Super simple power plate

By Sari Huhtala

One of my favourite summertime meals is a super easy power plate, or macro bowl, often referred to as a Buddha bowl. The power plate is a combination of all of the macronutrients your body needs for healthy functioning – complex carbs, protein and healthy fats. Couple these macronutrient sources with antioxidant-rich greens and other veggies and you have a nutrient-dense meal that is, by design, one of the healthiest plates ever.

Power plate for two

• 1 ½ cups cooked quinoa (serve warm or cold)
• 1 cup cooked lentils (serve warm or cold)
• 1 large sweet potato, baked (serve warm or cold)
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1 small raw beet, grated or 1 large raw beet, roasted (serve warm or cold)
• 1 avocado, diced
• 2-3 large handfuls of greens (arugula, mixed baby greens, spinach)
• 6-10 olives
• Lemon juice, optional
• Pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds, optional
• Raw sauerkraut, if desired
• Any extra veggies you may wish to include

Roast the sweet potato and beets. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Peel and chop the sweet potato into cubes, toss into a bowl with a small amount of olive oil, mix, then pour onto a cookie sheet. If roasting beets, wash and chop the beets smaller so they cook alongside the sweet potato. Toss with olive oil and pour onto pan with sweet potato. Bake about 45 minutes, or until fork pierces through the beet. Cook the quinoa and the lentils, following the instructions on the package. Squeeze the juice of one lemon, or about 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, over the cooked lentils.

Assembling your power plate

Place a couple of handfuls of greens onto a plate. Top with grated carrot, sweet potato, beets and avocado. Spoon quinoa and lentils onto the side of the plate. Add olives and sauerkraut. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds. Drizzle dressing on top and serve immediately.

Dressing ideas

Pretty much any homemade dressing works with a power plate. Avoid conventional store-bought salad dressings. They’re peppered with chemicals and emulsifiers your body can’t recognize as food.

Here are some options:

Honey Dijon salad dressing

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1/8 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp raw honey

Homemade Italian salad dressing

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1/8 cup white balsamic vinegar or white wine condiment
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning (you can make your own by combining basil, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, marjoram and rosemary)

Creamy lemon tahini dressing

• ½ cup of olive oil
• ½ cup of lemon juice (I keep a bottle of organic lemon juice in the fridge for easy access)
• 2 tbsp raw tahini
• 2 cloves of garlic (or more if you prefer a more garlicky flavour)
• ½ tsp Himalayan salt
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes

Sari Huhtala is the creator, publisher and editor of Alive and Fit Magazine, which was created in 2007.  She has over 25 years of experience in journalism and over 15 years of experience as a certified personal trainer and fitness instructor, and is a holistic chef, offering holistic cooking and edible wilds workshop, and My Farmacy workshops. She is an organic farmer, wild-crafter and grandmother, who has spent over 20 plus years navigating a holistic, healthy path for her family. Reach her at friends@thelaughingforest.ca