Moroccan Nourish Bowl With Chickpeas, Wild Rice And Tahini-Maple Drizzle

This macrobiotic recipe has a Moroccan vibe. Freshly sautéed, uncomplicated food is often what we crave most. Some of us just don't know it yet because we haven't given it a proper try. The macrobiotic approach is basically a natural diet with lots of whole grains, vegetables and beans. Often miso or a light vegetable soup is present at the start of the meal. It's a healing diet that leaves me feeling good.

If you told me a month ago I'd be craving miso soup and brown rice, I wouldn't have believed you. But that's what happened to me (and many others) on this unique path. I've also started to lose a little weight, which is an added benefit. I feel lighter and stronger. I start my day with naturally-sweetened oatmeal, tahini and naturally-sweetened jam on whole wheat toast or sourdough toast with tahini and real maple syrup. My morning Miso Soup and some toast is also a go-to breakfast idea. Instead of coffee or my usual black tea, I drink Genmaicha tea for its metabolism-boosting properties and calm energy. I find my own macro-way. I come home to this healing path when I need it most.     

For lunch or dinner, this macro-recipe is great. It combines sweet carrots and red onion with the sharpness of turnips. Do you love turnips? They're an economical, winter root vegetable which I enjoy. I took a minor detour from very strict macrobiotic cooking here with the addition of smoked paprika. It adds a wonderful flavor and aroma to this dish. The cinnamon and cumin are cozy too. Again, I take the middle-road with macrobiotics. It still helps me feel energized and satisfied. I don't go hungry. I don't live on salads. My middle-road macrobiotic meals keep me in peaceful balance when I need it. I feel good. It's that simple. With some advanced menu planning, creative recipes and flexibility, I can stick to my mostly-macro-way with relative ease. There's always some cooked brown rice or wild rice in my fridge now. If you'd like to see more of my macro-friendly recipes please click here and scroll down to the macrobiotic section in the recipe index.  

This Moroccan-macro bowl has a powerful nutritional profile. The beans and rice form a complete protein. There are vitamins, trace minerals, fiber and so much more. I could write an entire paragraph on the benefits of this bowl. But what I really love is its fresh, comforting and delicious taste. In fall and winter, I like to serve a wild rice blend with it. The bowl is finished with a creamy tahini drizzle sauce. There's a hint of maple syrup in the sauce for natural sweetness. The maple syrup enhances the warm flavors of the spices, wild rice and carrots. If you're vegetarian, a fried egg is nice with this too.

Signing off to walk my beagle on the beach. Hope you all have a relaxing day

Moroccan Nourish Bowl Recipe

Serves 2-3 with wild rice, wild rice blend or brown rice

Some Notes & Tips:

Some toasted sesame seeds are nice on top of this bowl too. Macrobiotic cooking recommends a delicious Japanese sesame salt seasoning called gomasio. Click here for my recipe.

I use Lundberg Wild Blend Rice in this recipe. I love their brown rice with this too. You can swap the rice for couscous if that's what you prefer.

You save on calories but not on flavor with the steam-saute method. Click here for the basics.

Ingredients For The Bowl

• 1 cup of wild rice or wild rice blend (see notes for source)     
• 1 large red onion, chopped
• 1 large turnip, peeled and chopped into smallish cubes
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced into thin half moons
• 2-3 scallions, diced
• 1 15-ounce can of garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
• Drizzle of pure maple syrup (optional)
• Olive oil for cooking
• Sea salt to taste

Ingredients For The Tahini Drizzle

• 1/3 cup of well stirred tahini
• 1/2 tablespoon of pure maple syrup or to your taste
• Pinch or two of sea salt

To Serve:
Gomashio  or toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

Cook the rice according to the package directions.  

Make the tahini drizzle sauce by combining the tahini with the maple syrup and a pinch or two of salt. Stir in two tablespoons of water. Keep adding water until you reach your desired consistency. It should be like thick cream. Adjust the salt.

Heat a large fry pan with some olive oil on medium to medium-high heat and steam sauté the onions, turnips and carrots with a pinch of salt until tender. Add the chickpeas and the smoked paprika, cinnamon, cumin and a small drizzle of maple syrup. Adjust the salt and sauté for a few more minutes to heat the chickpeas and warm the spices. Serve over the rice with a sprinkling of scallions. the tahini drizzle sauce and any of the above suggestions.

Bon Appetite & Blessings!

xx-Jilly