How to make a vegan orzo bowl full of spring flavours

Packed with tasty plant-powered ingredients, this vegan recipe is incredibly high in protein and quick to make, says Lily Keeling

Ready in 20 minutes, this is the perfect midweek dinner (Green Chef)

This is one of my favourite midweek dinners as it only takes 20 minutes to make. Adding the pumpkin seeds on top is the perfect rich addition of vitamin K and zinc, which is great to keep healthy and strong.

Spring orzo bowl

Serves: 2

Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

125g mixed tomatoes

100g asparagus

80g green beans

120g orzo

25g sun-dried tomato paste

10g vegetable stock paste

1 lemon

1 bunch flat-leaf parsley

10g nutritional yeast

100g baby spinach

15g pumpkin seeds

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 220C/200C fan/gas mark 7. Halve the tomatoes. Trim the asparagus and cut into thirds. Trim and halve the green beans. Boil a half-full kettle.

2. Spread out the tomatoes, asparagus and green beans on a lined baking tray. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast on the middle shelf for 8-10 mins.

3. While the veg cooks, heat a large saucepan on medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil. Add the orzo and sun-dried tomato paste. Cook, 1 min, stirring. Add the boiled water from the kettle. Turn the heat up to high and bring back to a boil, stirring regularly to ensure the orzo doesn’t stick. Stir in the veg stock paste. Reduce to a simmer on low heat, and cook until the orzo is just tender, 6-8 mins. Stir regularly. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Meanwhile, zest and juice half of the lemon, and cut the remaining half into wedges. Roughly chop the parsley (stalks and all). In a small bowl, mix the lemon zest, half the parsley and half the nutritional yeast. Set aside your lemon & parsley topping until ready to serve.

5. Once the orzo is tender, add the spinach to the pan a handful at a time and cook until wilted and piping hot, 1-2 mins. Stir through the lemon juice, remaining parsley and nutritional yeast. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the liquid is absorbed, 1 min.

6. Share the orzo between your bowls. Top with the roasted tomatoes, asparagus and green beans. Sprinkle over the lemon & parsley topping, then scatter with pumpkin seeds and serve with a lemon wedge.

For more healthy recipe inspiration visit greenchef.co.uk