Lately I have been loving bowls. Having a delicious meal of a  healthy grain and veggies in a bowl with a delicious sauce to be exact. Not bowl cuts or empty bowls or whatever else you may have been thinking! With this new love affair a new category of noms has been born here and I am calling them Barefoot Bowls! They are super easy to make for dinner or lunch or even to pack on the go for a lunch or dinner.  Lately my schedule has been a bit crazy (more yoga teaching, yay!) so it has been nice to have easy meals I can pack on the go. These Asian bowls were inspired by a sauce I had at Life Alive that I loved so I tried to recreate my own version then poured it over some of my favorite veggies and some short grain brown rice! The result was DELICIOUS! So lets get into the recipe!

Sauce (Inspired by the Ginger Nama Shoyu Sauce from Life Alive)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons ginger chopped (will make it easier on the blender)
• 2-3 cloves garlic ( to taste- we LOVE garlic)
• 2 tablespoons nama shoyu sauce (or tamari or soy sauce or liquid aminos)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (about  half a large lemon)
• 1 tablespoon oil (evoo or flax work well)
• 2-4 tablespoons water

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth!
2. Place in a covered container in the fridge and let the flavors meld. This tastes even better the longer it sits!

Veggies and Grains! 

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked brown rice ( I personally like to soak my rice overnight in water but this is not necessary)
• Water according to package instructions
• 1 cup cauliflower florets
• 1.5 cups mushrooms sliced
• 1 tablespoon nama shoyu sauce (or tamari or soy sauce or liquid aminos)
• 1/2 block firm tofu cubed
• 4-6 radishes rough chopped
• Scallions sliced
• 1 tablespoon oil (I use EVOO)
• Optional: black sesame seeds, any other veggies- broccoli, carrot, etc.

Instructions:

1.  Cook the rice according to package instructions in a pot on the stove or in a rice cooker
2. While the rice is cooking heat a medium skillet over medium high heat, add the oil and the tofu cubes, a little saltand cook 10-15 minutes until browned on all sides. Add the black sesame seeds if using and stir to combine. Remove the tofu and set aside
3. Add the cauliflower to the same pan and cook until softened and browned on some sides, about 8-10 minutes. Remove and set aside
4. Add the mushrooms and let them release their moisture for 6-10 minutes once most of the moisture has cooked out add the nama shoyu (or tamari or soy sauce or liquid aminos) and mix to combine getting any stuck bits of the bottom of the pan. Let cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove and set aside.
5. At this point the rice should be cooked so combine it with a few tablespoons of the ginger nama shoyu sauce and mix to combine. Place the rice and all the cooked veggies and tofu into a bowl, add the scallions and raw radishes. Top with sliced scallions and more ginger nama shoyu sauce to taste!
6. Devour!

As always this recipe can be customized any way you would like changing up the grain- quinoa would be delicious I bet!- or adding in any vegetables you love and omitting any you don’t! Get into the kitchen and play! If you make this please let me know what you think and any changes you made! I would love to hear from you!

Kristen