Mediterranean Spiced & Grilled Vegetable Rice Bowls with Avocado
What you need Sprice Rub for Veggies (and Firm Tofu if you have it) 1 red pepper, cut into fourths 3 zucchini, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds 1 bunch asparagus - trimmed 1/4 cup olive oil 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated 1/2 tspn onion powder 1/2 tsp pepper 1/2 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp dried oregano 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
The Rice 1 1/2 cups short grain brown rice water as needed - (read the rice package) 1/2 cup parsley, chopped 1 tbsp vegan butter
The Avocado 2 avocados, mashed juice of 1 lemon 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced or grated salt + pepper, to taste
Toppings 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved 1/4 cup walnuts, toasted 1/2 cup vegan cheese, (optional)
Method Pre-heat the grill to medium high.
In a large bowl combine the olive oil, garlic, onion powder, pepper, smoked paprika, oregano, parsley and basil. Add the vegetables and toss well. Set in the fridge. You could also combine in a plastic bag, add the veggies and give it a good shake before letting it set in the fridge to further marinate.
Make the rice according to the package. Once cooked- drain the rice, fluff with a fork, add the butter, the chopped parsley and mix well. Season with pink salt and pepper to taste.
While the rice is cooking, grill your vegatables for about 1-2 minutes on each side. You can also use a grill pan for this- I would aim for total cook time of about 5 minutes to prevent over cooking of the vegatables. If you have tofu- I would put it on skewers, and grill for 2-3 minutes on each side. (marinate this in the same mixture, if using)
Remove everything from the grill and let cool 5 minutes, then red peppers into strips.
(Once you are finished grilling, and slicing- the rice will be about ready for you to remove from the heat, fluff, and mix with the butter and herbs as stated above) If not, move on to the avocado step discussed below.
Add the mashed avocados to a bowl. Stir in the lemon juice, ramaining 1/2 cup parsley, garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.
Assembly: Layer rice on the bottom, grilled peppers, asparagus and zucchini, (then tofu if you used it). Add a large dollop of the avocados mixture and then add the fresh tomatoes and toasted walnuts. Sprinkle with vegan or real cheese if desired and serve!
YUM- this is such a wonderful spring/summer dish!
xo Cara