A green bowl of goodness…for early Autumn dining..

The last of the summer days are fading, the sun is setting earlier as we head into the new season of Autumnal bliss (my favourite season!). At the start of the season the days can still be warm and this recipe is great for those last warmer days..

Eating enough greens seems to be a very common struggle, I’ve talked about this before, but I feel it’s a worthy enough topic to revisit…

Having a handful of go-to meals filled with greens really helps to increase the amount you consume and is an easy way to include more green in your diet without thinking too much.

At the moment super greens pesto pasta, green smoothies, and this green bowl of goodness are on rotation in our household. To be honest even as a Naturopath/Nutritionist I still struggle to consume enough.

Here is a little reminder of why we should be eating more greens;

~Greens contain an array of vitamins and minerals such as Magnesium, calcium, iron, potassium, vitamin A and K and folate to name a few(1).

~Greens are highly Alkalising and cleansing and are great for the blood.

~They are nutrient filled powerhouses, that can reduce cancer risk, improve liver and gallbladder health, and keep our immune systems in top shape(1).

In my list of green foods I don’t just include leafy greens, heres some inspiration for more green foods in your life…

Leafy Greens to consider; Rocket, fresh herbs (basil, coriander, parsley, dill), baby spinach, english spinach, silverbeet, kale (curly leaf, Tuscan or Russian), celery leaves, carrot tops, mustard greens, dandelion greens, cabbage leaves, cos lettuce, asian greens (Bok choy, choy sum).

Other Green Veggies to consider; Broccoli, broccolini, snow peas, peas, sugar snaps, green beans, celery, shallots, broad beans, edamame beans, zucchini, cucumber, green tomato, avocado, brussel sprouts, green capsicum, sprouts (mung bean, sunflower, alfalfa)……etc.

This is actually a really versatile dish. I love making dishes that don’t have such strong rules, so you can mix and match to whatever you have on hand, without having to go to the shops to pick up some rare ingredient that you will only use once. Sustainability in the kitchen, with more ease and relaxation and enjoyment of course.

For this recipe you can swap out the tempeh for an alternative protein source, use rice or another wholegrain instead of soba noodles, and whatever greens you have on hand. Flexibility is the key, with a bit of courage in the kitchen you can feel more empowered and waste less in the process.

Enjoy!

Green Bowl of Goodness

Healthy green veggies with soba noodles, tempeh and miso tahini dressing

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Servings 4

Ingredients

  

For the Greens//

• 1 handful Snow peas
• 1 handful Green beans, sliced
• 1 Broccoli or broccolini bunch, cut into florets woody stem removed
• 1/2 cup Baby spinach or rocket washed
• 1/4 bunch Coriander, chopped roughly washed
• 2 Green shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 Avocado, thinly sliced or cubed

For the Tempeh//

• 1 pack Organic Tempeh, sliced into triangles
• 1 tbsp Rice syrup or other sweetner
• 1 tbsp Tamari//soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Olive oil

For the Soba noodles//

• 1/2 pack Dried soba noodles, wheat free is ideal

For the Miso Tahini dressing

• 1 tbsp Tahini, hulled
• 3 tsp Miso, white/shiru
• 1 tbsp Tamari/Soy sauce
• 1 clove Garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp Grated ginger root
• 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp Rice syrup
• 1 tbsp Olive oil

Instructions

 

For the Greens//

• Bring a large saucepan to the boil, first add the broccoli florets for 2-3 minutes, until bright green, scoop out with a slotted spoon or tongs and plunge into a bowl of cold water
• Keep the water boiling in the saucepan and then add the green beans for 3-4 minutes, remove from pot once vivid green, add to the bowl of cold water, you may need to refill the bowl with fresh cold water.
• Now blanch the snow peas for 1-2 minutes and remove from heat, add to cold water to keep the vivid green colour.
• Set all of the blanched green veggies aside for serving

For the Soba noodles

• Bring the pot of water back to the boil and add in the dry soba noodles
• Cook until soft and tender, drain and rinse with cold water
• Keep the noodles in a bowl of cold water to prevent sticking together

  Set aside for serving

For the Tempeh

• Slice the tempeh into triangles or strips
• On medium heat, add 1 tbsp of olive oil to a frypan. Add in the tempeh
• Add in tamari and rice syrup
• Cook the tempeh on each side for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
• Set aside for serving

For the Miso Tahini Dressing

• Add all ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk together until well combined

  Set aside for serving

To serve// in 4 bowls

• Drain the soba noodles and serve 1/4 in wide bowls or plates

  Top with 1/4 of the green veggies, avocado, baby spinach and coriander, shallots and drizzle with 1/4 of the dressing

  Top with 1/4 of the Tempeh

  Repeat until you have 4 servings

  Enjoy!

Notes

As mentioned in the blog post, you can switch out the tempeh for an alternative protein source

And instead of soba noodles you can use rice or another wholegrain option of your choice.

And you can use whatever green veggies you have on hand such as;

Kale, other herbs like parsley or basil, Green capsicum, Brussel sprouts etc..

Disclaimer; The information provided in this blog post is for educational purposes only, and does not intend to treat, diagnose or influence any medical decisions.

Reference

1. Balch.P.A, ‘Prescription for Dietary Wellness’, 2003, 2nd ed. pp83-84. Avery