I’m a big grain bowl fan. I usually make a different combination every second week, using different vegetables and dressings to make the usual seem like something new and shiny. This one is delicious and great for clearing out the pantry when you’ve got little bits of this and that when it comes to grains.

With that ethos in mind don’t think you have to go out and by all the grains and things listed. Just have the overall cup measurement right and use what you have on hand. I love having a variety of different grains in my cupboard as I find them super filling and many of them have excellent nutritional profiles, like quinoa and freekah being high in protein and a variety of other nutrients.

I add a pulse in here because being low GI and high in fibre, things like cannelini beans keep you full for longer. This stops me from getting nasty and hangry in the afternoon. This should be considered a win for everyone that encounters me.

The pickled cabbage, bright green lettuce and red dressing and orange pumpkin make this a very pretty salad too. And you all know how I feel about pretty food. Life’s too short to make it hard to look at.

You can throw other things in here too, I’ve added avocado and feta before too for extra yum. Mostly just because they’re two of my favourite things, not because it needs it.

I don’t add salt to any of the grains as the gochujang sauce is a fermented red bean paste and quite salty itself.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa (uncooked)

1/2 cup freekah (uncooked)

1/2 cup cracked bulgur wheat (uncooked)

1 cup cannelini beans, dry – soaked overnight (or 1 can of organic BPA free beans)

3 cups diced pumpkin (you can use the variety you prefer)

1 Tbs olive oil

1 tsp oregano

1 pinch allspice

1/4 red cabbage

juice of one lemon

2 Tbs red wine vinegar

1 tsp salt

1/3 cup walnuts, roasted and roughly chopped

1/3 cup almonds roasted and roughly chopped

1/4 cup flaxseed

2 cups roughly chopped romaine or cos lettuce

1/2 cup mint leaves, torn

Dressing

1 Tbs gochujang sauce

2 ripe tomatoes

1 Tbs olive oil

1 Tbs red wine vinegar

Directions

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius.

In a medium pot cover soaked beans with 4 cm of water, bring to the boil and simmer for an hour or until cooked through. Add more water if drying out.

Place cracked bulgur wheat in a small bowl, cover with water and allow to stand for 1 hour. Once soft, drain well.

Rinse freekah well and place in a pot with 2.5 cups boiling water. Simmer for 45 minutes or until al dente.

Rinse quinoa well and place in a pot with 2 cups of water. Bring to the boil, cook  for 15 minutes and then allow to stand for 10 minutes.

Finely shred cabbage and combine with the red wine vinegar, salt, and lemon juice. Set aside to pickle lightly (about 1 hour).

Toss the pumpkin in olive oil, all spice and sage. Line a baking tray and spread pumpkin in a single layer. Cook for 45 minutes or until cooked through and golden.

Dressing: Roughly chop tomatoes and place in a small pot with 1/4 cip of water. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for 5 minutes whilst occasionally mashing the tomato with the back of a spoon to release the juice. Drain through a fine sieve, pressing firmly to extract all the liquid. COmbine this liquid with other ingredients. Mix well. Waste less: You can use the tomato flesh by mixing with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and spreading on a piece of sourfough – yum! 

Pile cooked and drained grains and beans into a bowl add the dressing and gently ix through. Add the nuts, pumkpin, cabbage, lettuce, mint and seeds Mix well and then pile into bowls.

HH. x