Tangy Pesto Bowl

Today I made this amazing bowl for lunch that is super high in nutrients, fiber, and plant based protein and iron. One of the pillars of a healthy diet and lifestyle is consuming nutrient-dense foods, and this bowl is loaded with nutrients and antioxidants that support your health in so many different ways. What's better than taking a multi-vitamin supplement? Getting those same nutrients from whole foods!

A lot of these food components word together to help with absorption. The healthy fats from the walnuts and olive oil increase the absorption of the antioxidants found in the parsley, arugula, and broccoli. The lemon juice and zest (aka the tang), also increases the iron absorption of this meal.

This recipe is good for

Anemia
Diabetes
Hormone disorders
Osteoporosis

Ingredients

1 head of Broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
1 15 oz can of low sodium Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup cooked Quinoa
1/2 cup cooked pea pasta, or other pasta of choice (*see notes)
1/4 cup Tangy Parsley Pesto (recipe below)
Optional toppings: pinch of red pepper flakes, grated or shredded cheese of choice (like parmesan or pecorino cheese - about 1/4 cup), and chopped, fresh parsley, and salt and pepper to taste

Tangy Parsley Pesto ingredients

1 cup parsley
1 cup arugula
1/4 cup raw walnuts
2 tbsp hemp seeds
1.5 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp miso paste
2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves
About a 1/2-1 tsp of grated lemon zest
Pinch red pepper flakes
Pinch of salt
(**see notes for alternatives)

Method

Set oven temperature to 400 degrees F.

Wash the broccoli well and cut into small bite-sized florets. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Place the broccoli and chickpeas side by side on a parchment lined baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes. Toss half way through.

Cook 2 servings of quinoa while the broccoli and beans are roasting (follow package directions for the quinoa and you can't mess up these tasty gems!).

Make the pesto: combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender. If using a blender you might need to stop a few times to scrape the sides down or add 1 tbsp of water as well. (Alternatively you can finely chop the parsley, arugula, walnuts, and garlic and then combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.)

Once the broccoli is tender and the quinoa is done, combine about 1/2 a cup of each in a bowl (broccoli, chick peas, pasta, quinoa) and top the middle with the pesto (about 1/4 cup). You may add the optional additional ingredients.

Notes:

*Pasta - I recommend trying Felicia Gluten Free Pasta (either pea or red lentil flavor) with this recipe because of the high protein and high fiber content! Alternatively, you can replace the pea pasta with fresh green peas, use lentils instead, or of course - choose your own pasta to substitute if you have none of these ingredients! Their pastas can be purchased here. I am definitely not being paid to promote their products, I am just a huge fan!!

**As far as the pesto goes - this pesto is actually very easy to make because all you need to do is add ingredients to a food processor or blender. Alternatives: the parsley can be replaced by cilantro or basil. The arugula can be replaced by spinach or watercress. The hemp seeds are not 100% necessary if you don't have them, they are just very nutrient dense and a great source of fiber, protein, and healthy fats. The walnuts can be replaced by almonds. Play around with the ingredients! One thing is for sure - this pesto is tangy. If you don't like too much lemon flavor, use just 1 tbsp of lemon and cut back on the lemon zest.

Another side note - you can add leftover chicken, fish, tofu, or other protein sources to this meal if you don't want to use the pasta, chickpeas, or quinoa. Don't leave out the broccoli though unless you are replacing it with another roasted veggie, like carrots, peppers, or zucchini! #veggiesruletheworld