These dinner bowls have it all, they are packed with flavor, texture and fresh ingredients! Each component of this recipe was carefully chosen to create a colorful, balanced meal that will satisfy your hunger as well as your taste buds.
What’s in it?
This bowl has sweet potato, Brussels sprouts, turkey meatballs, and a rice-quinoa pilaf. For texture and crunch, I added bacon, nuts and seeds. Finished with a drizzle of gravy to bring it all together. Let’s take it one step at a time.
Make the Meatballs
- ¾ lb. ground turkey
- 1 egg
- 1/8 tsp. thyme
- 1/8 tsp. sage
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 tbsp. potato flakes
- 2 tbsp. rolled oats
- 2 tbsp. gluten free breadcrumbs
- 1/4 tsp. maple sage seasoning
Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly with your hands or a potato masher. Line a sheet pan with foil and mist with cooking spray. Form 16 small meatballs and arrange in the pan with space in between. Broil 4-5 minutes per side.
Roast the veggies
- 16 oz. sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
- 12 oz. Brussels sprouts, halved
- 2 tbsp. light oil (light olive oil or canola)
- 2 strips bacon
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp. chopped nuts (almonds/pecans)
- 1 tbsp. seeds (pumpkin/sunflower)
On a second sheet pan, spread the potatoes and Brussels sprouts in an even layer. Toss with oil and season with salt and pepper. Top the Brussels sprouts with bacon cut into 1″ pieces, 1 tbsp. nuts and 1 tbsp. seeds. Roast at 425º for 25 minutes.
Cook the rice/quinoa
- 1/3 cup rainbow quinoa
- 1/3 cup white rice
- 2/3 cup chicken broth
- 2/3 cup beef broth
- 2 tsp. butter
- 1/2 tsp. salt
Melt butter in a small saucepan. Add the rice and quinoa, stirring to coat. Add the broth and salt, bringing to a boil. Cover and simmer on low for 20 minutes.
Make the gravy
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 1 tbsp. butter, softened
- 1 tbsp. arrowroot
- 1/4 tsp. onion powder
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
Stir the arrowroot and softened butter together to form a paste. In a small saucepan, combine the broth, onion powder and garlic powder. Bring to a boil then whisk in the butter mixture. Simmer 5 minutes to thicken.
Arrange your serving platter.
I set up my platter like this, to show off the different colors and textures. The gravy was served in a small gravy boat.
This took a little time to put together but it was definitely a hit. Leftovers were just as good the next day.
Notes ♪♫ Many supermarkets offer fresh veggies that have been prepped for cooking. I got sweet potato peeled and diced, and Brussels sprouts that were pre-washed and halved. Such a convenience, I just had to spread them out on a baking sheet and add my toppings!
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Combine the wet ingredients, starter through canola oil, in the bowl of a stand mixer. In another bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, dry milk powder through instant yeast. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl with the paddle attachment and beat on low speed for 5 minutes to form a smooth, sticky dough.
Transfer the dough into an oiled bowl and smooth the top with a wet spatula. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, up to 15 hours.
I usually make small rolls for my lunch sandwiches, so I divided my dough into 13 rolls that weighed about 2½ oz. each. You could do 2 oz. each for dinner rolls or sliders. For hamburger buns, 3-4 oz. is a good size.
Continue with the rest of the dough, arranging your shaped rolls on a 
Cover the rolls and let them rest for 30 minutes while you preheat the oven to 475º. Score the top of each roll.
Just before baking, brush the rolls with milk, or spray with water (you can also use an egg wash). Sprinkle the rolls with poppy seeds and coarse salt (optional).
Place the pans on the center rack and throw a few ice cubes into the bottom of the oven. Bake for 5 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 375º.
Here’s the crumb shot. The rolls don’t need to be toasted, but they are great either way. Just the right size for me.
The preparation begins with a coating of cornstarch and egg. The wings are then quickly pan fried and drizzled with a sticky sweet syrup and baked in the oven. Yes, it is a bit labor intensive but oh my goodness! I could not stop eating them!
Whisk together the sugar, mirin, ketchup, tamari and chicken broth in a small saucepan. Add a pinch of salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking frequently then cover and set aside.
Set up 2 breading trays, one with the cornstarch and the other with 2 beaten eggs. Heat a large nonstick skillet with enough canola oil to coat the surface completely.
Dredge the wings in the cornstarch, then dip in the beaten eggs. Add to the hot skillet, leaving space in between (fry them in batches if needed). Turn the wings to get a crust on all sides.
Mist a casserole dish with cooking spray. As the wings finish cooking, arrange them in a single layer. Preheat the oven to 350º.
Spoon the sauce evenly over the wings and bake for one hour, turning halfway through.
Serve hot, spooning a little of the pan juices over the wings.
Transfer to the prepared loaf pan and use a wet spatula to smooth the top out.
Bake for 1 hour and check the center with a toothpick. The top should be nice and golden brown.
Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift the loaf out of the pan by grasping both sides of the parchment paper (you’re welcome).
Remove the parchment and cool on a rack before slicing. Cover any leftovers in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes:
When the pan is hot, add the chicken and cook for 6-7 minutes per side, turning once.
I served it with 
Notes ♪♫
The recipe is easy and straightforward; made with common ingredients. Fresh tomatoes and basil are a must here (don’t use canned!). If you grow your own or can get them from a farmer’s market that would be great. But for everyone else, plum tomatoes from the grocery store are the best choice.
Preparation:
Place the diced tomatoes in a small bowl, and toss with 1 tbsp. olive oil, the balsamic vinegar, sea salt and ground pepper. Cut one large basil leaf into thin strips (chiffonade) and stir into the tomatoes. Let the mixture stand for about 30 minutes at room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 350º. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray and arrange the cod with space in between. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and a pinch of sea salt.
Top each piece of fish with 1 tbsp. of breadcrumbs, then divide the diced tomatoes evenly over each piece.
Bake for 25 minutes. That’s it! Plate with a garnish of fresh basil leaves.
I served my Bruschetta Cod over risotto, and it was SO delicious. If you don’t know how to make risotto, jump over to 
Notes ♪♫ 
Remove the sausage casings and cut the sausage into small pieces. Add to the skillet with the veggies.
When the sausage starts to brown, push the meat and veggies to the sides of the pan and add the tomato paste in the center.
Let it toast for a few minutes, then stir it into the sausage and veggies.
Add the wine, and saffron water, garlic, basil, oregano and bay leaf.
Let the wine cook off for a few minutes, then add the crushed tomatoes and the tomato sauce. Stir well, and simmer 30-45 minutes with the lid slightly ajar to allow the sauce to thicken as it cooks. Stir the sauce every 10 minutes while it simmers.
Serve this wonderful sauce over your favorite pasta and finish with grated cheese. Pecorino Romano is traditional with this dish, but you can use Parmigiano Reggiano.
Notes ♪
Ingredients:
Mist a muffin tin with cooking spray. 
Bake for 15 minutes. Check the center with a toothpick, and if it comes out dry, they are done.
Brush the tops with melted butter, then transfer to a rack to cool.
Muffins can be stored at room temperature for one day, and any leftover after that can be frozen.
Preparation:
Check out the crumb, it came out so delicious and moist. Every bit the traditional zucchini bread, and you don’t really taste the sourdough.
Leftovers can be stored at room temperature for a day. Beyond that, I recommend you wrap slices tightly in plastic wrap and freeze (store in a freezer safe bag).
The recipe makes a small batch, breakfast for two. I ended up with 5 full size pancakes and one mini pancake. You can double or triple the recipe for a large family, or if you want extra to freeze for later.
Preparation:
Set up 2 bowls, whisk together the dry ingredients in one bowl (I strongly recommend that you weigh the flour), and the wet ingredients in the other. Stir the wet and dry ingredients together, just until moistened.
Melt butter 1 tbsp. at a time on the griddle. Scoop batter by 1/3 cups and add to the griddle, leaving space in between.
Cook for 5 minutes then flip. Cook 3-5 more minutes. Keep in mind that gluten free pancakes take longer to cook than regular pancakes. Check if they are done by inserting a toothpick in the center. If it comes out dry, they are ready.
If you have a little batter left over at the end, you can make a test pancake, here’s mine. Just one bite!
You can serve the pancakes immediately or freeze for later. I let mine cool completely on a rack, then wrapped them separately and stored in freezer safe bags.
