After talking to a few of my friends, we agreed how much we all needed some new, fast go-to recipes to add to our weeknight arsenal. But so often we found, myself included, that “quick meals” tend to be unhealthy, processed, one-dimensional and really just plain boring. So I set out to create a few one-pot, thirty minute or less meals that are as healthy as they are tasty. First up my vegan “everything bowl.”
I’m a big fan of “everything-but-the-kitchen-sink one pot meals” because they’re incredibly easy to make because there’s only one pot to wash, and they usually bring the flavor with a large mix of ingredients, textures and spices. I was inspired to make this specific vegan bowl by a recent meal I had delivered from Green Chef, but put my own twist on it by making it vegan and adding some heat and a few more veggies.
The sweet potatoes and chickpeas lend a heartiness to the bowl, and the Israeli couscous, corn and peppers, and peas, fresh or frozen, act as nice, healthy filler ingredients as well. And since you know I can’t go without heat and a little crunch, I especially enjoy the fresh jalapenos, green onions and unsalted cashews in the mix. And the best news: this vegan bowl is beyond hearty, filling you up completely, and not leaving you hungry for more in an hour.
While this recipe as a whole will clock you right about 30 minutes, if you pre-chop the main ingredients ahead of time, this recipe can easily be made in 20 minutes or less. Extra time saver: the green and red peppers, onions, and jalapeno can be perfectly chopped with this chopper, before combining with the sweet potatoes, chickpeas, corn and couscous in a deep, large saute pan or dutch oven.
While time definitely makes this dish shine, the real beauty about this recipe is that you can feel good about all of the ingredients, even the “sour cream.” AND all of these flavors don’t even need to be drowned in sauces or condiments. It’s just so simple, and so so so good. Tell me, does this recipe sound like an easy dinner night for you, too? Truly, MKR
- 1/2 Organic green bell pepper
- 1/2 Organic red bell pepper
- 1/2 Organic white or yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4-5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 1 cup Israeli pearl couscous
- 1 (15-ounce) can organic chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 organic sweet potato, ½-inch diced
- 1/2 cup organic peas
- 1/2 cup organic corn
- 1 jalepeno, finely chopped
- 1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
- 4 tablespoons organic cashews, rough chop
- 3 cups baby spinach
- Vegan sour cream, optional
- salt and pepper to taste
- cayenne pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 1/2 cup warm water
- Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan or dutch oven (with lid) over medium-high heat. Add sweet potatoes, onions, and garlic to hot pan; stir. Season with a large pinch of salt. Add jalepeno and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add chickpeas and couscous to pan with veggies; stir. Bring to a boil, add water and immediately reduce to a simmer. Cook 10-12 minutes.
- Add green and red pepper, peas, corn, and spinach stirring and cooking until the majority of liquid has cooked down. Add additional salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste.
- Remove from heat and garnish each bowl with cashews, green onion, cilantro and sour cream.
