Happy first day of spring – we made it! March has lived up to its reputation of coming in like a lion and going out like a lamb, and I’m celebrating the end of this whirlwind month with Spring Bliss Bowls with Pesto Rice.
Roasted Vegetable Bowls
This recipe celebrates all things spring and is so simple to make. A bed of chewy brown rice mixed with pesto is topped with a plethora of early spring vegetables including golden beets, cauliflower florets, and asparagus that are roasted until golden brown and caramelized. Each portion is drizzled with more pesto then devoured. These Spring Bliss Bowl are the definition of feel good food. As the name implies, each bite is bliss! Not to mention, this is a great recipe to prepare then portion into containers for make-and-take lunches all week long.
Satisfying Meatless Meal
I enjoy these Spring Bliss Bowls as written, but feel free to add the protein of your choice to pump them up even more – chicken, roasted shrimp, garbanzo beans, or roasted pork tenderloin would all be fab. So what say you, winter-weary friends – ready to celebrate all things spring?!
Start by cooking 1 cup short grain brown rice in water with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle of homemade seasoned salt. If you’re not familiar with my 4 ingredient homemade seasoned salt – prepare to! It gives everything, including the rice and our fresh spring vegetables, a boost of tasty flavor. Once the rice has cooked then cooled slightly, stir in 1/3 cup prepared pesto. You can use store-bought pesto — I love Gotham Greens — though my Simple Vegan Pesto is also a dream and plenty flavorful without cheese.
While the rice is cooking, roast the spring vegetables. Cover two half sheet pans with parchment paper or foil sprayed with nonstick spray then chop the vegetables – beets, cauliflower, radishes, and asparagus.
First toss 3 peeled then chopped golden beets with extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of homemade seasoned salt in a bowl then arrange on one half of the first sheet pan. Oil/season 10oz cauliflower florets then spread on the other half and roast for 15 minutes. I like golden beets because they don’t stain your hands/cutting boards, but red beets are just fine too.
After the 15 minutes are up, add 1 bunch radishes that have been trimmed and chopped into the bowl, oil/season them, and then spread onto one half of the second sheet pan. Roast alongside the beets and cauliflower for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, add 1/2 bunch asparagus that have been trimmed into 2″ chunks and oiled/seasoned then roast for an additional 10 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender.
Total breakdown for cooking times:
Cauliflower/beets: 35 minutes Radishes: 20 minutes Asparagus: 10 minutes
NOTE: If you are making this recipe for meal-prep, I suggest roasting the vegetables until they’re al dente vs super soft, as they’ll soften as they sit in the fridge.
Scoop the pesto rice into four bowls or containers then top with a quarter of the roasted vegetables. Stir together 1/4 cup pesto with 2 Tablespoons chicken or vegetable broth then drizzle on top, followed by 1 Tablespoon pepitas/pumpkin seeds for a little texture and crunch. These bowls keep wonderfully in the fridge for up to 4 days and, as the name implies, are total bliss — enjoy!
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