Steemit Iron Chef 2017 #03 : Vegan Beet & Black Bean Falafel Glow Bowl

FLUFFY. CRISPY. TENDER. CREAMY. JUICY. All of those things can be found in this delicious Vegan Beet & Black Bean Falafel Glow Bowl! 

I felt very inspired by this week's special ingredient so I decided to stop sitting on the sidelines and join the @progressivechef steemit-ironchef party! Beets are beautiful root vegetables that come in a wide variety of colors. For this meal, I'm just using the plain ol' purple beet but I still wanted a colorful and texture-rich meal so I added some kale, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, and avocado in the mix for this glow bowl. 

Beets are not only gorgeous to look at, they are also good for you. Along with the ability to help you become more regular (thanks to the fiber), beets may also give you a better sense of well-being. According to "The Top 100 Juices" booklet by Sarah Owen, they are "particularly rich in folate and magnesium which are key to the production of the important brain chemical, dopamine. Low levels of dopamine are linked with an increased incidence of depression." After we were done eating I told my husband, Earl, about this fun fact and said that he actually noticed feeling some kind of high while eating the food. Let food be thy medicine... for real.

Ok, enough mumbo jumbo, let's get into this gum smackin' meal! I'm not a stickler for ingredient portions so I just eyeballed everything. Prep time should probably be a total of 45 minutes but if you're a new parent, like me or otherwise busy, multitasking person, it'll probably take you a couple of hours *shrugs*. Anyway, here's a list of what I used. 

For the Fluffy Beet & Black Bean Falafel: Put all of the following ingredients in a food processor or blender, then form falafel shaped spheres and place them on an oiled pan. Put the falafel spheres in the oven for about 20 minutes on 425 degrees Fahrenheit, flip them half way through.

-2 organic beets -1 can of black beans -flour -bread crumbs -olive oil -pink himalayan sea salt -pepper -cilantro -parsley -sage -onion -garlic -ground coriander seed -celery seed

Your hands will get dirty! Photo Credit: @humanearl

Well-seasoned, fluffy & ooey gooey! 

For the Creamy Tropical, Massaged Kale Salad: Toss the following ingredients in a bowl and massage them.

-Organic Kale (OH, KALE YEAH!), avocado (basic and recently EXTREMELY expensive. Why have avocados doubled in price over the last few days?), coconut oil (mmm yes, island vibez), apple cider vinegar (to help break it down), a squeeze of lemon (citrusy yum yum), cracked pepper, pink himalayan sea salt (adds fanciness), agave nectar (sweetness)

For the Extra Crispy Carrots: Mix the following ingredients in an oiled pan and pop them in the oven on 425 degrees for about 30 minutes

-Organic carrots, grapeseed oil, pink himalayan sea salt, cracked pepper, italian seasoning 

For the Tender sauteed mushrooms & onions... just sautee mushrooms & onions lol. Add agave, soy sauce, sea salt, and pepper if you're feeling extra fancy. 

Finally, assemble all finished products into a pretty bowl. Add some juicy, fresh tomatoes and more avocado to really set it off! There you have it, a yummy and colorful Beet & Black Bean Falafel Glow Bowl. Perfect for a nice fall day or night!

Enjoy!