Golden Rice Autumn Nourish Bowl

This Golden Rice Autumn Nourish Bowl with Spiced Roasted Butternut Squash and Tomato Black Beans may just be the hug in a bowl you’re after today. Or all season, for that matter. It’s such a comforting and nourishing bowl (hence the name) and it is filled with feel good foods.

Golden Rice Autumn Nourish Bowl

We hear a lot about turmeric in the press, on food blogs and in cafes. While some superfoods are certainly hyped up and perhaps don’t meet all the amazing health claims on the tin, turmeric is a spice that I love and swear by. There is a reason it is known as the golden goddess of spices and not just for the glowing colour that it lends to all foods – and your wooden spoons. This is all thanks to the active ingredient called Curcumin which has powerful biological properties, all celebrated in the traditional Indian system of Ayurveda. There are some really interesting articles and podcasts out there on the wonders of Ayurvedic medicine, so I won’t pretend to be an expert and will instead point you in the right direction. I love Jasmine Hemsley’s East by West for its’ in-depth explanations as well as interviews she has recently given – look up Talking Tastebuds about it for a great listen.

Apart from in lattes, turmeric is a prevalent ingredient in fragrant curries and rice dishes, which is what I wanted to celebrate here. Bold ginger and garlic are fried off with turmeric to create a gently spiced rice dish. By cooking the rice in this way, we allow all the flavours to infuse and make this more digestible.

Golden Rice Autumn Nourish Bowl

The rest of the bowl is filled with perfect autumnal flavours. Cumin and paprika roasted butternut squash cubes, a quick pickled cabbage raw slaw, tomato and spiced black beans, massaged kale and beautiful pomegranate arils. The bowl comes together wonderfully topped with some creamy avocado chunks to balance out the spices and heat, while the array of textures is such a feast for the senses.

Despite the numerous components and cooking methods, this meal comes together in about 40 minutes – even quicker if you have prepared some roasted squash beforehand and everything will keep well for a few days making this a great batch cook option.

If you’re looking for ways to use up leftover butternut squash, have a look at some of my other recipes: Butternut Squash Macro Power Bowl, Roasted Squash and Kale Slaw Salad, or Smokey Butternut Squash and Quinoa Bowl.

Let’s get nourishing this Autumn!

Golden Rice Autumn Nourish Bowl
Serves 2

Ingredients:
Golden Rice:
Olive oil
1 white onion, small dice
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
½ tsp ground turmeric
140g brown rice
450-500ml vegetable stock

Butternut Squash:
½ small butternut squash, peeled and chopped
Olive oil
½ tsp each: ground cumin, smoked paprika

Raw Slaw:
100g mixed red and white cabbage, shredded
1 tbsp each: olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice
1 tsp coconut honey or syrup

Tomato Black Beans:
1 tin chopped tomatoes
2/3 tin black beans (about 160g, drained weight)
½ tsp each: garlic powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, miso paste

1 avocado, sliced
1 handful kale, torn
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp pomegranate arils
Salt and black pepper

Method:

1. For the butternut squash: preheat the oven to 180Fan/200*C and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Toss the butternut squash cubes in olive oil and all the spices. Season with salt and black pepper and roast for 30-40 minutes until tender and crisp.

2. For the golden rice: fry off the onion, garlic and ginger in a drizzle of olive oil for 5 minutes until softening, add the turmeric and fry for another minute. Now add the rice and stock and stir well. Bring to the boil and reduce the heat to simmer for 25 minutes, or until cooked. Add more water or stock as needed. Season with black pepper.

3. For the raw slaw: add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl and massage with your hands for 2 minutes until the cabbage has softened slightly.

4. For the tomato black beans: add all the ingredients to a small saucepan, bring to a bubble and reduce the heat slightly while stirring. Cook on a medium-high heat for about 5 minute or until the sauce has thickened. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

5. Prepare the other elements of the dish. Using your hands, massage the lemon juice into the kale in a mixing bowl until the leaves wilt and are vibrant.

6. To serve, divide the rice between two bowls, adding the kale, raw slaw, tomato black beans and butternut squash. Top with the avocado slices and pomegranate arils and enjoy straight away. All the elements will keep well in separate containers in the fridge for 2 days.

Golden Rice Autumn Nourish Bowl

I love hearing from you and seeing your #nourishingamy creations. so, please do tag me in them on social media – I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and leave a comment below. Stay in touch also on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.

With autumnal love x