pesto brown rice bowl
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Serves: 2-4
Ingredients
  • 1 cup brown rice
  • 1 cup lentils
  • 2 sweet potatoes, cut into small cubes
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
  • ¼ - ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 3-4 tbsp. parmesan cheese, grated
  • Garlic hummus, homemade or store-bought (I used Sabra roasted pine nut hummus)
  • 2 avocados, diced
  • ¾ cup shredded carrots
  • Grilled chicken, if desired
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit.
  2. Bring two medium pots of water to a boil, then add brown rice and lentils and cook according to package instructions. Once rice is cooked, remove from heat and transfer to a medium bowl. Once lentils are down, drain in a colander and transfer to a medium bowl.
  3. Line a cookie sheet with foil, then place cubed sweet potato on top. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat all of the cubes.
  4. Warm a small skillet over medium heat, then add pine nuts. Cook until lightly toasted then remove from the heat.
  5. Into the bowl of a food processor, add the garlic, basil leaves and toasted pine nuts. Pulse until finely chopped. With the blender still running, slowly pour in the olive oil. Check for a thick, yet smooth consistency, adding more oil if necessary. Transfer to a bowl and stir in Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.
  6. Add the pesto the the bowl of brown rice and mix together, making sure all of the rice is coated.
  7. In a separate bowl, build your bowl. Place a layer of pesto brawl rice on the bottom, then add the remaining ingredients on top - lentils, shredded carrots, diced avocado, sweet potatoes and hummus. Top the bowl with warm, grilled chicken, if desired.
Recipe by sweet caroline's cooking at https://sweetcarolinescooking.com/2017/09/22/shredding-wedding-pesto-brown-rice-bowl/