The week has arrived. I’m moving. It’s hard to believe, as my installation in the apartment I’ve lived in for the past four and a half years feels so complete, so solid, so final. But this time next week I will no longer be living here. There is much to say goodbye to, and many words to be written about the stories I leave behind, and the new ones that await. But before I subsume myself in the open chasm of packing once again, I wanted to share with you a book and recipe that’s brought me a lot of joy this week. I’ve been in search of easy, delicious, nourishing, savory recipes that will keep me going as I’m sorting through *STUFF* and packing more *STUFF* and *OMG HOW DO WE END UP WITH SO MUCH STUFF*. Gena Hamshaw’s new book Power Plates: 100 Nutritionally Balanced, One-Dish Vegan Meals has been that savior.
I was introduced to Gena’s work through my friends at Food52, for whom Gena wrote the Vegan cookbook. Being deigned the one to definitively summarize an entire genre of food is no small feat, and I instantly knew Gena’s approach to plant-based cooking must be extraordinary. As we got to know each other over the internet, what was revealed was not just a trove of infinite veggie inspiration, but also a kind heart familiar with the challenges of love and loss in the kitchen and beyond.
This bowl, filled with greens, lentils, rice, and squash, is exemplary of the perfect balance Gena strikes in every single one of the 100 recipes in her book—an extraordinary commitment to providing true nourishment where it’s needed most. Veggies meet legumes and proteins and grains. Soft, crunchy, and tender textures meld. Bold, delicious flavors cozy up and make themselves at home amongst each other. This is a plant-based world I could live in, day after day.
What’s on this power plate? Coconutty kale and lentils, fragrant jasmine rice, and near-caramelized roasted squash. Gena’s original recipe uses delicata, but I subbed in the slightly fleshier kabocha with stunning results. You could use any winter squash or sweet potato you have on hand. Gena’s original recipe recommends a goji curry dressing, but again using what I had on-hand, I went for a super easy tahini coconut dressing—and included the recipe for you below.
Toppings lover that I am, I sprinkled black sesame, red chili flakes, and coconut over it all. That extra crunch is just so good.
Though the recipes call to me and the photos are gorgeous, here’s what I love most about Power Plates: These are recipes that you can move with intuitively in the kitchen. I can groove with them, and they provide basic lessons that will translate into other dishes. This is a building block for any future chef, and one that will be treasured by many beginning cooks.
Ok—packing and noshing break over. Wish me luck!
COCONUT KALE & LENTIL BOWLS WITH ROASTED KABOCHA SQUASH AND JASMINE RICE
Ingredients
- 1 cup (185 g) white jasmine or basmati rice
- 2 cups water
SQUASH
- 1 3/4 pounds (800 g) kabocha squash, seeded and cut into half-moons 1⁄2 inch (1.3 cm) thick
- 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
KALE AND LENTILS
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 small white or yellow onion diced
- 1 tablespoon finely grated or minced fresh ginger
- 3⁄4 cup (150 g) dried brown, green, or black lentils
- 2 3⁄4 cups (650 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 bunch kale, stemmed and torn into bite-size pieces
- 1⁄2 cup (120 ml) full-fat coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 tablespoon tamari
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
COCONUT TAHINI DRESSING
- 1⁄4 cup sesame tahini
- 1/8 cup full-fat coconut milk
- 1/8 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
- few pinches sea salt
- black sesame seeds, coconut flakes, and red chili flakes, for topping
Instructions
- Combine the rice and 2 cups of water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender and the water has been absorbed (12 to 15 minutes). Fluff the rice with a fork before serving.
- To prepare the squash, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, toss the squash with the oil until evenly coated. Spread the squash on the lined baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until fork-tender, flipping once halfway through the baking time.
- Meanwhile, to prepare the kale and lentils, heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, until tender. Stir in the ginger, lentils, and broth. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, until the lentils are tender but not mushy. Add the kale, cover, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the kale. Add the coconut milk, lime juice, tamari, and red pepper flakes and stir well. Taste and adjust the seasonings if desired.
- To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a wide-mouthed jar and whisk until smooth. (Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, the dressing will keep for two weeks.)
