Nourishing Veggie Grain Bowl with Lemon Ginger Sauce

This nourishing veggie grain bowl with a lemon ginger sauce has become one of my go-to easy lunches. I simply whip up a big batch on Sunday and reheat it throughout the week.

In addition to being filled with fiber and good-for-you ingredients, I love it as it’s: 

• Perfect for meal prep
• Ready in less than 45 minutes
• Packed with veggies 
• Easily customizable 
• Drizzled with the best lemon ginger sauce

When I used to live in Boston, one of my favorite places to grab a bite to eat was Life Alive Cafe.

While the dietitian side of me loved the focus on whole grains and vegetables, my inner foodie was obsessed with the dressings that they’d add to their salads and grain bowls. 

But, now that I live in Denver, I’ve had to make my own versions of their sauces.

I’m not sure if they still have it, but my favorite sauce at the cafe was their lemon ginger sauce. And after a few tries, I’ve finally come up with my own version that’s pretty close to the original (or at least how I remember the original one tasting).

Trust me, you’re going to want to drizzle it over all your grain bowls, salads, and roasted veggies! 

Nourishing Veggie Grain Bowl with Lemon Ginger Sauce

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup farro, uncooked (see notes for substitutions) 
• 1 package extra-firm tofu, drained, pressed, and cut into 1-inch cubes (see notes for substitutions)
• 1 medium head of broccoli, chopped into florets (about 3 cups)
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste 
• 1 cup chopped Lacinato kale
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil 
• ¼ cup slivered almonds 

For the sauce: 

• 2 cloves garlic
• 2-inch piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and roughly chopped 
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons tahini (see notes for substitutions)
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 
• 2 tablespoons water 

Instructions

1. Prepare farro per package instructions. Once cooked, turn off heat and set aside. 
2. Preheat oven to 425 F and line one large or two medium baking sheets with parchment paper. 
3. While oven preheats, prep tofu (or chickpeas), broccoli, and carrots. Once everything is chopped, place in a large mixing bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon avocado oil. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper. 
4. Place tofu and vegetables in an even layer on prepared baking sheet(s) and roast for 20-30 minutes, or until lightly browned. I recommend stirring tofu and veggies about halfway through roasting. 
5. Meanwhile, remove kale stems and roughly chop the leaves. Place chopped kale in a bowl and drizzle 1 teaspoon of olive oil, and add a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Massage the kale leaves for 2-3 minutes, or until they feel softened. Set aside. 
6. Next, make the sauce. Simply place all sauce ingredients in a food processor or high-powered blender until smooth. Set aside. 
7. Once everything is cooked, assemble bowls by evenly distributing farro, tofu, roasted vegetables, and kale between five bowls. Drizzle the sauce over each bowl and top with a sprinkle of slivered almonds. 

Nutrition 

Servings 5 |  347 Calories per Serving

17 g protein; 0 mg cholesterol; 15 g fat; 2 g saturated fat; 39 g carbohydrate; 8 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 274 mg sodium

Notes: 

• Option to use chickpeas instead of tofu. For this substitution, rinse chickpeas and pat dry with a paper towel. Place them in a single layer on their own baking sheet and roast along with the broccoli and carrots at 400 F for 20-30 minutes. 
• If using tofu, make sure to drain out all the liquid from the packaging. Next, wrap the block of tofu in a paper towel, place on a plate or cutting board, and place something heavy (like a cookbook or tea kettle) on top of the tofu to press most of the remaining water out. Ideally, I like to press for 30 minutes, but when short on time I’ve had good results pressing for just 10 minutes. 
• If you don’t have tahini, unsweetened almond butter can be used instead. 
• Any whole grain will work, such as brown rice, quinoa, or barley. 
• Feel free to sub in any vegetables that are in season or leftovers in the fridge.