Spring Veggie Bowls

Bowl eating has definitely become somewhat of a trend in the recent couple of years.  You can call them power bowls or  health bowls, Buddah bowls, etc. but there is something quite inspiring about eating out of a bowl.  

Bowls are not just for soup or cereal anymore!  It's like bowls have now become the hot new plates!

I created a healthy Spring Veggie Bowl for my lunch yesterday and I have to say I quite, quite enjoyed it.  

I am not sure it would have brought me quite the same enjoyment had it been served on a plate, but eating this from a bowl was incredibly tasty and left me feeling very much like I was doing something good for myself.

Filled with spring vegetables  . . .  English peas, asparagus, purple sprouting broccoli and chard . . .  each vegetable quickly cooked until crispy tender with very little use of any fat.  

I used an olive oil cooking spray and a non stick pan . . . if you are afraid that the veggies will burn or stick before they are crispy tender, you can add a splash of water, which works very well, with just a touch of seasoning.

I used whole wheat pasta . . . which is a low GI carb.  

Our bodies need healthy carbs.  That is where we get our energy from.

There is a light dressing on the pasta . . .  for a bit of extra flavour, and I topped it with some coarsely grated Parmesan cheese and chopped toasted walnuts.  

Walnuts are a superfood, and so is chard and broccoli.  Altogether this  makes for a very colourful, quite delicious and healthy bowl full of food!

 

*Spring Veggie Bowls*

Serves 2

Printable Recipe 

A delicious and pretty supper making great use of all the fresh spring veggies.  Colourful, healthy and very quick to make.   

3 ounces dry whole wheat spaghetti

6 spears of spring asparagus

6 leaves of rainbow chard

6 spears of purple sprouting broccoli

4 TBS frozen petit pois, thawed

4 toasted whole walnuts, coarsely chopped

3 TBS coarsely grated Parmesan Cheese

non-stick olive oil cooking spray

For the dressing:

1 TBS olive oil

1 tsp Dijon mustard

lemon juice

pinch of garlic and onion powders

salt and black pepper to taste

Put a pot of lightly salted water on to boil.  In the meantime prepare your vegetables.  Trim the asparagus and cut into 1 inch pieces, trimming off any woody ends and cutting into 1 inch lengths.  Trim the ends from the chard, and cut the stems into 1 inch lengths, shred the leaves.  Trim the purple sprouting broccoli, discard any wooden ends and peel the stems.  Cut into 1 inch lengths.

Whisk together the olive oil, dijon mustard, about 1/2 TBS of lemon juice, the onion and garlic powders and some salt and pepper in a bowl large enough to hold the pasta once cooked.  Set aside.

Break the pasta into 3 inch lengths and cook according to package directions in the boiling water.  While the pasta is cooking cook your veggies.  You will cook them separately and keep them individually.   Spray a large nonstick skillet with some cooking spray.   Add the asparagus.  Stir fry over medium heat until crispy tender.  Scoop out and keep warm.  Repeat with the purple sprouting broccoli.    Cook the swiss chard stems in much the same way, once they are crispy tender add the leaves and cook, tossing until lightly wilted.  Squirt with a bit of lemon juice.  Remove and set aside, keeping warm.  Heat the thawed peas through.

Drain your spaghetti and toss with the dressing in the bowl.

Divide the spaghetti between two pasta bowls.  Arrange the cooked veggies on top of each.  Top each with half of the coarsely grated cheese and chopped toasted walnuts.  Serve immediately.



Here's to good health and Bon Appetit!