Fresh coriander
Toasted pumpkin seeds
Tahini Dressing
½ cup tahini
2 tbsp olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon
Salt, to taste
A little black pepper
Warm water, as needed
Mix the tahini, olive oil and lemon juice together, and season with salt and black pepper. Taste and adjust the lemon, olive oil and seasoning as needed.
For a grain bowl, I prefer the dressing slightly more runny. Add warm water a little at a time until you reach the consistency you like. You want enough dressing to coat all the ingredients and keep the bowl moist. Any leftover dressing will keep for another bowl or salad.
Or keep the dressing really simple
You can also dress the bowl with:
Olive oil
Lemon juice
Salt
A little black pepper
Put Your Grain Bowl Together
Add approximately one cup of cooked grain per person to your bowl.
Arrange your steamed or roasted seasonal vegetables on top.
Add your choice of protein, if using.
Spoon over the tahini dressing and finish with fresh parsley or coriander and a sprinkle of toasted pumpkin seeds.
That’s it.
You can prep the grain and some vegetables ahead of time, making this a useful lunch when you want something nourishing without starting from scratch. Just warm it through again before you eat.
Make It Seasonal
The basic formula stays the same. Change the grain, vegetables and protein as the seasons move.
Spring
Grains: barley, quinoa, millet or buckwheat
Vegetables: asparagus, broccoli, spring greens, kale, chard, peas, green beans, carrots or beetroot
Protein: sprouted/activated legumes, including chickpeas or adzuki beans
Summer & Early Autumn
Grains: barley, quinoa, white rice or millet
Vegetables: make the most of the abundance of seasonal summer vegetables
Protein: adzuki beans, whole mung beans, whole masoor or tofu
Autumn
Grains: barley, quinoa or rice
Vegetables: carrots, beetroot, sweet potato, pumpkin, squash, green beans and cooked leafy greens
Protein: whole mung beans, paneer or tofu
This is the version I’m making now: warm, cooked and substantial, with plenty of seasonal root vegetables and squash.
Late Autumn & Winter
Grains: rice or quinoa
Vegetables: carrots, beetroot, potatoes, sweet potato, butternut squash, turnips, cooked brassicas and other cooked winter vegetables
Protein: mung beans, tofu or paneer
At this time of year, cooked vegetables become particularly important. Roasting root vegetables and squashes works particularly well too, making the bowl warm and substantial.
A Simple Formula to Remember
Grain + cooked seasonal vegetables + protein if wanted + dressing + garnish.
That is really all a good grain bowl needs.
Use what is growing. Use what you already have.
