sprouted kitchen, food, blog, sarah forte, bowls

Designed to be eaten with just a spoon, Sara Forte’s signature <a href=/articles/2013/02/freekeh>grain-filled meals</a> are the kind of everyday healthy fare you can curl up with on your couch after a hard workout. “I call them bowl foods,” says the dynamo food blogger behind <a href=http://www.sproutedkitchen.com/ target=_blank>Sprouted Kitchen</a>. “They’re about throwing together whole grains and <a href=/articles/2015/03/edgy-veggies>vegetables</a> in a simple, comfortable way—packing in max nutrition while using what I already have in the fridge.”We like to think of Forte’s bowls as a modern, healthier take on the kitchen sink salad: Toss everything nutritious in your fridge together, grab a spoon and go. But if you’d like a little more guidance, you’re in luck. Forte just released her second cookbook, <a href=http://bit.ly/1BJz0oH target=_blank>The Sprouted Kitchen Bowl + Spoon</a> this week, and it’s full of easy, healthy <a href=http://q.equinox.com/topics/recipes target=_blank>recipes</a> for her kick-butt bowls.Q spoke with Forte about her favorite produce, creative cooking oils and finding time to eat a healthy breakfast.Q: You’re a self-proclaimed produce nut. Tell us what veggies you’re obsessed with right now. A: I'm so thankful spring produce is coming in because the winter selection is a little dismal. I miss good fruit! I'm still riding the <a href=/articles/2013/04/kale-salad>kale</a>trend, specifically baby kales mixed with shredded Brussels for sturdy, slaw-type salads. With Curran, my toddler, in the house, I make things in bulk that will keep for a few days so I can grab a meal quickly. I also do a lot of roasted carrots with tahini dressing or mixed with cooked quinoa. The season is tuckering out but I am forever obsessed with <a href=/articles/2012/01/forbidden-fruit-pomegranate>pomegranate seeds</a>...on salads, on yogurt, on oatmeal. Everywhere, please.Q: The new book has a really helpful section on kitchen tools. What's the top tool that helps you eat more healthfully? A: Thank you, I’m glad you liked that section. I would say <a href=http://bit.ly/1CDLQJ0 target=_blank>a good mandolin</a>, which allows me to slice up vegetables super thin or shred them nicely so I can make pretty grain salads or slaws that are easy to keep on hand in the fridge—see toddler distraction above! I won't really reach for a bag of carrot sticks, but if I make a pretty shredded carrot salad with some toasted nuts, lentils and herbs—a lunch that looks more intentional—I'll fill up on more vegetables than carb-heavy and sugary snacks.Q: We love how some of your recipes use coconut oil—nice to break out of using olive oil allthe time. What other types of oil do you use? A: <a href=/articles/2011/09/oliveoils>Olive oil</a>is the most versatile, but I have been using <a href=/articles/2012/11/coconut-oil>coconut oil</a> for higher-heat roasting or in baked goods. It gives a hint of the tropics. When I make salads, I will use a good nut oil—my favorites are pistachio and walnut—and some fresh Meyer lemon juice for the acid. Nut oils are pricier and can spoil quickly, so I save them for when you'll really taste it, like on a green salad.Q: Your morning bowls look amazing! How do you find the time to make them? A: Let me be frank that my breakfasts do not always look amazing. I eat granola quite frequently and make a big batch on Sundays that gets us through the week. Curran is hungry in the morning just like myself, so I try to keep his finger foods chopped and ready to buy myself 10 minutes to throw something together for my husband, Hugh, and myself. I sprinkle some pear and avocado chunks on his high chair tray and hustle to manage some eggs together. It's a multitasking game, really. It's not necessarily leisurely, but breakfast is my favorite meal so we make it happen.Get bowl recipes by Sara Forte: <a href=/articles/2015/03/hippie-bowl>The Hippie Bowl</a> <a href=/articles/2015/03/tropical-smoothie-bowl>The Tropical Smoothie Bowl</a>