Sara’s Healing Power Bowl

This healing, protein- and vitamin-packed recipe is super adjustable to what is in your fridge and only takes 30 minutes to make. I am a big fan of having a quick and healthy lunch to give me a little midday boost, especially for those with a busy schedule like me. I also think it is important to destigmatize the idea that vegetarianism is hard, or that we do not get enough protein and vitamins. This bowl shows that that idea is not true.

This recipe has several different (and easy) parts, but if you get confused about the steps, I will include a short explanation below. I cook the rice and beets at the same time because it takes about the same time for the water to boil in two pots and for the rice and beets to cook. The kale goes in the oven after I start the rice and beets and I leave it in for about 20 min to add a little crunch to the bowl. Then I cook the chickpeas and tempeh. Then I make the sauce. Et voila!

Ingredients (for 4 servings):

• 1 cup of dry white rice
• Kale, chopped
• Olive oil
• Salt (or your favorite salty seasoning)
• 3 cloves of Garlic, minced
• 1 in piece of Ginger, minced
• 1 tsp Crushed red chili
• 1 15 oz can of chickpeas
• 4-8 1x4in slices of tempeh
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 thinly-sliced beet
• 1 tbsp tahini (optional, for the sauce)
• 1 tsp sriracha (optional, for the sauce)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375.
2. For the second step, you will be cooking the rice and the beets at the same time. Make sure to do steps 2 and 3 around the same time. For the rice, bring about 2 cups of water and one cup of rice to a boil in a saucepan. Once the water is boiling, turn the heat down to medium-low, and partially cover the pan. After 20-30 min, the rice should be ready.
3. In addition to bringing the rice to a boil, grab another saucepan and bring about 4 cups of water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add the beets and cook for about the same amount of time as the rice. But pay attention, because it might soften a little bit sooner, so I would check on the beets at about 15 min.
4. While the rice and beets are cooking, chop the kale into bite-sized pieces. Then, put it in a pan (an 8x10in is what I used) and sprinkle olive oil as well as your favorite salty seasoning. Whenever the oven is warm, you can put it in for about 20 min.
5. Next, heat a saucepan with two tablespoons of olive oil to medium heat
6. Add the minced garlic and ginger, as well as the crushed red chili to the oil. Once the mix is fragrant, add the chickpeas.
7. Cook for about 5 min, and then add the slices of tempeh (the amount you add is up to you, I like more, some people like less).
8. Add the tablespoon of honey and a pinch of salt, mix, and cook the mixture for about 8 minutes, or until the bottom of the tempeh becomes a little crispy. Make sure to stir the chickpeas in the meantime so that they don't stick to the pan, but they should be done when the tempeh is crispy.
9. By this time the rice and beets should be about done.
10. Pull out the kale (it should be crispy on top).
11. Now you are ready to fill your bowl. The way I set it up, I just put all the different parts in different sections in the bowl. It doesn't really matter how you do it, because the ingredients are pretty harmonious.
12. Finally, if you would like to add the sauce, mix about a tablespoon of tahini and a teaspoon of sriracha together. Once they are mixed, you can drizzle it on top of the bowl for a savory sauce.

Sara Anderson is a sophomore International Relations major at Pomona College. She is from Oklahoma City, OK and is especially interested in environmental policy, food sustainability, and the effects of climate change.