Meatless Monday: Hearty, healthy sweet potato and asparagus rice bowls

Grilling veggies always brings fab flavor to the table. You can easily grill sweet potatoes and asparagus on a stovetop grill pan and add them to a healthy brown rice bowl with a smooth and spicy cashew cream that’s easy to make.

This is an amazing vegan Meatless Monday recipe, but I’m excited to make this rice bowl any day of the week because it’s overflowing with great ingredients, including the spicy cashew cream.

Grilling sweet potatoes and asparagus bring vibrant color and flavor to the dish, but let’s get back to the cashew cream. It’s thick and flavorful and could not be easier to make. You can season it with your favorite flavors and enjoy it on many dishes. If you’ve never had it, I think you’ll find cashew cream to be a dairy-free dream come true.

Grilled sweet potato and asparagus brown rice bowl with spicy cashew cream recipe

Serves 4

Prep time: 25 minutes | Cook time: 10 minutes | Total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

For the cashew cream

• 1 cup raw cashews
• 1/2 cup filtered water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce, more or less, to taste

For the rice bowls

• 2 cups cooked brown rice, divided
• 1 small bunch thin asparagus spears, cleaned and bottom ends trimmed
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
• 2-1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Salt and ground black pepper, to season
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• Green onion pieces and chopped cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

For the cashew cream

1. Measure out enough water to cover the cashews, then add the water to a pan. Bring the water to a boil, and remove from the heat.
2. Pour the hot water over the cashews, and let them sit for about 15 minutes.
3. Drain the water from the cashews, and discard it. To a high-speed blender, add the cashews with 1/4 cup of filtered water. Blend until smooth, then add the remaining water and the Sriracha sauce. Blend to combine.
4. If you’d like the cream to be thinner, then add a bit more water, and blend. If you’d like the cream a bit spicier, then add more Sriracha sauce, and blend.
5. Transfer the cream to a bowl, and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the rice bowls

1. To a pan, add the sweet potatoes and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. In another pan, do the same with the asparagus.
2. Place a grill pan over medium-high heat. When hot, brush the pan with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil.
3. Grill the sweet potatoes for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until soft and grill marks appear. Remove, and set aside.
4. Next, add the asparagus spears to the grill pan. Cook for about 4 minutes, rotating the spears, or until soft and grill marks appear. Remove, and cut into 3-inch pieces.
5. Divide the brown rice equally into 4 bowls. Divide the sweet potatoes, asparagus and black beans equally, and add to each bowl.
6. Serve with the spicy cashew cream to drizzle over the tops of the bowls.
7. Garnish with cilantro or green onion pieces.

More Meatless Monday recipes

Citrus fajitas with mushrooms, red peppers and Brussels sprouts
Vegan warm farro salad with roasted carrots and fennel
Lightened-up vegetable korma