this week in our kitchen: all the bowls + two-recipe bonus post

Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon. ~Doug Larson

My gratitude-list for fall could be miles long. Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit — let’s say A mile. But, regardless of the length, you can be sure one item that would make an appearance would be savoring a bowl of warm + comforting food. There’s just something to be said about the ability to cup the bowl with your hands, hovering over the dish and taking in the warmth and aroma, warming you from the inside out and outside in.

Imagine my delight then when I came across pages of bowl recipes in the October issue of Cooking Light. We tried two and were extremely satisfied with both: Crispy Cauliflower with Chili-Tahini Sauce and Barley Pilaf + Broccoli Fried Rice with Kimchi Cream. We appreciated that both were vegetable-based and lighter than some traditional bowl-type meals. The cauliflower bowl is also a great option for my vegan friends while a few tweaks to the broccoli one could easily make it vegetarian (although, I wouldn’t recommend it as the husband and I both agreed the bacon was what made the dish).

CRISPY CAULIFLOWER WITH CHILI-TAHINI SAUCE AND BARLEY PILAF

Total time: 55 minutes / Serves 4

The What

• 5 cups chopped cauliflower florets
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest plus 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon coconut sugar (can also use granulated)
• 4 to 5 teaspoons water
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
• 3 cups cooked barley (original recipe called for farro but we had barley, so we substituted)
• 2 Medjool dates, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, plus whole leaves for garnish

The How

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Arrange cauliflower in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss with 1 tablespoon oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bake at 425°F until tender, 25 to 30 minutes, tossing once after 15 minutes. Set aside.
2. Stir together lemon zest and juice, tahini, chili powder, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Whisk in 1 tablespoon water; add 1 to 2 additional teaspoons water until desired consistency is reached. Set aside.
3. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium. Add shallot; cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in farro, dates, chopped mint, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook 2 minutes.
4. Place 2/3 cup farro pilaf in each of 4 bowls. Top each with 3/4 cup cauliflower and 1 1/2 tablespoons chili-tahini sauce. Garnish with mint. Enjoy!

(BACONY) BROCCOLI FRIED RICE WITH KIMCHI CREAM

Total time: 50 minutes / Serves 4

The What

• 4 center-cut bacon slices, chopped
• 4 cups chopped broccoli florets
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 18 oz cooked brown rice
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 teaspoon coconut sugar (can also use granulated)
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons Bragg liquid aminos (or low-sodium soy sauce)
• 1/3 cup refrigerated jarred kimchi plus 1 Tbsp. kimchi juice
• 1/4 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt (we used Bulgarian)
• 1 tablespoon olive-oil mayonnaise
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

The How

1. Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer bacon to a plate (do not wipe out skillet). Add broccoli to skillet; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until broccoli is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
2. Add sesame oil to skillet; increase heat to medium-high. Add rice, scallions, and coconut sugar; cook, stirring occasionally, until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Push rice mixture to edges of skillet to create a hole in center. Add eggs to center; cook, stirring often, until mostly cooked, about 1 minute. Stir in liquid aminos, bacon, and broccoli. Remove from heat.
3. Process kimchi and kimchi juice, yogurt, mayonnaise, and salt in a food processor until mostly smooth.
4. Divide fried rice among 4 bowls. Top each with 2 tablespoons kimchi cream; garnish with scallions. Enjoy!