Carrot Power Bowl
Since Easter is right around the corner, I thought a delicious meal with carrots would be good! This bowl packs all sorts of nutrients in it and will power you through the rest of your day.
Let’s start with the base of this bowl, rice. I used basmati rice because thats what we had in our pantry. You could also use quinoa if your looking for a little extra protein. Then I topped the rice with kale that I dressed with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Kale is a super food that is loaded with antioxidants, vitamin C, K, B6, iron, potassium, magnesium and beta-carotene. It is one of the healthiest dark leaf greens out there. Kale is part of the cruciferous vegetable family (others include broccoli, brussel sprouts, and cauliflower). Cruciferous vegetables are loaded with sulforaphane, which has been proven to block the formation of cancer at the cellular level. The antioxidants in kale (vitamin C and beta-carotene) neutralize free radicals in the body, which also helps to protect the body from chronic disease and cancer. Kale is also high in the phytonutrients, lutein and zeaxanthin, which have been linked to a reduced risk of developing macular degeneration and cataracts. Beta-carotene is an antioxidant that converts into Vitamin A in the body, which is good for eye health. Another perk of kale is that is low calorie, so can assist with weight loss as well.
To top my bowl I roasted chickpeas and carrots. I seasoned the chickpeas with cajun seasoning (to add a little spice), olive oil, salt, and pepper. Then I sliced up 2 medium carrots and added agave, olive oil, salt, and pepper to them. I baked them in the oven for 22 minutes at 425 degrees. The chickpeas came out crunchy and the carrots added a bit of sweetness to the bowl. I topped them both on top of the rice and kale.
Let’s talk about the star of the bowl….carrots! Not only do carrots add a beautiful orange color to your dish but there also nutritious as well! Carrots also contain beta-carotene and antioxidants which are good for your body. This root vegetable contains fiber, which can promote good gut health by feeding the good bacteria in your gut and promotes regular bowel movements. Carrots also contain biotin which plays an important role in fat and protein metabolism, Vitamin K1 for blood coagulation and bone health, potassium for blood pressure control, and Vitamin B6 which converts food into energy. They also contain the phytonutrient carotenoid, which is a powerful antioxidant that helps boost the immune system and reduces your risk of many diseases such as cancer. Carrots come in a variety of colors including orange, purple, red, yellow, and white. All in all, this root vegetable helps to reduce your risk of cancer, lowers blood cholesterol, helps with weight loss, and is good for eye health!
With all these nutrients in this bowl, it felt great to eat it! Hope you enjoy it as well!
Carrot Power Bowl
2 cups cooked rice
4 stems of kale
half of a lemon, squeezed
olive oil
salt/pepper
1 can (15oz) chickpeas
1 Tbsp cajun seasoning
2 medium carrots, sliced
2 Tbsp agave
Dressing*
Directions:
Cook rice according to package directions. While rice is cooking, slice carrots and drain and rinse the chickpeas.
De-stem kale and chop into bite size pieces. Add kale to a large bowl. Add lemon juice from half a lemon to the bowl, add about 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix together making sure to coat all the kale with the dressing.
Add chickpeas to a medium bowl and add the cajun seasoning, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt, and pepper. MIx to combine. Spread chickpeas onto half a cookie sheet in a single layer.
Add the sliced carrots to the same bowl used for the chickpeas. Add the agave, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper if you like. Mix together and spread the carrots on the other half of the cookie sheet with the chickpeas. Bake in the oven for 22 minutes at 425 degrees.
Make your bowl, once the chickpeas and carrots are done. I put the rice down first, added the kale on top, then added the chickpeas, and carrots to top it off! Enjoy!
*You can also add dressing if you like! I used Cleveland Kitchen’s Fermented Miso Jalapeno plant based dressing for ours to add a little extra spice. A maple vinaigrette or dijon dressing would also be good!
