Well, tonight I almost--almost!--broke down and ordered sushi. Because frankly, I was exhausted. First I stayed up late last night creating practice exercises for my tutoring students, then this morning I started on a new writing project for a client, and finally I tutored all afternoon, after which I battled rush hour traffic to run errands on the way home.
You know, the usual.
But I simply couldn't forsake the 5-night dinner challenge. So I'm back with another plant-based dinner, and it's about as fast and easy as they come: Busy Bowls! (So-called because they come together in about 20 minutes, which makes them perfect for jam-packed nights when you're dangerously close to throwing in the towel on healthy eating.) They're my own personal spin on the "Buddha Bowl" recipe in Kris Carr's book, Crazy Sexy Diet. (If you've read Monday's post, you're not having deja vu; I just really love that book!)
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Busy Bowls Recipe
I almost hate to call this a recipe, because all you have to do is lightly steam the veggies, toss with the other goodies, and serve. Also, since you can substitute whatever vegetables or grain you have on hand, these bowls are a great way to use up odds and ends in the fridge.
Prep Time: 20 min Serves: 2-3
Ingredients
2 c cooked brown rice or other whole grain (millet works well)
½ head cauliflower OR ½ head broccoli OR 1 bunch broccolini OR 2 heads baby bok choy, chopped into florets/pieces
2 large carrots, sliced
1 big handful snow peas (about ¼ lb)
¼ c finely diced sweet onion
1 c cooked beans, rinsed and drained (navy beans, chickpeas, and kidney beans all work)
3 Tbsp ground flax seeds
low-sodium soy sauce or soy sauce substitute, to taste
fresh basil or cilantro for garnish (optional)
¼ avocado, chopped, per person (optional)
Directions
Steam the cauliflower (or other cabbage-family vegetable), carrot slices, and snow peas until just crisp-tender. (You'll want to add the snow peas a little after the other vegetables since they cook faster.)
In a large bowl, toss steamed veggies with sweet onion, beans, ground flax seeds, and soy sauce. Serve topped with fresh basil, cilantro, and/or avocado if desired.
True to the week's menu, I served with a baby greens salad topped off with tahini dressing.
So, what do you do for dinner when you're tired, but don't want to order takeout? I'd love some more suggestions!
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Sushi? I was to the point of ordering pizza! But the busy bowls (and a loving wife) came to the rescue much faster than Papa John ever could.
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