As much as I like to think of myself as a good cook, the honest truth is I don’t make food nearly as much as I’d like to. I hate being one of those busy people, but most days I just can’t figure out how to make time to plan, prep, cook, and clean up after a meal without getting overwhelmed.
I always admire my friends who seem to have it all figured out, especially Amanda of It’s Blueberry Moon. If you remember drooling over the pink sushi recipe I published awhile back, Amanda was a big part of that, and though her blog name has changed her crazy talent for making beautiful, colourful, HEALTHY food has not.
Constantly inspired by Amanda’s incredible Instagram posts documenting her meals (aka works of art) I approached her to collaborate on a brand new RAOP series that celebrates healthy living and a plant-based diet: Introducing #EatYourPastels! We’ll be sharing mega nutritious rainbow recipes a couple times every month, starting with this pink rice bowl! Without further ado, here’s Amanda and her first recipe on the RAOP site:
I’m already obsessed with eating and creating colourful foods, so when Alyssa approached me about a pastel collab I didn’t think twice! Taking everything to the next level (like pink tahini sauce!) could not excite me more. I wanted to make our recipes simple so that they’re easy to recreate at home. Hope you all have as much fun eating pink food as we did!
Scroll down for the recipe!
What you’ll need //
Bowl Ingredients
1 cup brown rice
2 cups water
1 tbsp beet juice
1/2 avocado
1/4 cup chickpeas
1 mini cucumber
2 radish’s
1 small watermelon radish
1 stalk green onion
1 carrot
greens of choice
Dressing Ingredients
1/4 cup tahini
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp beet juice
Directions //
Start by bringing your water to a boil. Rinse your rice well and add it to the water while reducing heat. Cover and simmer until cooked. While your rice is cooking you can start to chop up your veggies and make your dressing. Slice everything as desired, leaving your avo until last so it doesn’t brown.
To make dressing, combine all ingredients in your food processor or blender. If you don’t have either, no problem! Swap out the clove of garlic for a 1/2 tsp garlic powder and mix your sauce with a fork or mini whisk. You may need more lemon juice depending on the size of you lemon. Add to taste.
Once your rice has finished cooking, add your beet juice and fold it in gently to colour.
To assemble your bowl, start with a generous handful of greens for your base. We used mixed greens and some purple kale. If you like your food to look aesthetically pleasing before consumption, then use a tiny bowl to pack your rice in to form a little rice dome. Build your chickpeas and veggies around the rice in little pockets. Finish with a generous drizzle of dressing and garnish with some fresh sprouts.
