Wedding | 100 Days of Summer | Recipes

How to Make the Perfect Grain Bowl

This is the easiest way for one couple with drastically different diets to dine together.

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By Molly Rosen Guy

Published on August 9, 2017

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Photography by MIKEY NEFF
What to do at dinnertime when your soulmate is a diehard meateater and you’re a vigilant vegan who screams bloody murder if a piece of meat dares to graze your plate? Easy: Just call in the DIY grain bowl (spoiler alert: meat is optional).
 
Desiree Wichmann and Miles Roxas are in love. One day they will marry. For now, they are enjoying the process of cohabitating in their one-bedroom Bushwick apartment, along with their one-eyed cat named Kooky. For the most part, they are incredibly compatible. They share the same tastes in Netflix, museums, locally brewed beer. But when it comes to food, their differences are almost comical. 
 
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Photography by MIKEY NEFF
Miles is obsessed with meat. He eats it at every meal. Burgers, steak, hot dogs—everything’s better, he believes, with bacon. But Desiree is at the opposite end of the spectrum. A vegan since the age of 14, her dream meal involves tofu, kale, and kombucha. 
 
You would think this would make mealtime an incongruous experience, but in fact, it’s quite the contrary. The difference in Desiree and Miles’s culinary cravings has forced them to find creative ways to accommodate both of their appetites. 

A favorite? The DIY summer grain bowl, assembled with veggies, topped with tempeh (Des) or grass-fed steak (Miles), cooked to perfection with a Joule sous vide, then finished off on the grill for a summer BBQ flavor. The result is a positively Pinterest-worthy looking dinner that’ll satisfies both the omnivore and carnivore within. See for yourself. 

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Photography by MIKEY NEFF

DIY Grain Bowl, with recipes by Chef Deena.

Sous vide farro recipe:

  • 1 cup farro 
  • 3 cups vegetable broth 
  • 3 bay leaves 
  • Pinch of Himalayan sea salt 
  • Pinch of fresh ground black pepper
Set your sous vide to cook farro, place all ingredients in a vacuum bag, plastic zip bag, or mason jar, tightly sealed, and cook for 1 hour.
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Photography by MIKEY NEFF

Glazed tempeh recipe:

  • 1 package of tempeh 
  • 2 inches of ginger, peeled
  • 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tsp. rice vinegar
  • 2 tsp. tamari
  • 1 tsp. honey
Cube tempeh. Mix the remaining ingredients. Marinate the tempeh for 1 to 2 hours. Set your sous vide to 180, cook in vacuum bag for 2 hours. Finish by grilling on the BBQ for 1 minute per side. 
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Photography by MIKEY NEFF

Roasted artichoke and radishes recipe:

  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 lemon zested + juiced
  • Fresh Thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 clove garlic
  • Himalayan sea salt 
  • Fresh ground black pepper
Trim tips of artichoke. Trim radish ends and cut in half.
Mix remaining ingredients together. Place vegetables and marinade in vacuum or plastic zip bag. Set your sous vide to 85, cook for 1.5 hours.

Sous vide steak recipe:

  • Fresh Rosemary
  • Fresh Thyme
  • Fresh Sage
  • Himalayan sea salt 
  • Fresh ground black pepper
Finely chop fresh herbs, rub into steak. Place steak in vacuum or zip lock bag. Set your Joule to desired temperature and cooking time. Finish by searing on the grill.
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Photography by MIKEY NEFF

Miso ginger vinaigrette recipe:

  • 1/4 cup white miso
  • 1/6 cup tahini
  • 2 tbsp. tamari
  • 1 tbsp. brown rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp. raw honey
  • 2 inch ginger
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1/4 cup water
Add ingredients in blender, mix thoroughly. 

To make the grain bowls, place cooked farro in bowl, then add your steak or tempeh. Build it up with steamed broccolette, roasted seasonal vegetables (we love radishes, artichokes and summer squash), sprouts, and sliced avocado. Drizzle with miso tahini or dressing of your choice.

Get more recipes:

How to Host a Low-Stress, Bohemian Dinner Party
21 Veggie-Friendly Sandwiches To Make This Week
How to Make the Perfect Summer Soup In a Blender

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