Themed power bowls highlight heart-healthy, Canadian foods
Vegetables, lean protein and grains make up weeknight-friendly meals
Zannat Reza wants to shine the spotlight on heart-healthy ingredients made and grown in Canada for Heart Month and all year long.
The registered dietitian has developed recipes for themed power bowls each featuring foods from different areas of the country.
“What I like is that they’re customizable so these are just some suggestions,” says Reza, who promotes health and wellness through her thrive360 company. “Say you’ve got another leafy green instead of bok choy, well, feel free to put that in.”
As a general rule, fill half the power bowl with whatever vegetables you may have — and it’s a great way to use up leftovers, she notes.
Seasonal items will be less expensive. At this time of year choose cabbage, cauliflower, sweet potatoes and root vegetables like carrots and parsnips.
“Sometimes potatoes get a bad rap, but they’re actually very high in vitamin C and potassium, which are heart-healthy nutrients,” says Reza. “You can support P.E.I. potatoes by roasting those up as well.”
One-quarter of the bowl should be a lean protein and the remaining onequarter whole grains. If you’re supporting Canadian whole grains that are heart healthy, then barley, oats and wild rice are good ideas.
To save time during the week, roast a couple of trays of vegetables on the weekend. Reza also likes to cook a pot of barley or lentils in water or broth. She portions them out and freezes them for later use. They can be kept in the freezer for about a month.
“With lentils you don’t need to soak them, which makes them extra special when it comes to that pulse legume family, but also there’s the canned variety and they’re just as good. Just give them a good rinse, drain them and off you go, adding some really great protein and fibre and other hearthealthy components to your food,” she says.
Here are recipes for three themed power bowls:
The 150 Power Bowl
In honour of Canada’s 150th, this power bowl is jam-packed with a ton of flavour and Canadian foods from coast to coast. Even the dressing features the best of Canada with maple syrup, flaxseed, mustard (Canada is the largest exporter of mustard seed) and apple cider vinegar.
You can substitute any oily fish for the sardines, such as trout, Arctic char or salmon.
Makes: Four bowls.
Roasted Winter Vegetables 6 cups winter vegetables cut into 1/2-inch chunks (squash, beets, parsnips, mushrooms) 2 Tbsp canola oil • Pinch of salt 2 cups green lentils, cooked (or rinsed and well-drained canned) 2 cups cooked barley 4 (125 g) cans sardines (preferably canned in water) Maple Mustard Dressing 1/4 cup canola oil 2 Tbsp maple syrup 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar 2 Tbsp ground flaxseed 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard 1/2 tsp turmeric 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper Preheat oven to 400 F. Toss vegetables with canola oil and salt. Roast for 30 minutes until tender.
In a small bowl, whisk dressing ingredients.
To assemble bowls, divide vegetables, lentils, barley and sardines among four bowls. Drizzle with dressing. Source: Registered dietitian Zannat Reza, thrive360.
West Coast Bowl
Salmon is a wonderful way to celebrate the West Coast. This Asian-influenced bowl also features wild rice, baby bok choy, carrots and purple cabbage.
Makes: Four bowls.
2 cups sliced purple cabbage 2 cups steamed or blanched bok choy 2 cups carrot ribbons (or thinly sliced) 2 cups cooked wild rice or quinoa 4 cooked salmon fillets (each about the size of your palm) or substitute canned salmon (1/2 can per bowl) Asian Dressing 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce 3 Tbsp lime juice 2 Tbsp canola oil 2 Tbsp ground flaxseed 2 Tbsp finely chopped green onion 2 Tbsp minced ginger 1 Tbsp minced garlic 1 Tbsp rice vinegar 1 Tbsp brown sugar 1 tsp sesame oil • Pinch of pepper flakes (optional) Prep vegetables as needed.
In a small bowl, mix ingredients for dressing.
To assemble bowls, divide cabbage, bok choy, carrots, wild rice and salmon equally among four bowls. Drizzle with dressing. Source: Registered dietitian Zannat Reza, thrive360.
Prairie Power Bowl
This bowl showcases a lime, coconut-scented barley and lentil mix. These Prairie-grown foods are paired with roasted cauliflower and sweet potato and rounded out with a tangy flaxseed dressing. Makes: Four bowls. Lentil-Barley Mix (adapted with permission from Lentils.ca) 1 Tbsp canola oil 1 medium onion, finely diced 1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger 2 cups vegetable stock 1 can (14 oz) reduced-fat coconut milk 3/4 cup green lentils 3/4 cup pearl barley, rinsed and drained 1/2 lime (zest and juice) 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (save some for garnish) 1/3 cup toasted unsweetened coconut flakes (save some for garnish) 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp black pepper Roasted Winter Vegetables 3 cups cauliflower florets 3 cups sweet potato (cut in 1-cm/1/2-inch cubes) 3 Tbsp canola oil • Pinch of salt Lime Cilantro Dressing 1/4 cup canola oil 2 Tbsp flaxseed 1 lime (zest and juice) 1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp honey 1/4 tsp salt In a medium pot, heat oil. Add onion and ginger and sauté for three to four minutes.
Stir in stock and coconut milk. Add lentils and barley, stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes or until lentils and barley are tender. Stir every few minutes.
Add lime juice and zest. Stir in cilantro, coconut flakes and season with salt and ground black pepper.
Preheat oven to 400 F. Toss vegetables with canola oil. Roast for 30 minutes until tender.
In a small bowl, whisk dressing ingredients.
To assemble bowls, divide lentil-barley mix and vegetables equally among four bowls. Drizzle with dressing.