Let's get merry and bright with "the holiday bowl"

The recipes

Creamy Cauliflower Risotto

INGREDIENTS

• 1 bag of cauliflower rice (Available at Trader Joe's or Whole Foods)
• 1 small yellow onion, small dice
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed and minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1½ cups stock (vegetable)
• ¾ plus ¼ cups unsweetened hemp or oat milk, divided 
• 1 teaspoon rosemary leaves, minced
• generous pinch sea salt
• fresh ground pepper 
• minced parsley to garnish

PROCEDURE

• Heat the olive oil in a medium-large skillet. Add the onions and garlic. 
• Saute the onions and garlic, stirring often, for a few minutes until the onions are translucent. 
• Add the minced rosemary and stir in with the onions. 
• Add the cauliflower rice and stir well. 
• Add the stock and ¾ cup milk. Stir well. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce to a simmer on medium heat. Leave to simmer, mostly covered, stirring occasionally. 
• Cook for about 15 minutes, and check for doneness. At this point, if the liquid is mostly absorbed, and the cauliflower still needs more time to become soft, you can add the remaining milk or more stock if you want a lighter version. 
• Cook for another 5 minutes or so, until the cauliflower is soft, and liquid is absorbed. 
• Season with salt and pepper to taste. 
• To serve, garnish with chopped parsley. 

“From-Scratch” Chickpeas 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups dried chickpeas

• 2 teaspoons baking soda

• Sea salt

PROCEDURE

• Soak chickpeas for 10-12 hours in water with 1 teaspoon of baking soda mixed in. They will expand to at least 2x their size, so make sure to use a large bowl and cover with sufficient water
• Drain chickpeas in a strainer and rinse well.
• Place chickpeas in a large pot with 1 teaspoon of baking soda and fill with water.
• Bring to a boil and simmer for 1-1 ½ hours, or until chickpeas are soft and creamy.
• Drain chickpeas and allow to cool.
• Season with salt to taste.

*Canned chickpeas work here too--they just won't taste quite as good!

Maple Roasted Acorn Squash 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 acorn squash, unpeeled, halved through the stem, and seeded
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• Generous pinch of red chile flakes, if desired
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cut the squash into slices and lay on a baking sheet.
3. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle the squash with kosher salt and ground pepper.
4. Roast for 20-25 minutes. Drizzle with maple syrup. Add the red chile flakes, if desired.
5. Roast for another 5-10 minutes, until tender when pierced with a small knife. 

Sauteed Sesame Green Beans

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ½ pounds green beans, trimmed and cut into 2” pieces (about 4 cups)
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil (extra virgin olive oil would work here too)
• 2 large cloves garlic, smashed and sliced
• ¼ cup water
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, raw unhulled
• ½ teaspoon sea salt

PROCEDURE

• Heat coconut oil in a sauté pan.  Add the garlic and green beans and saute for about 5 minutes.
• Add the water to help it cook by steaming slightly.
• Let the water evaporate. Continue stirring. 
• You are looking for the green beans to start browning slightly. 
• Season with salt. Add the sesame seeds and lemon zest. 
• Remove from the heat and serve.  

Marinated Kale

INGREDIENTS

• 1 bunch curly kale (about 6-8 pieces)
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper 

PROCEDURE

• Remove stems from kale, then wash, dry and layer in a pile. Slice in thin pieces. 
• In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon, salt and pepper.
• Add the kale and begin to massage the kale with clean hands. Continue until the kale is tender and evenly coated with the dressing. 

Parsley-Walnut Pesto (Green Sauce)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large bunch parsley, roughly chopped
• handful walnuts (alternatively you can use sliced almonds and/or sunflower seeds)
• a few cloves of garlic
• handful of spinach
• dash of lemon juice
• about a cup of olive oil
• generous dash of almond milk
• pinch of salt
• dash of maple syrup

PROCEDURE

• Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend well.
• Adjust seasoning with salt and lemon juice.

Pomegranate Seeds

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup pomegranate seeds

To assemble the bowls

Layer in 4 shallow, wide, white bowls: 

• Generous scoop of cauliflower risotto 
• 1/2 cup of cooked chickpeas
• 3 slices maple roasted acorn squash
• ½ cup of sesame green beans
• Drizzle with parsley-walnut pesto 
• Top with ¼ cup pomegranate seeds

Want more recipes like these?

Create della bowls at home! Get the della bowls at home digital cookbook for simple, mix-and-match foods to create your own creative combinations in your own home kitchen. Find it here.