Power Bowls with Sweet Potato Sport Dressing

Recipe & image: Lindsay Young, RHN, BSc Holistic Nutritionist @eatyoungnutrition

FOR THE BOWLS:

Instructions:

• To boil eggs, remove eggs from the fridge a few minutes prior, and let a medium sized pot come to a boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, lower the heat just for a few seconds and use a slotted spoon to add both eggs to the pot. Return the heat to high and let them boil for 8 minutes.* While they are boiling, prepare an ice bath in a bowl by adding ice and cold water, and set this beside the pot. At 8 minutes, remove eggs and place them in the ice bath. Set aside.
• Prepare quinoa by following the directions on your package. Optional: substitute water for bone broth for additional protein, amino acids, collagen and bone minerals.*
• In a skillet, heat coconut oil over medium-high heat and add garlic and onion. Stir until fragrant, then add broccoli and shiitake mushrooms. Cook the vegetables for about 5 minutes, until broccoli is bright in colour.
• Remove eggs from ice bath and carefully peel them by cracking the shell and letting cold water run over them while you peel. Set eggs aside.
• In two bowls add a large spoonful of cooked quinoa, the vegetables and mixed greens, and a boiled egg cut in half. Slice an avocado in half, then dice half into each bowl. Spoon a generous amount of dressing (recipe below) overtop each bowl.

Recipe Notes*

In my experience, 8 minutes leads to softer, jammy eggs while 10-12 minutes leads to hard boiled eggs.

I like to cook my grains in bone broth to enhance the nutritional value and the taste. If following a plant based diet, this isn't necessary. Because this recipe is geared towards an active lifestyle involving the natural wear & tear of muscles, I wanted to incorporate a nutrient dense food that helps to counteract this: bone broth contains collagen and gelatin, a huge component of the ligaments and joints.

FOR THE DRESSING:

Makes: 1 cup of dressing
1 small sweet potato (or half of a medium sweet potato)*
1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked at least 3 hours in filtered water*
1/2 cup filtered water
4 garlic cloves
2 tbsp Flora Omega Sport+ Oil
1 tsp coconut aminos
1/2 tsp sea salt Pepper, to taste

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 F. Pierce a small sweet potato with a fork and place on a baking sheet. Cook for 30-40 minutes until tender. Remove the sweet potato from the oven and let it sit for 5-10 minutes to cool slightly. Carefully peel off the skin and add the skinless sweet potato to a blender.
• Add pre-soaked cashews, 1/2 cup fresh filtered water, garlic, Flora Omega Sport oil*, and coconut aminos to the blender. Blend on high until everything is very creamy. Taste and add salt, then add your desired amount of pepper.
• Keep extra dressing in an airlocked container in the fridge for up to one week.

Recipe Notes*

1 small sweet potato was equivalent to about 1/2 cup of cooked sweet potato

Flora's Omega Sport oil is a plant based omega 3,6,9 oil blend that also includes MCT oil from coconut and turmeric extract. MCT, or medium chain triglycerides, have been found to lower triglyceride levels, help balance blood sugar levels, and may even help the body burn fat due to their unique digestion process. Turmeric is a very anti-inflammatory root, which when extracted at a 12:1 ratio as it is in this oil, provides the body with inflammatory-fighting curcuminoids. Turmeric is an excellent workout companion because of the inflammation that can occur as the body naturally recovers from microscopic damage to muscle fibers.