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Roasted Beet & Walnut Grain Bowl

August 28, 2019 by Nicole Leave a Comment

This post was sponsored by California Walnuts. All opinions—as always!—are my own.

Roasted beets, fresh strawberries and crunchy walnuts over a hearty bed of farro and greens, all topped with a honey basil vinaigrette. Yes, please! This roasted beet and walnut grain bowl makes for the perfect healthy lunch. The recipe is plant-based as-is, but you can always customize by adding some chicken or goat cheese crumbles (or both).

Roasting beets takes some time (especially if they’re large), so I like to prep this recipe ahead of time so that all I have to do is assemble when lunchtime hits. I love this dish, so I’ll prep enough for Joe and I to eat it a couple times throughout the week (typically I double the recipe below). Ahead of time I’ll roast the beets, cook the farro, and make the salad dressing. All store great in the refrigerator so when it’s time to eat, all I have to do is assemble my bowl and drizzle some dressing on top. If you work at an office, assemble in the morning in a big tupperware container and bring it with you to enjoy during your lunch break!

In a consumer survey exploring Americans’ shifting attitudes towards lunch, California Walnuts found that less than 10% of Americans prep their lunch for the whole week and almost half (45%) don’t plan what they’re going to eat for lunch at all. I admit I’m guilty of this most weeks, but I’m always so happy when I actually do take the time to prep (my bank account is happy, too).

Roasted Beet & Walnut Grain Bowl

Author: Nicole
Yield: 2 bowls 1x

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Description

Hearty grain bowl with roasted beets, strawberries, arugula, farro and walnuts. Topped with a basil vinaigrette.

Scale

Ingredients

1 large beet
½ cup dry farro
2 cups salad greens of choice (I like an arugula & spinach mix)
½ cup fresh strawberries, chopped
½ cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1 small shallot (you’ll reserve part of this for the dressing)

For the basil vinaigrette:

½ cup packed fresh basil
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
½ tbsp shallots, minced
½ tbsp honey (can sub maple syrup if vegan)
1 small clove garlic, minced

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare the beet. Scrub clean and cut the greens off the beet (leave an inch or so attached to the beet). Drizzle with olive oil and salt and wrap in tin foil. I then put the wrapped beet in a baking dish in case the juices leak. When oven is ready, place in center rack and roast for 30-60 minutes. That’s a big range, but it’ll depend on the size of the beet. When a fork easily goes into it, it’s ready. Let it cool a bit and then you’ll gently rub the skin to remove it (I wear kitchen gloves for this so it doesn’t stain my fingers). Chop into chunks.
Cook the farro. Bring the farro and 1 ¼ cups water to a boil. Once boiling, cover and reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes. Drain any excess water and set cooked farro aside.
Prepare the rest of the ingredients while the beet roasts and farro comes to a boil. Remove leaves and stems from strawberries and roughly chop. Peel and thinly slice the shallot. Reserve ½ tbsp (minced) for dressing. Peel and mince the garlic. Roughly chop the walnuts.
Make the basil vinaigrette. Add all dressing ingredients to a blender or food processor. Combine until smooth. Cover and set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Assemble your grain bowls. Divide the greens and farro between two bowls. Add in beets, strawberries, walnuts and thinly sliced shallots. Dress with desired amount of basil vinaigrette. Enjoy!

Keywords: grain bowl, walnut grain bowl

I love adding walnuts to salads and grain bowls because of their satisfying crunch. In addition to texture, walnuts make for a perfect lunch ingredient because they’re a significant source of omega-3 fatty acids (a good, polyunsaturated fat). This versatile lunch addition keeps me feeling full and satisfied through the afternoon.

If you’re one of the many Americans who regularly skip lunch, I challenge you to reclaim that midday meal and use it as an opportunity to take a break from work. I know I always feel more energized and productive in the afternoon when I’ve given myself a lunch break! To learn more about the #ChooseLunch campaign and get additional walnut recipes, head over to Walnuts.org.

xo Nicole

Filed Under: Dinner, Gluten-Free, Lunch, Recipes, Vegetarian

Loaded Walnut Avocado Toast

August 22, 2019 by Nicole 2 Comments

This post was sponsored by California Walnuts. All opinions—as always!—are my own.

This loaded walnut avocado toast just might be my favorite lunchtime option these days. The crisp tartness of green apples, the subtle sweetness of the honey drizzle, the satisfying crunch of the walnuts—I have no doubt you’re going to love this open-faced sandwich as much as I do! And not only is it flavorful and filling, but it can be assembled in just a few short minutes.

When you try this recipe—or any lunch recipe for that matter—I challenge you to take a midday break and actually enjoy it. California Walnuts conducted a consumer survey to explore Americans’ shifting attitudes towards lunch, and found that many of us are eating in front of a screen (guilty as charged). 78% of Americans want to recharge at lunch, but in reality, 67% are using their lunch break to check social media (again, guilty) or the news (59%). Furthermore, the survey showed that, on average, Americans eat at their desks 2-3 days a week—certainly not much of a lunch break! In fact, California Walnuts found that only 20% of Americans take a true mental break from responsibilities during lunch.

I work from home and my “desk” (couch, let’s be honest here) is a mere couple steps from the kitchen. Because of this, it’s all too easy to work straight through the day, with lunch being nothing more than me mindlessly eating while staring at my computer screen. While it might seem like I’m doing more work by skipping a traditional lunch break, I actually find I’m way less productive when I do this. Setting aside the lunch hour (or even 30 minutes!) as a true break from work to reset and enjoy my meal leaves me feeling clear-headed and ready to tackle the afternoon. So I’m teaming up with California Walnuts to encourage you to #ChooseLunch as well!