Turmeric Quinoa & Roasted Beet Bowl with Chimichurri Vinaigrette
5 from 2 votes
That Vegan Nephew
In this bowl, hearty slices of roasted beet sit upon a bed of turmeric-spiced quinoa, speckled with crispy apple wedges and chewy dried berries, all surrounded by an incredible selection of greens, namely fresh arugula and steamed beet greens (don't waste 'em!). Drizzle on some zippy, herby chimichurri to tie the entire beet bowl together, and you've got yourself an astoundingly delicious and filling summer meal.
Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Then remove the beet greens from the beet root (save them for later on in this dish). Wash the beet bulbs well, wrap them in tin foil, place them on a baking sheet, and bake for 50 - 60 minutes, or until a fork can be inserted into the beets with relative ease.
Next, together add the quinoa and water in a small pot, bring to a boil, and then reduce to low-medium heat, covering the pot with a lid. Cook for 10 - 15 minutes (or according to the instructions on the package), until fluffy. Once finished, add to the quinoa the nutritional yeast, ground turmeric, black pepper and salt. Mix well to combine, and then add the gooseberries and wedges of sweet apple. Set this aside until you're ready to serve the bowl.
Next combine together the olive oil, white wine vinegar, lemon zest and juice, water, fresh parsley (that's ⅔ cup packed full of chopped parsley), garlic cloves, jalapeño pepper, dried basil and oregano, black pepper and salt. Whisk together well, and set aside until you're ready to serve the bowl.
Lastly, about 10 minutes before the beets are done roasting, trim down the leftover beet greens that you saved earlier. You want about 4-inches of the bright red stem remaining, the rest of the stem can be discarded. In a medium pot, bring a couple cups of water to boil, reduce the heat once boiling to low-medium, and then gently steam (in a steam basket) or boil (directly in the water) the beet greens for 4 - 5 minutes, or tender but not falling apart.
Once the beets are done roasting, run them under lukewarm water, removing the spiky tails and furry tops, as well as the dirtier outside layer of skin (you should see a richer and smoother magenta skin underneath). Cut the bulbs into ½-inch circular slices.
Now you're ready to assemble the bowl. Lay down a bed of turmeric quinoa, followed by some steamed beet greens and about a cup of fresh arugula, then some of the roasted beet circlets, and lastly topped with the chimichurri vinaigrette.