Veggie Pasta Bowl

Question: What is a bowl of edamame spaghetti, brown lentils, green peppers, shredded carrot, baby kale leaves, quartered campari tomatoes, sliced baby portobello mushrooms, kalamata olives, a squeeze of lemon, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and a sprinkle of seasonings? Answer: A tasty lunch. If you said, “Veggie Pasta Bowl,” you’d also be right.

Ingredients:

• 1 (70z) package gluten-free edamame spaghetti
  
• 1 (15oz) can brown lentils
• 4 campari tomatoes, quartered
• 2 green bell peppers, julienned
  
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• 1 cup baby kale leaves
• 1 (80z) package sliced baby portobello mushrooms
• 1/4 cup kalamata olives
• 4 lemon wedges
• extra virgin olive oil to taste
  
• ground Himalayan salt to taste (optional)
  
• ground black pepper to taste
  

Directions:

1. Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions. Using a colander in your sink, rinse with running water, then drain.
2. Divide the spaghetti between 4 serving bowls, then top with the remaining ingredients, except for the oil, salt, and black pepper. Serve, with the olive oil contained in a bottle and placed on the table along with two shakers — one filled with Himalayan salt, and the other with ground black pepper. In this way, those being served can add the amounts they desire.

Variations:

1. Replace the edamame spaghetti with any gluten-free pasta. You might try pasta made with brown rice flour, or chickpea flour.
2. Replace the pasta with cooked potatoes or brown rice. See our recipe for Roasted Red Potatoes, and our instructions for cooking Perfect Brown Rice.
3. Replace the lentils with another type of canned legume, such as chickpeas or kidney beans.
4. Steam or stir-fry* any vegetable that you would rather not eat raw.
5. Replace the baby kale leaves with baby spinach leaves, or any large leafy greens broken into bite size pieces.
6. Any vegetable can be exchanged for a different one, such as zucchini or summer squash, roasted red peppers, quartered artichoke hearts, corn kernels, Spicy Hot Salsa, diced red onion, sugar snap peas, diced avocado, or Cauliflower Rice.
7. Replace the olives with capers, or a pickled vegetables. Maybe try our recipe for Pickled Cauliflower.
8. For added crunch, toss in some nuts, seeds, or crushed gluten-free tortilla chips.
9.  Replace the olive oil with gluten free pesto sauce, tomato sauce, salad dressing, or low sodium soy sauce. You might try our recipe for Basil Pesto, Simple Tomato Sauce, or Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Yield:
Makes 4 servings

*To steam or stir-fry a vegetable, first cut or slice it into bite size pieces, or spiralize it into noodles — depending on the vegetable. Then to steam, fill a medium size pot with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil, put the vegetable in a metal steamer basket and place it in the pot, then cover the pot with a lid and steam for 4 minutes or until tender-crisp. To stir-fry, heat a little coconut oil in wok or large deep skillet, add the vegetable, then cook on medium-high heat while stirring for 2 minutes or until tender-crisp. 

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