Maple Mushroom Rice Bowl
The steaks of the vegetable world known as portobello mushrooms add meaty bite to this rice bowl, while the sweetness of the maple syrup and the creaminess of the ricotta are wonderful counterpoints to the wild rice and other earthy ingredients.
1 1/4 cups (310 mL) wild rice
1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) + 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
4 tsp (20 mL) grapeseed oil, divided
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 bunch kale, ribs removed and roughly chopped
1/2 cup (125 mL) low-sodium vegetable broth or water
2 tsp (10 mL) cider vinegar
1/4 tsp (1 mL) black pepper
6 portobello mushrooms, sliced, stems removed
1/4 cup (60 mL) pure maple syrup
1 cup (250 mL) ricotta cheese
2 tsp (10 mL) fresh thyme
1 tsp (5 mL) lemon zest
Place rice and 2 cups (500 mL) water in medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, add 1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) salt, reduce heat to low, and simmer covered until rice is tender, about 40 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff rice with fork.
Heat 2 tsp (10 mL) oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic; cook for 1 minute. Add kale, in batches if necessary, and sauté for 2 minutes, or until lightly wilted. Place broth or water, vinegar, 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt, and black pepper in skillet. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, covered, for 4 minutes, or until liquid has been absorbed and kale is bright green. Remove kale from skillet and cover to keep warm.
Add 2 tsp (10 mL) oil to skillet and raise heat to medium. Place mushrooms in pan and heat until softened, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Stir in maple syrup and simmer until most of the maple syrup has been absorbed, about 2 minutes.
In small bowl, stir together ricotta cheese, thyme, and lemon zest.
Divide rice among serving bowls and top with kale, mushrooms (plus any extra maple syrup in pan), and dollops of ricotta mixture.
Serves 4.
Each serving contains: 490 calories; 21 g protein; 12 g total fat (4 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 80 g total carbohydrates (18 g sugars, 8 g fibre); 345 mg sodium
source: "Rice Bowls", alive #385, November 2014
Maple Mushroom Rice Bowl
Directions
Matthew Kadey, MSc, RD
Matthew Kadey is a dietitian, nutrition writer, and recipe developer. He is also the author of Rocket Fuel (VeloPress, 2016) and Muffin Tin Chef (Ulysses Press, 2012).
READ THIS NEXT
SEE MORE »
Mediterranean Hummus Pasta Salad
Made from chickpea flour, chickpea pasta has a similar taste and al dente texture to regular pasta, but with a lot more dietary fibre and protein. That makes it a healthy base for this colourful vegetable-forward pasta salad with tasting notes of the sunny Mediterranean. Hummus serves as a surprising backbone to a creamy dressing. Stir it up When preparing chickpea pasta, stir it a couple of times during the first minute of cooking and then start taste-testing the noodles a couple of minutes before you hit the recommended boiling time on the package. They can turn mushy quickly. And expect a lot of foam, so skim it off with a spoon, as needed, during cooking.
Roasted Rainbow Trout and Strawberry Salad
The idea is pretty simple: start with adding a dressing to a jar and then layer on various ingredients such as crisp veggies, buttery fish, and greens. Bingo … salad in a jar that’s ready to go when you are, with not a limp green in sight. Perfect for weekday lunches and healthy quick dinners. Wild salmon or Arctic char are good stand-ins for rainbow trout. Lentil love When preparing lentils for a particular dish, consider adding extra to the pot of simmering water. Cooked lentils freeze well and can be used as an easy plant-based protein addition to future salads.
Coconut Mango Panna Cotta
Inspired by its creamy Italian cousin, this vegetarian take on panna cotta swaps out the cream and gelatin for coconut milk and agar agar. Odourless and tasteless, agar-agar is a plant-based thickener derived from seaweed. It’s also a wonderful source of iron, fibre, and magnesium. If you plan on transporting these desserts, pour panna cotta into small jam jars. Once set, screw lids on top and place garnish in separate container. Once you reach your destination, simply garnish and serve.
Carrot, Radish, and Beet Salad with Apricot Vinaigrette
This happy jumble of vegetables is not only beautiful to look at but also scrumptious. Try to use a rainbow of different colours for the most striking salad presentation. Feel free to replace the dried apricots in the dressing with another dried fruit you may have on hand. Dried cranberries, dried cherries, or golden raisins are all delicious alternatives.