Italian Inspired Nourish Bowl
Wholesome, high in protein and packed with flavour: this Italian inspired pesto paneer quinoa bowl comes together really easily and feels like something you’d order at a restaurant ♡
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This Italian inspired pesto paneer nourish bowl has a base of chilli garlic veggie quinoa, served with a fresh, homemade roasted marinara and crispy pesto coated paneer. The paneer gets toasted on a pan till golden brown, the tomato sauce is made in the airfryer for extra depth (+ it’s just faster) and everything comes together with a final grating of parmesan and fresh basil. This meal is super hearty, super flavourful and just so, so good!
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How is this lunch wholesome and well balanced?
- I’m using low fat, high protein paneer, which has around 25 grams of protein per serving. When coated in homemade pesto, it adds flavour along with healthy fats from olive oil, walnuts and pumpkin seeds.
- Quinoa adds plant based protein and complex carbs, keeping the meal filling and balanced without feeling heavy.
- The chilli garlic sautéed veggies add fibre, antioxidants and texture and you can customise them based on whatever you have, making the bowl both nourishing and practical.
- A final grating of parmesan adds umami and protein and the fresh basil on top ties it all together with a burst of freshness.
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Italian Inspired Nourish Bowl
servings
2
prep time
15 min
cook time
30 min
Ingredients
Veggie Quinoa
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 tbsp chilli flakes
- 1 cup chopped veggies of choice (I used red + yellow + green bell peppers + olives + sweet corn)
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- salt and pepper to taste
Roasted Tomato Sauce
- 3 tomatoes, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3-4 tbsp water
- 5 basil leaves
- 1 tbsp chilli flakes
- 1 tsp monk fruit sweetener (or sweetener of choice)
Pesto Paneer
- 1 block (200 g) high protein low fat paneer, sliced into 2
- 1 cup fresh basil
- 2 tbsp walnuts, roasted
- 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds, roasted
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- salt and pepper to taste
- spash of water to help blend, only if needed
Garnish
- parmesan cheese, optional
- fresh basil
Instructions:
- Make the Chilli Garlic Veggie Quinoa: Heat some olive oil in a pan, add garlic and chilli flakes and sauté until the garlic turns golden and everything smells fragrant. Add chopped vegetables, I used red, yellow and green bell peppers, black olives and sweet corn but you can use anything you have: carrots, beans, broccoli, whatever’s in your fridge! Sauté the vegetables till they’re cooked but still have a bit of crunch, add cooked quinoa, salt and pepper and mix everything well. Let it cook for a minute or two and it's ready.
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Make the roasted marinara sauce: To an oven safe dish, add chopped tomatoes, garlic and onion along with olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix well and airfry at 200°C for 15–20 minutes or till the tomatoes are slightly charred. Let it cool slightly and then blend with water, chilli flakes, fresh basil and a little sweetener to balance the tanginess of the tomatoes. You can also use ketchup instead of the sweetener if you prefer. Optional: Cook this blended sauce on the stove for a few minutes to deepen the flavour.
Alternatively, you can make the sauce on a pan. Heat some olive oil, sauté garlic and onion until fragrant and then add chopped tomatoes. Cook this down till the tomatoes are soft and mushy and blend as usual with basil, chilli flakes and sweetener to finish. - Make the Fresh Pesto: In a blender, add fresh basil, roasted walnuts, roasted pumpkin seeds, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Blend into a smooth pesto, adding just a splash of water if needed to help it blend.
- Coat and Toast the Paneer: Slice your paneer block into two slabs and coat them generously with the fresh pesto. Toast the paneer in a pan on medium heat for 3 minutes per side or till it develops a crispy crust on both sides.
- Assemble the Bowl: In your serving bowl, assemble the chilli garlic veggie quinoa, some of the tomato sauce and place the crispy pesto paneer on top. Finish with grated parmesan and fresh basil and enjoyy!
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