Happy Earth Day! // Protein Power Goddess Bowl by OhSheGlows

Happy Earth Day everyone! I feel like I have not blogged in SO long. That's probably because it has been a long time. It was nice to take the summer and again parts of the winter some what easy. I did continue with taking courses, but took a few vacations/getaways, and focused more on balancing my life instead of devoting my life to school and work. The consequence of that decision was that eventually I had to make that devotion in order to make my nutritional applications diploma deadline. After months of being over my head with deadlines and working more than I should, I am happy to say that I just finished my very LAST assignment!! I write my final exam in 2 weeks and I will officially be certified as a nutritionist. I am so happy to be "done"! You can bet it won't be long until I sign myself up for an advanced course though. There is still so much I want to continue to learn.

So, Earth Day!.. To celebrate our planet I decided reduce my environmental foot print by making a vegan dinner from all organic ingredients. I made the Protein Power Goddess Bowl from the Oh She Glows cook book. I loved this recipe and I can't wait to try more of them in her cook book, everything looks so good! I am not a vegan or vegetarian, but I do try incorporate plant protein instead of animal sources at least a few times a week.

I have been busy in the kitchen a lot lately with all kinds of experiments and challenging myself. Some of it has been more successful than others... mostly success though! I wish I could share so much of it with you, but I am terrible at measuring and recording down what I make. So, there's a few things that really stood out which I am going to work on re-making and recording it properly so that I can share! :)

 

Protein Power Goddess Bowl

 

 Ingredients:

 

Lemon-Tahini goddess dressing;

• 1/2 cup tahini

• 1 large garlic clove, minced (I used 2)

• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)

• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

• 2-3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (I used 2)

• 1/2 tsp. sea salt (I omitted all together)

• fresh ground pepper, to taste

 

Lentil mixture;

• 1 cup uncooked green or black lentils (I used green)

• 1 cup uncooked wheat/spelt berries (I used wheat berries).. use rice or quinoa for gluten free option.

• 1 1/2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil, for sautéing (I used avocado)

• 1 red onion, diced

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 red bell pepper, diced

• 1 large tomato, diced

• 3 cups spinach or kale, chopped (I used kale)

• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced

 

Method

• In a food processor combine all the ingredients together for the lemon-tahini dressing and process until smooth. I don't have a food processor and mixed it well together with a fork and crushed the garlic with a garlic crusher.

• Cook lentils and wheat/spelt berries according to the directions given on the package. I cook lentils for 20 mins and then wheat berries for 1 hour.

• In a skillet, sauté onions in the oil over medium heat until almost cooked, then add the bell pepper, garlic, and tomato and continue to cook for approx. 7-8 more mins (until most of the liquid has evaporated). Stir in the spinach/kale until wilted.

• Stir in all of the tahini-lemon dressing and cooked lentils and spelt/wheat berries. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for a few minutes. Stir in the minced fresh parsley just before serving.