Pesto is one my favourite quick and easy additions to a meal. There are so many different flavour combinations you can create (search pesto for more of my recipes) and they always seem to taste delicious! This kale pesto rice bowl is proof of that as it is so simple to make yet incredibly flavoursome. You can roast any green veggies that you have in your fridge but I definitely recommend adding the broccoli because it tastes insanely good when roasted!
A lot of pesto recipes include some form of cheese to add flavour so to create a vegan version I added nutritional yeast which has a delicious cheesy flavour to it. Rather than adding the traditional pine nuts I used sunflower seeds as they are so much cheaper and just as full of flavour. After trying pesto made with both of these I think I actually prefer it with sunflower seeds!
If you fancy a big bowl of green goodness I highly recommend this low FODMAP, Coeliac friendly recipe!
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS:
130g uncooked brown rice
2 small courgettes
100g broccoli
100g brussell sprouts
2 tsp garlic infused olive oil
1 tbsp dried mixed herbs
Pesto:
30g sunflower seeds
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tbsp garlic infused olive oil
25g basil
25g kale
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tbsp cold water
Pinch of salt
Optional extras:
½ tbsp fresh chives, chopped
½ tbsp sunflower seeds
METHOD:
- Start by preheating the oven to 200oc and lining a tray with baking paper
- Cook the rice as per the instructions on the packaging
- Chop the courgette into half moons, the broccoli into small florets and the sprouts in half
- Add the chopped veg to a bowl with the 1 tsp of oil and the dried herbs, mix together until the veg is coated
- Spread the veg out on the baking tray and roast for 20 minutes in the oven
- While the veg is cooking, prepare the pesto
- Add all the pesto ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until you are left with a smooth sauce
- When the rice and veg is cooked, mix it together in a bowl along with the pesto
- Serve in a bowl with the chives and sunflower seeds sprinkled over (if using)