GF Power Bowl
Prep. Time
45 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Servings
3-4 plates
Difficulty
Challenging
Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, dairy-free, egg-free, Soy-Free
This meal comes together without a ton of fuss but still feels full of flavor and satisfying. Yes, you do need to think ahead if you’re soaking beans, but if you grab canned ones, you’re basically good to go. I like how the curry and garlic salt give the beans and tofu a little kick without being too loud, and the corn adds a nice pop of sweetness. You can keep everything separate and let people build their own bowls, which somehow makes it feel less like cooking and more like a fun hangout. Bonus points if you toss on some avocado at the end.
Ingredients
Garbanzo beans and navy beans, 1 can each (or follow my recipe here, for how to cook baged beans)
1 pack GF sweet-potato noodles -or- long-grain white rice
1 cup sweet corn kernels
10.5oz (300g) super-firm tofu (for a soy-free option, do not add tofu)
1 ripe avocado
3 tsps curry powder
3 tsps garlic salt
Olive oil
1/2 tsp sesame oil
Optional: 1 russett potato (cubes, cooked), broccoli florets (cooked)
Scallions, for garnish
Instructions
Using soaked and freshly cooked beans requires pre-planning - make sure to start the process (instructions are available here) at least 8 hours before making this dish. If you are using canned beans, no early preparations are needed.
If you are using canned beans, discard the brine (can water) and rinse the beans a couple of times.
Preheat a large pan to medium heat, and drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
**Before the next steps, consider the following note: If you do not need/want to keep the ingredients separated, you can combine both types of beans on the pan, and towards the end, add in the corn**
Place the garbanzo beans in the pan and add 1 tsp garlic salt and 1 tsp curry powder. Stir well to combine the beans and the seasoning.
Fry for 5-7 minutes, remove from the pan, and set aside in a clean dish.
Drizzle olive oil again on the pan, and repeat the previous 2 steps, this time with navy beans. When done, keep the pan heated on the stove, on medium-high heat.
Remove the tofu from the packaging, and discard the water.
On a cutting board, cut the tofu block into 1'' cubes.
Drizzle olive oil again on the pan, and add in the tofu cubes.
Add garlic-salt and curry powder (1 teaspoon, each), stir frequently and fry for 5-7 minutes until the tofu is golden or dark golden, on all sides.
Remove from the pan, and set aside in a clean dish.
Lower the heat to medium, drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil and throw in the corn kernels. Stir fry those for 2-3 minutes, just to give them a quick roast.
Remove from the pan, and set aside in a clean dish.
Optional: if you want to add potato to this dish, keep the pan on low-medium heat. Peel and cut the potato to 1'' cubes, similar to how you treated the tofu. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil, and add the potatos to the pan. Add 1 teaspoon of garlic-salt, cover with a lid, and cook for 20 minutes or until the potato cubes are tender. Stir every 5 minutes.
Cook the noodles before serving, per the instructions on the packaging. If you chose rice instead, rinse 1 cup of rice (repeat 3 times) and cook it in a 1:2 ratio (2 cups of boiling water for 1 cup of rice) with 3 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon fine salt.
To serve, place the noodles (or rice) on the base of a pasta bowl, and either combine all the goodies on top, or allow your guests to put it together themselves, while all toppings are served in separate bowls (like a buffet!).
Optional cold topping: avocado slices, strips of cucumber rolls.
Notes
For a soy-free option, do not add tofu.
Garbanzo and navy beans can be substituted with other beans, as preferred.
The Latest Bite
Wonderful Parsley Salad
I usually buy parsley with the idea that I’ll use “just a little” in a recipe, and then I’m left with a big bunch staring at me from the fridge. This salad is my solution. Instead of letting those greens wilt away, I chop the whole thing and make it the main event. It’s fresh, full of flavor, and takes almost no effort.
The best part is how forgiving it is. Walnuts give it crunch, but almonds or pecans work if that’s what’s in the pantry. Cheese adds creaminess and the dressing is quick to whip together with what we usually have on hand, and it makes the parsley feel less like “just herbs” and more like a real salad.
This isn’t a kid-friendly dish in our house (the parsley is just too “green” for them), but it works great for the adults. I’ll make it at home when dinner needs something light on the side, or pack it into a container when we’re traveling in an RV and want an easy salad to balance out heartier meals. Since it’s dairy-free and plant-based, it holds up well for hours on the road without the stress of refrigeration worries you get with mayo-based dressings.
It’s fast, flexible, and keeps parsley from going to waste—a little grown-up salad that travels well.