Winter Quinoa Bowl

Oh winter comfort food!! Definitely one of my favorite genres of food out there. Roasted root vegetables, hearty whole grains, roasted garlic and creamy sauces to turn all of your bad feelings into good feelings.

From a nutrition perspective, this bowl is packed with FIBER. One serving in this recipe has 20.3g of fiber, which is almost the recommended amount for women in a day, which is 25g (men is 38g FYI). Fiber deficiency is very prevalent in the Western society because so many of the products we buy are refined. We have white flour, white bread and soda crackers which have the fiber and many minerals removed. This is a big problem for many people with blood sugar issues since fiber is the nutrient that slows the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream. When it is removed, blood sugar and insulin spikes, which over time, can lead to cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Some other key notes on fiber are as follows:

• Fiber helps bind excess cholesterol and eliminate it in the bowels

• Binds excess hormones, like estrogen and for elimination. This is important for women with PCOS or estrogen dominance and men with excess estrogen

• Makes bowel movements smooth to help with detox and comfort

• Helps you feel full so you do not overeat

• Helps regulate blood sugar, as mentioned above

• Feeds the healthy microbes in the gut to support a healthy microbiome

• Helps detox the body of excess toxins. Fiber can bind these toxins and since it helps keep you regular, it makes sure that these toxins are eliminated and not reabsorbed into the body. Those with constipation can reabsorb the toxins in the colon if they are not eliminated in time

For these reasons fiber should be a staple in your diet and using delicious recipes will help you get the fiber you need so you do not have to chug down Metamucil every morning.

Winter Quinoa Bowl

4 servings

Ingredients

2 boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs - shredded

1 ⅓ cups quinoa - dry

2 cups water or bone broth

3 cups carrots - chopped

3 cups cauliflower - chopped

4-5 cloves garlic (**being used in dressing)

2 tsp avocado oil + 1 tsp avocado oil

1 head kale - stemmed and chopped

1 x 15 oz can white beans - rinsed

Toppings

½ cup cranberries (can use from frozen)

2 Tbsp hemp seeds

Creamy Roasted Garlic Dressing

4 cloves roasted garlic

¼ cup lemon juice

⅓ cup cashew butter

2 tsp maple syrup

1 tbsp nutritional yeast

2 tsp dijon mustard

4 fresh sage leaves - optional

salt

pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F.

2. Toss chopped carrots and cauliflower in 2 tsp avocado oil and place on parchment lined baking sheet. Add 4 WHOLE cloves of garlic to pan and bake for ~30 minutes or until tender.

3. You can also please the chicken in a small casserole dish with a lid and 1/4 cup water and bake for ~30 minutes. You can also use left over chicken for this recipe.

4. While vegetables and chicken cooks, massage kale with 1 tsp avocado oil to soften. Then cook quinoa with water or bone broth.

5. Once vegetables are done cooking, prepare the dressing in a blender using the 4 cloves of garlic from the pan. Once chicken is cooked, shred for use.

6. Assemble into 4 portions with quinoa, kale, roasted veg, beans and dressing. Top with cranberries and hemp seeds.