So, today is the national day of healthy nutrition, here in Germany. I wanted to add something to it, so I’ve created a new recipe. As I think it’s very important to integrate a healthy nutrition into any kind of lifestyle, it’s also a meal prep recipe!!
My kind of healthy nutrition
For a while now, I’ve been working on eating more regional produce. This winter has been (and still is) quite tough… Here, in Germany, there’s not a whole lot to eat during winter… Different kinds of cabbage, beets, potatoes, carrots, the occasional Jerusalem artichoke. Fruit wise, pears and apples are everything there is – I am dying to eat some fresh berries!!! it gives me all the joy in the mornings…
Eating this way, however, made me challenge myself a lot. I had to come up with soooo many different ways to use up the kilos and kilos of cabbage…
For those who know me, I’m really not that big a fan of cabbage…
Nevertheless, I tried numerous vegan filled cabbage rolls, slaw versions, cabbage soups (that was a challenging one for me, as my boyfriend can confirm, haha). Cabbage as a side, in vegan cream sauce, with mushrooms,… the list goes on! I’ve taken a liking to some of it now.
Jerusalem artichokes on the other hand? Well, I don’t know why they’re so “in”… You can’t make a puree out of them, because the inulin will just end up making the whole thing super sticky. This makes a great ingredient for gluten-free bread though. I mean, loads of people just buy inulin and add it as a binding agent… how bout just grating it and adding it to your bread next time? (Really adjust your psyllium though!!!).
The "National Day of Healthy Nutrition" Recipe
So, after trying so many different things, I kinda needed some soul food… so, I’ve created a coconut-apple-cake (recipe coming soon) and a buckwheat bowl. Buckwheat is a regional grain (thank god!). It has a distinct nutty flavour, so whatever you’ll add to it, you already have a fantastic base. In the light of national day of healthy nutrition, I therefore created this new recipe: my Healthy Buckwheat & Veggie Bowl. Full of YUM!!!
Healthy Buckwheat & Veggie Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup buckwheat groats
- 1 tsp vegetable broth
- 50 g dried & chopped tomatoes or more if you like 🙂
- 1 large carrot
- 1/2 cucumber
- 3 spring onions
- 100 g dried cranberries
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- salt
- pepper
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- tiny bit of chilli flakes
- 1/2 lemon
- 1 handful hazelnuts
Instructions
- Let's start the buckwheat bowl, by cooking the buckwheat. In a small pot heat 2 cups of water (use the same cup you use for measuring the buckwheat!!) and add the dried tomatoes and vegetable broth. As soon as the water starts boiling, add the buckwheat groats and reduce heat to low heat, with the lid on. It should only simmer, similar to cooking rice, really. Make sure not to stir the buckwheat while cooking. Let it simmer until almost all the water has evaporated. Then turn off the heat, set aside the lid & let the buckwheat rest and cool down a little.
- While the buckwheat cooks, you can start chopping up the carrot into small pieces and crush the garlic. Heat a pan to medium-high heat and add 2 tbsp of olive oil. Add the chopped carrot and heat it slowly. You want to draw out as much of the carrots sweetness as possible. Season with salt, pepper, cumin, cinnamon and chili flakes and add the crushed garlic. Slowly roast until cooked through.
- While the buckwheat is cooling down & the carrots are in the pan, you can take a large bowl and add the cranberries. Also slice the spring onions and cut the cucumber into small pieces and add to the bowl. Roughly chop the hazelnuts and also add them. (You could roast them in the pan before, if you'd like). Add juice of 1/2 lemon and 1 tbsp of olive oil.
- Finally, add the cooled buckwheat & carrots. Serve on it's own or with hummus, feta cheese, fried tofu or tempeh. Store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
You could also caramalise it, if you want. As this recipe is created for the national day of healthy nutrition, however, i’ve decided not to use any sweeter at all.
According to the season and your home, you can also exchange the added ingredients whichever way you like. The basic components of the recipe are the following way: The carrots provide the sweet component of this dish, the buckwheat the more bitter parts, the acidity comes from the lemon and the freshness is brought by the cucumber. Just keep that in mind when exchanging parts of it. 🙂
Happy cooking & please leave your feedback & questions below! For more recipes sign up for my newsletter & check out my other recipes or follow me on Instagram.
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