This fresh, yet homey, vegan rice bowl gets a hefty dose of flavor from an almond-basil pesto and fresh lemon slices. It’s a prime example of how healthy food can be tempting.

Active time: 25 minutes | Total time: 30 minutes

Asparagus Rice Bowl with Almond Pesto

Ingredients

Brown Rice:

• 2 cups (400g) cooked long-grain brown rice

Roasted Asparagus:

• 1 bunch asparagus (224g, about 14 stalks)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ¼ tsp salt 
• ⅛ tsp black pepper
• 5 large cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 lemon, cut into slices

Vegan Pesto:

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2/3 cup (16g) fresh basil
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1/4 cup (35g) raw almonds
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp water
• ¼ tsp salt 
• ⅛ tsp black pepper

Toppings (optional):

• 1/3 cup (50g) sliced almonds, dry toasted in a pan
• Black pepper
• Additional fresh lemon slices

Directions

Roasted Asparagus:

Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C).

Prep the asparagus by washing and drying the stalks. On a baking sheet lined with tin foil or parchment paper, spread out the asparagus stalks. Drizzle with a little olive oil, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and the minced garlic. Using a spoon (or hands), mix the asparagus stalks so everything is evenly coated, and then reassemble in a neat row. Top asparagus with the lemon slices.

Bake asparagus in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until slightly tender. Discard lemon slices.

Vegan Pesto:

While the asparagus is roasting, make the pesto. Add all pesto ingredients into a food processor or high-speed blender and process on high until the pesto is smooth.

Putting it all Together:

In a mixing bowl, combine cooked brown rice with the pesto.

To assemble the bowls, add a cup of the pesto rice into each. Add in half the asparagus, and top with the dry-toasted almonds, black pepper, and additional fresh lemon slices, if desired. Serve and enjoy!

Serves: 2 | Serving Size: 1 bowl

Nutrition (per serving, without toppings): Calories: 575; Total Fat: 32g; Saturated Fat: 4g; Monounsaturated Fat: 21g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 605mg; Carbohydrate: 64g; Dietary Fiber: 10g; Sugar: 4g; Protein: 13g

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 703mg; Iron: 21%; Vitamin A: 21%; Vitamin C: 79%; Calcium: 14%

Originally published April 5, 2019; Updated June 2026

The post Asparagus Rice Bowl with Almond Pesto appeared first on MyFitnessPal Blog.

Let your slow cooker do the heavy lifting with this vibrant, plant-based sweet potato curry. Tender sweet potatoes and hearty chickpeas cook down in a coconut milk and curry broth that fills your kitchen with incredible aroma. Come dinnertime, all that’s left to do is stir in fresh basil and lime, spoon it over rice, and serve.

Active time: 10 minutes | Total time: 4 hours, 10 minutes

Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Curry

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup light coconut milk
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
• 1/2 tsp lime zest
• 1 1/2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 15-oz. can low sodium chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 3 cups cooked jasmine or basmati rice
• 4 tbsp plain nonfat Greek yogurt

Directions

Combine the onion, bell pepper, sweet potatoes, garlic, and ginger in a 4-quart slow cooker.

In a small bowl, stir together the vegetable broth, coconut milk, curry powder, and salt, then pour over the vegetables. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours, until the sweet potatoes are tender. Stir in the basil, lime zest, lime juice and chickpeas.

Serve the curry over hot cooked rice. Top each serving with 1 tbsp yogurt and garnish with basil, if desired.

Serves: 4 | Serving Size: 2 cups curry with 3/4 cup rice + 1 tbsp yogurt

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 421; Total Fat: 5g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Monounsaturated Fat: 0g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 1mg; Sodium: 951mg; Carbohydrate: 81g; Dietary Fiber: 9g; Sugar: 14g; Protein: 14g

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 1050mg; Iron: 19%; Vitamin A: 58%; Vitamin C: 106%; Calcium: 10%

Originally published: November 22, 2019; Updated May 2026

The post Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Curry appeared first on MyFitnessPal Blog.