Roasted Vegetable & Greens Bowl with Ginger-Honey Vinaigrette
A fresh, colourful bowl that brings together roasted heirloom carrots, crisp marinated cucumbers, tender greens, and fragrant basmati rice. Finished with a warm ginger-honey vinaigrette, this simple, nourishing dish balances sweetness, acidity, and a little warmth in every bite. Easy to adapt to the season and whatever vegetables you have on hand.
INGREDIENTS (SERVES 2–3)
About 100 g mini heirloom carrots
About 5 mini cucumbers, or 1 medium cucumber
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
200 g mixed greens (baby arugula, watercress, or baby spinach)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 small piece of fresh ginger (3–4 cm), finely chopped
1 lemon or lime
2 tsp honey or maple syrup
1 cup basmati rice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Optional: ½–1 tsp soy sauce for a deeper umami flavour.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Cook the rice.
If you haven't cooked the rice yet, start there. Rinse it a few times, until the water runs almost clear. Combine 1 cup of rice with 1½ cups of water and 1 tsp of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 15–20 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed. Turn off the heat and let it rest, covered, for another 10 minutes.
2. Roast the vegetables.
While the rice cooks, prepare your beautiful heirloom carrots. Cut them lengthwise if they are on the thicker side; otherwise, leave them whole. Toss or brush with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast at 200°C (400°F) for about 20 minutes, or until tender and lightly caramelised.
Do the same with the diced pumpkin, roasting it until tender and golden.
3. Prepare the cucumbers.
Thinly slice the cucumbers and let them marinate in lemon juice, rice vinegar, a little olive oil, and salt. For a deeper umami flavour, add ½–1 tsp of soy sauce.
4. Make the warm ginger-honey vinaigrette.
Finely chop the onion and garlic. In a small saucepan, gently warm the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion, ginger, and a pinch of salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, until softened and fragrant.
Add the garlic and honey (or maple syrup) and cook for another minute. Turn off the heat, then stir in the lemon juice and rice vinegar. Season with freshly ground black pepper and adjust the salt to taste.
5. Assemble your bowls.
Pour the warm vinaigrette over the greens and toss gently until evenly coated.
Divide the rice between bowls and arrange the roasted carrots, and marinated cucumbers on top. Finish with the dressed greens.
6. Make it your own!
Feel free to add or substitute vegetables depending on the season and what you have available. In the picture, I used baby arugula and added some freshly chopped tomatoes as well. :)
Enjoy!
