Layered Pesto Bowl

LAYERED PESTO BOWL (Hannah Janish from High Carb Hannah)

Pesto 

    • 1 zucchini, chopped

    • 1/2 cup walnuts or pine nuts 

    • 2 cups basil 

    • 2 cups spinach (optional)

    • 1/2 lemon, juiced

    • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast

    • 3 cloves garlic

    • 1 can chickpeas + 1-2 tbsp aquafaba (liquid from can of chickpeas)

Bowl

    • Cooked quinoa or rice

    • Roasted potatoes

    • Raw or steamed veggies

    • Lentils or beans 

    • Baked Tofu

Instructions

    • Wash and prep your veggies. Cut the zucchini into small pieces so it's easier to blend. 

    • In your food processor, add in all of the pesto ingredients and blend until smooth. Add a small amount of the aquafaba and adjust to your preferred consistency. You can also use soy milk or water instead. I like my pesto to be a bit on the thicker side. 

    • Place the pesto on the bottom of a large bowl. Add any toppings you like. These can be made in advance for workweek lunches and are great for meal prep. I like to use quinoa, tomatoes, cucumber, and onion as my veggies because they stay fresh when stored for a few days; but feel free to get creative and switch it up. I also love adding tofu, chickpeas, and roasted broccoli to these bowls. Try this with different sauces as well. 

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This was a Recipe Challenge recipe. I made the recipe and can report the following!

I am used to making bowls with different sauces so this was a variation on that. I included: Roasted Tofu (see my Basic Recipes in the Recipes space), boiled potatoes, brown rice, steamed green beans, fresh corn, and some red bell pepper strips.

The pesto sauce is what made it a dish. What was distinctive about this pesto recipe was the addition of one can of chickpeas, drained. I love chickpeas and it was good, but I think if I made the recipe again, I would use white beans instead. Jumpstarters will know this is what Ann Pompa uses in her Besto Pesto.
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High Carb Hannah (Hannah Janish) is someone who struggled with her weight her whole life. She cycled through times when she nearly staved herself; used cigarettes and alcohol on a low-carb diet; then gained weight on an all-fruit raw diet. Finally she discovered Dr. McDougall’s high-starch diet. She writes: “If you are in the place I used to be, know that you can free yourself. You CAN live a life without obsessing over food and exercise. … It is worth fighting for yourself. … You have the power within you to change your life, and with a little guidance and help from the outside to move you in the right direction, you will get there in no time.”

High Carb Hannah has for sale on her site recipe books, online courses, meal plans, and various bundles. She also has plenty of free recipes for you to use and enjoy.