Vegan Wild Child Bowl!

The Vegan Wild Child Bowl is an usual blend of fall harvest foods, but it’s that unfamiliarity that pulls you in and keeps you munching. The essential equation? Wild rice + greens + prunes + lemon tofu + brussels sprouts + vegan goat cheese= crazy-but-comforting seasonal meal. To be honest, it’s a totally plant-based recreation of a popular salad from a healthy restaurant chain. I added, subtracted, swapped, adjusted, and, if I do say so myself, *improved* the original. Thank you, Crisp ‘n’ Green, for the idea!  

This grain bowl/seasonal salad will have you bouncing off the walls in a wonderful way! No carb crash or heavy fats weighing you down. Instead, you can welcome fullness and satiation. I take about 40 minutes to finish this big meal, and hunger doesn’t call til the next day. Since it covers sweet, savory, salty, and umami, the cravings stay at bay. Stick to your health goals in Autumn with stick-to-your-ribs recipes!

Vegan Wild Child Bowl

Serves 2 modest appetites or 1 bottomless pit

WHAT YOU’RE GONNA NEED

• 2 cups kale, shredded
• 1 cup mixed greens or arugula (I cannot stomach the latter. No, sir. Nuh-uh. But if you’re weird, go ahead and use that as the base.)
• 3/4 cup cooked wild rice
• 1/2 cup each: radicchio (purple cabbage) and matchstick carrots
• 3/4 cup roasted Brussels sprouts, halved
• 1 cup Baked Lemon Tofu (recipe below)
• 1/4 cup diced prunes OR unsweetened craisins
• 1 oz (heaping 2 tablespoons) Brie-Gonzola or plant-based “goat cheese”

Lemon Tofu:

• 7 oz. (1/2 average-sized block) of refrigerated tofu, drained and pressed for at least 20 minutes
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
• Garlic powder
• Olive oil SPRAY (don’t panic, fellow oil avoiders. But you need SOMETHING to help the spices stick.)

Dressing:

• 4 oz. (123g) silken soft tofu
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 2 cloves garlic
• Salt ‘n’ pepper, to taste

WHAT YOU’RE GONNA DO

1. Prep your tofu or use pre-packaged baked tofu (such as Trader Joe’s, Hodo, or Nasoya.) Cube the soy block into 1-inch pieces (line-backer ring finger size.) Toss with lemon juice, lemon pepper, zest, and garlic. Rub ’em if you have time. Spray with oil, spread onto a nonstick sheet, then bake for 20-30 minutes at 375F.
2. Heat up the wild rice, kale, brussels sprouts, and tofu in a skillet or saucepan. Add a dash of water, cover, and “steam” on medium intensity for 5 minutes.
3. Measure and blend all of the dressing ingredients.
4. Slide the warmed toppings onto the bed of greens. Pour that luscious dressing over everything except the Brie-Gonzola, and toss.
5. Plop an ounce of vegan goat cheeze replacement onto the mixed salad. A cute little ice cream scooper is best and most presentable! You can use plain, pine nut, or garlic-flavored hummus in a pinch.

INFO DE NUTRITION: 550 calories | 30g protein | 16g fiber | 16g fat (4g saturated)

I think I’m gonna stop including the total carbohydrates. Since I calculate the nutrition facts without an app, it is quite tedious checking and double-checking the grams. I’m not Santa Clause! So, if you’re a carb-conscious reader, you may have to rely upon the fiber count or omit higher-carb ingredients as you see fit. Also, I’m sorry for pushing the Brie-Gonzola on y’all, but I can’t recommend it enough for this recipe! That topping truly takes the salad over the top; it really is addictive, but not in the casomorphine way. Or, queso-morphine. Ha!

Best Dishes and Joyous Autumn,

The Hippie Happy Foodist™