Combine Colors and Flavors for Satisfying Plant-Based Dishes
Colorful meals and plant-based dishes offer a welcome array of delicious and nutritious table settings any time of the year. Try using ingredients with an array of rainbow hues.
Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
1 large sweet onion, chopped
2 TBSP fresh ginger, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup raw cashews
1 large butternut squash, cubed
5 cups vegetable broth
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp coriander
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 cup full fat coconut milk
Few sprigs of fresh rosemary
Directions
Use a large pot and set on the stove to medium heat, adding the extra virgin olive oil, onion, ginger, and cashews.
As onions turn translucent and cashew start to brown, add in garlic and butternut squash to cook for a few minutes.
Next add broth and all the spices, then allow to simmer for a good 20 minutes or so.
You should be able to pierce the squash with a fork easily.
Allow soup to cool before transferring to a blender to purée smooth.
Return back to the pot then add coconut milk and rosemary and simmer for another 15-20 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Maple Roasted Rainbow Carrots
Ingredients
1 bunch of rainbow carrots from Farm Fresh To You
2 TBSP avocado oil
1 TBSP maple syrup
1/4 cup pepitas
Pinch of sea salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Wash carrots, cut most of the tops off, then slice.
Cut into halves or quarters depending thickness to ensure they cook evenly.
Place slices on baking sheet evenly spaced apart.
Whisk together the avocado oil and maple syrup.
Drizzle over carrots, using tongs to turn and evenly coat carrots.
Season with sea salt. Bake for approximately 30 minutes, turning carrots midway through cooking.
Top with pepitas and set oven to broil for another three to five minutes.
Salad Arrangement with Creamy Tahini Dressing
Decorate a bed of organic mixed greens with a mixture of the following:
• Shredded red beets
• Sliced golden beets
• Sliced watermelon radish
• Sliced persimmon
• Coarsely chopped radicchio
• Shredded purple cabbage
• Dried mulberries
• Chopped curly parsley
• Pomegranate seeds
• Toasted sesame seeds
Creamy Tahini Dressing
1/2 cup tahini
3 TBSP water
1 TBSP apple cider vinegar
2 TBSP fresh lemon juice
2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp maple syrup
Pinch of sea salt
Makes about 1 cup
*Depending on the thickness of tahini and personal preference, you may need to add more water (1 TBSP at a time) to thin the consistency of the dressing.
Jamie Mok, MS, RD, RYT is a Los Angeles-based dietitian, nutritionist, and yoga teacher who practices nutrition therapy at Memorial Care Long Beach Medical Center and teaches weekly yoga classes at Purple Yoga in Long Beach. In her “between time,” Jamie is on her yoga mat developing her personal practice, in the kitchen whipping up something fresh, and snapping photos for her Instagram feed @the_yogini_rd, and exploring the LA restaurant and food scene one bite at a time. Learn more on her website www.jamiemok.com