I love meals that you can eat out of a bowl. Maybe it’s from my childhood love of eating cereal (for breakfast AND snacks) or maybe it’s because bowl meal recipes always seem so simple. And I love SIMPLE! Especially when I’m really hungry.
My husband loved this gluten free, paleo, vegetarian and dairy free bowl, and I know you will too! It’s quick, full of flavor and healthy too! A traditional Banh Mi is a sandwich on a baguette that contains sour pickled daikon and carrot, cilantro, spicy chilis, and cucumber and various protein options. While mine is a bowl meal and doesn’t contain carrot or pickled daikon, it’s still Banh Mi-esque, hence the name!
This bowl meal comes together using one of my favorite meat alternatives, Quorn. Quorn is made up of a mycoprotein, which is basically like a mushroom. It’s fungus, but easily digestible and healthy. Learn more about Quorn by clicking here.
See the See the Tips and Tricks section below the recipe for some helpful recipe ideas.
FYI: Quorn has egg in it SO if you need this meal to be completely VEGAN, use an alternative, though a soy based protein won’t give you the same nutrition as Quorn or meat itself.
Healthy & Quick Banh Mi - Esque Bowls (DF, GF, V, P) + Why I Started Eating Meat Again
Pin Me! www.carolynsbloomingcreations.com
Food prepared, styled and photographed by Carolyn J. Braden
Why Quorn?
I learned I needed to eat things like Quorn (and not tofu) after taking some of my “feeling bloated” health concerns to a nurse practitioner that specializes in food health. Based on his recommendation, I started adding meat back into my diet (chicken and some seafood) and soy-free meat alternatives like Quorn, and my bloat and definitely lessened. The pain I experienced with the bloating went completely away.
I had to really, really think about it all before I ate meat again. I had been vegan for several years; a vegetarian for over 20 years. I didn’t like the idea of eating another living creature, but then I thought about cats.
Yes cats.
Big cats, like lions and tigers, have to eat meat to survive. They HAVE to. I figured that God wouldn’t have had their natural instinct be ‘eat other living creatures’ if it wasn’t the way nature was supposed to be. My cats eat meat and seafood. I know it is what their bodies need, so I give it to them without a second thought.
Thinking of how I take care of my cats, I knew I needed to take care of myself the same way. I listened to my body and what it was needing. After several trips to my nurse practitioner (and having bloodwork done, etc), I started a new way of life.
I still restrict the types of sugars I eat, eat organic and non-GMO, I don’t eat dairy and I cook at home almost every day. I don’t eat soy anymore either. I can’t quite eat red meat yet, but maybe I’ll get there one day. I’ll just listen to my body and see what it needs.
If you are experiencing some health concerns like painful bloating after eating certain foods, visit a certified health practitioner that specializes in FOOD HEALTH.
We are what we eat. You can experiment yourself, but doing everything under the watch of a medical professional (like having the blood work done) was well worth it. I learned I needed some other supplements in my diet like fish oil and magnesium. My husband went to the practitioner as well and learned he had Hashimoto Disease, which is a throid condition.
We already knew he had a thyroid issue from other doctors BUT no one had quite as much knowledge about it as our new nurse practitioner. He now is able to control it with…yep…you guessed it…FOOD. Not prescriptions. He also takes supplements and watches how he feels on a daily basis.
Be in control of your own health. Eat well and see how you feel. If you don’t feel right, seek medical help. Life is too short to live in pain. Especially pain from something you can control, like food.
Servings: 2-3
Preparation + Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Suggested kitchen tools: knife, large skillet, 2 small mixing bowls
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
One 12 ounce package Quorn meatless pieces (or 12 ounces of a protein of your choice)
1 yellow pepper, chopped
1 avocado (peeled, pitted and sliced)
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
12 ounce bag cauliflower rice (frozen or fresh)**
5 ounces fresh watercress or spinach
Sauce for Quorn:
1 garlic clove (1 large or 2 small), peeled and chopped
1/3 cup coconut aminos
1 tablespoon fresh, peeled and grated ginger
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Dressing for Bowls:
1/4 cup mayonnaise (I used Primal Kitchen)
1 tablespoon sriracha
Optional Toppings:
black sesame seeds and chopped cilantro
How-To:
Chop yellow peppers and cucumbers. Slice the avocado. Set aside.
Make sauces. For the Quorn sauce: In a small mixing bowl combine the peeled and chopped garlic, coconut aminos, ginger and apple cider vinegar. Mix and set aside. For the dressing: In a small mixing bowl, combine the mayo and sriracha. Place in the refrigerator.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the Quorn and chopped yellow pepper.
Heat 10-12 minutes or until the Quorn is heated through and the peppers are soft. (I chopped the Quorn pieces in half as they softened to make them a bit smaller).
Lower heat to medium-low, add the Quorn sauce and stir for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. Set aside.
Cook cauliflower rice according to package directions. (I cooked mine in a separate skillet on the stove top for a few minutes, but you could microwave it in the bag IF you purchased a frozen variety).
To serve: Add some cauliflower rice, some Quorn mixture, a handful of watercress (or spinach), cucumber and avocado to a bowl. Top with the dressing and the optional sesame seeds and cilantro.
Eat and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks:
I found my ingredients at Whole Foods but the ingredients could be found at most grocery stores and online
Don’t want to use Quorn? You can use other forms of protein like 12 ounces of cooked chicken, beef, or pork.
**If you can’t find cauliflower rice, you can use white rice, but it won’t be Paleo. You can also make your own cauliflower rice by rinsing a head of cauliflower, chop it into bite sized pieces, and adding it to a food processor. Pulse the food processor until the cauliflower looks like rice. Then add it to an oiled skillet and cook on medium-high heat until soft.
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Healthy & Quick Banh Mi - Esque Bowls (DF, GF, V, P) + Why I Started Eating Meat Again
Pin Me! www.carolynsbloomingcreations.com
Food prepared, styled and photographed by Carolyn J. Braden
Healthy & Quick Banh Mi - Esque Bowls (DF, GF, V, P) + Why I Started Eating Meat Again
Pin Me! www.carolynsbloomingcreations.com
Food prepared, styled and photographed by Carolyn J. Braden