Need A Quick & Balanced Lunch? Try This White Bean & Squash Grain Bowl

It uses the best of seasonal produce.

Hollif

Oct 7, 2023 - 21:02

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Need A Quick & Balanced Lunch? Try This White Bean & Squash Grain Bowl

Food Writer

By Hillary Dixler Canavan

Food Writer

Hillary Dixler Canavan is Eater’s restaurant editor. She is the author of ATER: 100 Essential Restaurant Recipes.

October 7, 2023

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Crystal Wahpepah’s restaurant, Wahpepah’s Kitchen, picks up where her work as a Bay Area caterer left off: making and serving Native American cuisine that both nourishes and educates diners, with the goal of fostering Indigenous food sovereignty. Her menu is intimately tied to the provenance of the Ohlone land she grew up on in Oakland, California, and the food traditions of her multi-tribe community there (Wahpehpah is an enrolled member of the Kickapoo nation of Oklahoma). Tribes throughout North America tell the legend of “the three sisters,” the story of how corn, beans, and squash help each other to grow and sustain the community. Wahpepah’s eponymous nod to these Indigenous staple crops is a fixture on her menu: This veggie bowl leaves plenty of room for you to adapt, just as the restaurant does. Use whatever fruit is in season or suits your preference, if not strawberry, try blueberry or pomegranate seeds; use the nuts you like best; feel free to play with the greens you use. It’s essential, however, to use corn, beans, and squash. Even better if you take a page from Wahpepah’s book and also use this recipe as a chance to seek out connections with your region’s Indigenous farmers.

Three sisters’ veggie bowl

Serves 4

Wahpepah’s Kitchen

Oakland, California

Ingredients

For the dressing:

¼ cup (60 ml) agave¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil¼ cup (60 ml) apple cider vinegarSalt and freshly ground black pepper

For the bowl:

1 cup (115 g) diced winter squash, such as pumpkin, spaghetti, or butternut3 tablespoons olive oilSalt and freshly ground black pepper1 cup (20 to 30 g) fresh spinach1 cup (200 g) cooked quinoa, warm½ cup cooked (175 g) white beans1 cup (145 g) cooked yellow corn kernels1 cup (165 g) diced strawberries (or another seasonal fruit)⅔ cup (85 g) diced purple onion⅔ cup (75 g) shredded carrots⅔ cup (80 g) chopped nuts, such as walnuts or pecansEdible flowers (optional)

Directions

To make the dressing, combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well to incorporate. If making ahead, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.To assemble the bowls, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Toss the diced squash with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking sheet, cut sides down, and roast, without turning, for 10 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Set aside.Meanwhile, set a pan over medium-low heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the spinach and sauté until it wilts, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and set aside.To serve, mix the dressing again if separated and then pour into 4 individual small ramekins or small bowls. To assemble each serving, plate the warm, cooked quinoa in the center of a large, shallow bowl or plate-bowl. Place a portion of the squash, beans, corn, strawberries, onion, spinach, carrots, and chopped nuts around the quinoa, leaving space to place the ramekin of dressing. Garnish with edible flowers, if using.

Editors Note

One serving of this recipe contains around 7 grams of protein. You could up the count by pairing it with a lean protein like chicken, fish, or chickpeas. Find more ideas for adding protein to your meal here.

Excerpted from EATER: 100 Essential Restaurant Recipes by Hillary Dixler Canavan. Text and illustrations copyright © Vox Media, LLC. Text by Hillary Dixler Canavan and illustrations by Alice Oehr. Photography copyright © 2023 by Laura Murray. Published by Abrams