This Black Rice Buddha Bowl Will Detox Your Gut & Make Your Skin Glow
There's a popular saying that "food is medicine," and naturopath and chef Kimberly Parsons believes wholeheartedly in this—and cooking for the mind, body, and soul. Her new cookbook, The Yoga Kitchen Plan, features a seven-day health plan based on the chakras. In it, she created an experience that includes over 70 vegetarian recipes, breathing and meditation exercises, and yoga poses.
Kimberly says January is a great time to pick foods that leave you feeling nourished, loved, and rejuvenated (some characteristics of an open heart chakra). The Yoga Kitchen Plan's black rice Buddha bowl will not only fill you up with nutrient-dense foods and gratitude, but it also detoxifies your system.
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What's the secret? Black rice is high in antioxidants, which protect the body from damaging free radicals that can negatively affect our DNA and impede healthy mitochondrial functioning. With more antioxidants, we can ward off chronic disease and increase longevity.
While you're getting these detox benefits, you'll also be supporting healthy digestion thanks to kimchi. Kimchi is a popular fermented food loaded with probiotics that support your immune system, improve skin texture, and aid digestion.
Dig in.
Kimchi-Marinated Kale Buddha Bowl
Ingredients
Serves two
- 150g (5½ oz/scant 1 cup) black rice
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 celery sticks, washed, trimmed, and thinly sliced
- 6 radishes, washed, trimmed, and thinly sliced into rounds
- seeds from ¼ large pomegranate
- 3 tablespoons raw pistachios, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons kimchi
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 80g (2¾ oz) curly kale, washed and leaves roughly torn off the stem
- 8 roasted sweet potato wedges
- 8 to 10 blanched broccoli florets
- flesh of 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced
- 1 tablespoon pickled ginger
- white sesame seeds
- 2 wedges of lime
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Method
- Begin by making the pilaf. Put the rice in a saucepan and cover with 600ml (21 fl. oz./2½ cups) water. Place the saucepan over a medium-high heat and cook uncovered for 35 minutes or until the water has been completely absorbed and the rice is cooked through. Add a little more water to the pan if needed. Rinse the cooked rice through a fine colander to remove the black residue. Allow to drip dry in the colander while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- For the kimchi-marinated kale, place the kimchi, sesame oil, lime juice, and olive oil in a food processor and process until smooth. Add a few tablespoons of water if needed to loosen the dressing. Massage half the dressing into the kale leaves for 2 minutes, or until the kale is wilted and soft from the dressing acids. Set aside the rest of the dressing and the kale while you finish off the rice pilaf.
- Put the cooked black rice in a mixing bowl, add the olive oil and sea salt, and toss to combine. Add the celery, radishes, pomegranate seeds, and pistachios. Toss to combine again.
- Divide the kale between 2 large shallow serving bowls, then divide the rice into the bowls, too. Fill the rest of the bowls with roasted sweet potato wedges, blanched broccoli florets, edamame beans, avocado slices, pickled ginger, white sesame seeds, and wedges of lime. Serve with the remaining dressing drizzled over the top and enjoy immediately.
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Caroline Muggia has a B.A. in Environmental Studies & Psychology from Middlebury College. She received her E-RYT with Yoga Works and is a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. A writer and environmental advocate, she is passionate about helping people live healthier and more sustainable lives. You can usually find her drinking matcha or spending time by the ocean.