Gluten-Free Vegetarian Grain Bowl. Did you realize there are other options for gluten-free grain bowls besides quinoa? Yes! Here is one example- this one made with oat groats. Even if you aren't a gluten-free eater, oat groats are the bomb. Let me tell you all about this yummy bowl!
What Makes This Bowl So Good?
I love buddha bowls of almost any shape and form, but let me tell you what makes this bowl so good.
The flavors are my top choice. This is a great blend of a lot of really good foods. And they are delicious together!
It is simple to make. While there is the cooking time involved, this bowl is actually really simple to make.
It is gluten-free. Most people think quinoa is the only option for gluten-free buddha bowls. This is just not true. Oat groats are my favorite gluten-free grain. No, not rolled oats, but the great itself.
This bowl makes awesome meal prep. It is so easy for packing and taking to work or wherever you need it.
Ingredients
- Oat Groats - cook ahead in your pressure cooker!
- Beets
- Butternut Squash
- Potatoes
- Brussel Sprouts
- Yams
How to Make the Bowl
- Cook your oat groats ahead in your pressure cooker. You can cook them the day before or that morning. The pressure cooker will take half the time to cook your oat groats and they’ll be good for up to 14 days.
- Roast your vegetables. I have described how I like to do this below. You can use the same vegetables I used or whatever your favorites are.
- Put the oat groats in a bowl and layer your veggies on top.
- Feel free to add some hummus or other high-protein plant-based spread if you like.
- Add a vinaigrette if you like.
Why Use Oat Groats?
If you are gluten-free, you need options besides quinoa and rice and oat groats are a great solution. They taste great and are particularly versatile making them a great choice for gluten-free cooks.
Lastly, I like to make my oat groats in a pressure cooker, making them easy to fix and forget. If you have ever cooked gluten-free foods before, you know that cooking can take a lot of time and it’s nice to have an easy-to-cook option.
How to Roast Vegetables
You can use whatever vegetables you love for roasting. I used garnet yams, yellow potatoes, brussel sprouts, beets, and butternut squash.
Start by cleaning, peeling, and cubing your veggies. I like to roast them all in the same pan, so I am mindful of the size I cube them to. Because the butternut squash and potatoes cook much faster than the beets, I cut the potatoes larger than the beets. That levels the playing field so that one won't get overcooked and the other undercooked.
I peeled my beets and cut them to about ½ inch. Be mindful that beets like to bleed all over everything, so if (like me) you don’t want them to bleed on the other vegetables, you can create a boat to place them in.
Once all the vegetables are cubed, drizzle them all with olive oil and season them with salt and pepper. Then you can place them in the oven and let them roast until they are tender.
Can I choose a different gluten-free grain?
Absolutely. I listed several gluten-free options earlier that you can choose from. Keep in mind that cooking may vary depending on what type of grain you choose. However, you can look at my post about cooking whole grains to learn more about how to prepare them.
Other Whole Grain Options
Are you interested in getting more whole grains into your diet? Let me suggest a few great recipes to get you started!:
- This whole-grain pizza is a really good way to bring in some whole grains. Especially where no one will be able to tell.
- We also really love Whole Grain Popovers!
- If you are a chocolate lover, this whole-grain chocolate cake is a great recipe!
- I really love the Jack Cheese and Chili Biscuits too!
Gluten-free vegetarian grain bowl
Equipment
- sheet pan
- pressure cooker
Ingredients
Oat Groats
- 1 cup oat groats
- 3 cups water
- ½ teaspoon salt
Roasted Vegetables
- 6 cups vegetables I used brussel sprouts, beets, butternut squash, and potatoes. You can use any winter veggies you want.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt, pepper, and garlic powder
- Hummus optional, but used for serving.
Instructions
Oat Groats
- Add ingredients to the pressure cooker. Seal the lid and set on pressure high for 30 minutes.
- Let it release naturally.
- Release the lid. If there is still liquid left in the oats, set the pressure cooker to saute and cook for several minutes.
- Turn off heat and it is done!
- These can also be cooked on the stovetop. They will need about 50-60 minutes to cook. Makesure they are covered and add more water as needed.
Roasting Vegetables
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Prepare the veggies by cubing. I baked my vegetables all on one tray, so I cut my potatoes and butternut squash in bigger chunks than the beets as they take less time to cook. The differences in sizes will help them to all cook at the same time.
- Create a small tinfoil "boat" for the beets. They will bleed all over the other veggies when they are baking if you don't.
- Place all your vegetables on the baking sheet. Drizzle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix and place in the oven.
- Depending on what size you cut your veggies at, this will take between 20-35 minutes to bake. You want them to be baked until they are just tender.
- Now, the oats and the vegetables should be finishing up about the same time.
- Create your bowl. I didn't use dressing on mine, but I included several recipe I use for buddha bowls that you might like. Or you can just add hummus like I did.
- Now, sit back and enjoy. You deserve it!!
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!