I love a good bowl!
To be honest, many different versions of this number appear on our dinner table regularly because it really just depends on what is on hand in the garden and fridge.
For example, sometimes it is tofu instead of tempeh, sometimes it is sweet potato instead of pumpkin, sometimes it is pickles or nuts and seeds instead of olives, sometimes it is hummus instead of avo and the greens depend on what is growing out the kitchen door. At the moment that is a ridiculous amount of silverbeet and kale!
My herb garden is looking utterly pathetic at the moment but when there is an abundance of parsley or dill both of those work a treat too (and pack a nutritional punch).
Whatever ingredients I use, all of these elements need to be there to create the perfect balance of flavours, textures and colours and that leave us nourished and satisfied. It’s also a rad way to use up leftovers. Some of last nights curry, tofu scramble, falafel balls or roast veg all crank it up a notch! Just to name a few.
If I have an abundance to chose from and Autumn has swung around I will usually go for pumpkin. Becasue I LOVE crispy roast pumpkin with the skin on! It reminds me of Sunday lunch at my grandparent’s farm as a child.
So anyway… enough of me banging on about bowls and how damn good they are…. make this and see for yourself….
Serves 2 hungry caterpillars (I am a big eater. You could spread this over 3 or 4 if you have littles!)
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy
Bowl
300g fresh tempeh, sliced
1/4 cup coconut aminos
1 tablespoon liquid smoke, optional
300g greens of choice, shredded (I chose kale and silverbeet this time. If you want to go as mild tasting as possible, go for spinach)
1kg pumpkin
2 tablespoons olive oil, optional
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons chilli flakes
To serve
1/2 medium ripe avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced
4 tablespoons fermented purple veg (find my easy saurekraut recipe here)
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted
Cracked pepper or dukkah
Pre-heat oven to 180°C/392°F fan forced.
Place the sliced tempeh in a shallow bowl and cover with coconut aminos and liquid smoke. Set aside to marinate while you prepare the rest.
Cover an oven tray with baking paper. Wash the pumpkin and remove the seeds, cut into large cubes and spread over tray. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic powder and chilli flakes. Place in the oven to roast for about 60 minutes.
When the pumpkin has about 30 minutes left to cook, cover another baking tray with baking paper.
Lay the marinated tempeh on the tray and place in the oven for 30 minutes. Save the marinade for the greens.
Heat a non-stick fry-pan over medium heat. Add the remainder of the olive oil, the saved liquid from the tempeh marinade and shredded greens. Saute until soft.
Divide pumpkin, tempeh and greens over bowls and add the remainder of the components topping off with some creamy sliced avo and cracked pepper or dukkah.
Dig in!
