Farmers’ Market Bowl with Green Goddess Sauce
Farmers' market bowls featuring roasted veggies, warm whole grains, chickpeas and green goddess sauce. A healthy vegetarian dinner recipe!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 30, 2024
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I’m going to level with you today. I’ve hardly been able to get myself out of bed lately. It’s a real struggle, every morning, and I operate in a fog until mid-day when I finally snap out of it. Productivity has taken a definite hit, but I swear I’m not depressed—I’ve been there, and this is not that.
Maybe it’s just the winter slump? Can we chalk it up to short daylight hours? Vitamin D deficiency? Cookie and I haven’t been going on our daily walks when it’s so cold outside. Come to think of it, I ran out of multivitamins a few months ago. I’ll buy more today. Recent news events have left me deeply troubled and discouraged, which makes getting out of bed all the more daunting.
Perhaps you can relate. I’m trying to be patient with myself, trying to go to bed at a decent hour, trying to choose veggie-packed meals over nachos (although sometimes I compromise with veggie-covered nachos).
This is one vegetable-forward meal that has kept me going lately, from a new book called Bowls of Plenty: Recipes for Healthy and Delicious Whole-Grain Meals. The author, Carolynn Carreño, has co-authored a number of cookbooks with famous chefs. I felt a pang of envy when I read that she has ten avocado trees in her backyard!
Carolynn’s book isn’t vegetarian, but I’m inspired by her concepts every time I flip through her book. I took a few liberties with this one to keep it more in line with the recipes that you’ve come to expect here. Credit goes to Carolynn for the recipe and inspiration. I’m really into her yogurt-based green goddess dressing, which will likely make an appearance in future recipes. It’s a redeeming creamy sauce that makes eating veggies seem a little more indulgent, which is so welcome this time of year.
Craving more fresh, green goddess flavor? Try my green goddess hummus, green goddess hummus sandwich and green goddess salad dressing.
Farmers’ Market Bowl with Green Goddess Sauce
These farmers’ market bowls feature roasted vegetables, warm whole grains, chickpeas and a creamy yogurt-based green goddess sauce. It’s a healthy, hearty vegetarian dinner option that is very flexible—see the notes for variations. Recipe yields 4 servings.
Ingredients
Roasted veggies*
- 1 acorn squash, halved lengthwise, seeded and sliced into ½” thick half-moons
- ½ pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
- 1 bunch heirloom carrots with greens (about ¾ pound), scrubbed and halved lengthwise (leaving just 1-inch of greens attached)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Bowls
- 1 ¼ cups farro**
- ½ cup pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
- ½ teaspoon olive oil
- Salt
- 1 head radicchio, thinly sliced, or 4 handfuls arugula or greens of choice
- 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas
Green goddess yogurt sauce
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (any fat %)
- ½ cup parsley leaves
- ¼ cup cilantro or mixed leafy herbs of choice—fresh sage, oregano or marjoram, and/or thyme
- ¼ cup buttermilk (optional—I tried it with and without and couldn’t tell much difference)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- To roast the veggies: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit with racks in the middle and upper third of the oven. Line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper for easy cleanup. On one of the sheets, combine all of the vegetables. Drizzle the olive oil on top and sprinkle with the salt and some pepper. Toss until the veggies are all lightly and evenly coated in oil and spices.
- Transfer half of the veggies to the other prepared baking sheet. Arrange them all in an even layer across the pans. Roast on separate racks, tossing the veggies and switching the pans on the racks halfway, until the vegetables are tender throughout and golden on the edges, about 30 to 40 minutes.
- Meanwhile, to cook the farro, combine the farro with enough water to cover by several inches in a large saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the grains are tender to the bite but still pleasantly chewy, 15 to 25 minutes for pearled farro or 25 to 40 minutes for unprocessed farro. Drain off the excess water and set aside.
- To toast the pepitas, combine the pepitas, olive oil and a few dashes of salt in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the pepitas are making little popping noises and turning golden on the edges, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- To prepare the green goddess sauce: In a small food processor or blender, combine all of the ingredients and blend until smooth. Taste, and add additional lemon juice and/or salt if necessary. Set aside.
- To prepare the bowls, spread a big spoonful of sauce across the bottom of 4 bowls. Divide the cooked farro into the bowls, then arrange radicchio, roasted veggies and chickpeas on top. Sprinkle pepitas over each bowl and serve with extra green goddess sauce on the side.
Notes
Recipe adapted from the book BOWLS OF PLENTY by Carolynn Carreño. Copyright © 2017 by Carolynn Carreño. Reprinted with permission of Grand Central Life & Style. All rights reserved.
*Change it up: You could use any seasonal vegetables that roast well in this recipe (think cauliflower, broccoli, sweet potato, butternut, bell pepper, red onion…). Use a total of about 2 pounds vegetables, cut into even bite-sized pieces. For the record, I’ve tried using regular (not heirloom) carrots, and didn’t enjoy them nearly as much—so if you can’t find heirloom carrots, pick a different veggie option or roast extra Brussels or squash instead.
**Make it gluten free: Substitute wild rice, brown rice or quinoa, cooked accordingly. You’ll need about 4 cups cooked whole grains for this recipe.
Make it vegan: Make a blended tahini and herb dressing instead of the yogurt dressing. Blend the following in a small food processor: ⅓ cup tahini, ¼ cup lemon juice (from 1 ½ to 2 lemons), ½ cup mixed fresh leafy herbs (I like half flat leaf parsley and half basil or cilantro), 2 tablespoons water and ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt. The sauce should be nice and creamy, but drizzle easily off the back of a spoon—if not, blend in a bit more water. Taste and add more salt, if necessary.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Strange. The reason I was on the computer looking at recent posts from blogs I follow is because I can barely get anything done these days. The feeling of dread is sitting in my heart. Sorry for writing that. A trip to the farmers market and a rainbow bowl with Farro sounds a good remedy.I will be trying this.
All the best-Johanne
Johanne, I can relate and I’m so sorry you’re feeling down. Hope this dish offers some sustenance and cheer. xo!
Believe me, Kate, you are not alone! The last few months, but especially the last 11 days, have been unbelievably upsetting for so many of us. I’ve been around since the Eisenhower era and never seen anything like this. Every day there’s some new turmoil, and that alone is exhausting.
But on a more personal front, I agree with others that at least part of your fatigue/malaise likely has to do with your completing your cookbook as well as your recent move. Both require huge amounts of energy, emotional as much (maybe even more?) as physical. When I finished my doctorate, after all that continual, pressured work going into researching and writing my dissertation (much the same as the time and effort you put into your book), I at first was floating on air but after a bit of that found I was just useless. It seems to me it’s the body’s way of saying, “Hey, give me a break here… I’m exhausted!”
In my experience, listening to your body and being kind to it after putting it through a lot of hard work and stress is the path out of this. Baby yourself a bit, Kate! You’ve certainly earned some quality R & R, so I say take it and no guilt! My bet is that after a little respite, you’re going to find that energy coming back, right along with warmer temps and welcome sunshine.
Thank you so much, Marcia! I don’t even know where to begin on the political front, but you’re definitely onto something about the cookbook/moving combo. I wasn’t treating myself very well during big chunks of that time. Example: the day before I moved, I had to re-shoot the cookbook cover per my publisher’s request, which meant that I couldn’t pack up my kitchen stuff, which meant that I got less than 4 hours of sleep in between very physically demanding days of packing/unpacking, which also meant that I had to make five solo trips back and forth to get all the rest… I’m tired just remembering how it all went down. :) Here’s to more sunshine soon, and appreciating the good, kind people around us as more crazy, disappointing news comes our way.
Hi Kate,
I’m sorry to hear that :( As a psychologist who works in Montana where we have long, dark winters, I want to reassure you that this is a real phenomenon! You would not believe how many of my patients express something similar come November, December, January. A few things that might help – try B vitamins for energy and vitamin D to make up for the lack of it during the long winter hours. Also, try using a seasonal therapy light (Mine is a “Happy Light” brand that I bought at Bed, Bath, and Beyond). They are not UV light so not harmful to skin, eyes, etc. Rather, they are bright full spectrum lights that mimic natural daylight, and activate the photoreceptors in the eye that respond to sunlight and send signals to the brain increase serotonin/decrease melatonin production. They can really help, especially if used daily during the morning. They are also available on Amazon and there are a variety of brands, sizes, price points, etc. I highly recommend trying one for a few weeks and see if it helps your energy levels. Also it’s always a good idea to get a medical checkup and blood work if you haven’t had any recently. Lot of things, such as thyroid and Vitamin D deficiency, can contribute to this type of issue. Good luck, and I hope you start feeling better soon.
Maggie
Hi Maggie, thank you so much for your note. So many good ideas. It just occurred to me that I should leave my bedroom blinds open overnight—my new place has black-out blinds and they are a little too effective, I think! I’ve been taking B vitamins and my thyroid levels were fine last year, but maybe I should go get another check-up. Thanks again and hope you have a great day.
How long do you think this dressing would keep in the fridge? Could I make on batch to stay in the fridge all week long? Or better to make smaller batches every couple of days?
Hi, sorry for the delay! This dressing has kept well in my fridge for over a week now, actually.
This was delicious and pretty easy to pull together! I roasted the chickpeas alongside the veggies, and even my kids gave it the thumbs up (although thumbs down to the brussel sprouts).
9/10, I’ll take it! Hopefully they’ll warm up to the brussels sprouts as they get a little older :)
Feel better and thank you for all of your delicious recipes!
Thanks, Becca!
It’s been so rough… What helps for me during these dark days is blogs like yours! What I mean is, I try to focus on the good things in life, and on good friends. I also try to stay away from Facebook, too many opinions there and not facts. The facts are bad enough. Also, coming from Europe originally, I’m sorry to say it’s not that much better there.
Exercise does help! Easy for me to say here in SoCal but still :-). Hang in there and thank you for your wonderful recipes and stories.
Thank you, Eva. Great tips. You hang in there, too! I’ve been getting back into my regular yoga routine and will have some more recipes and stories for you soon.
The green goddess sauce is awesome, im not usually a fan of yogurt sauces but this one was great.
Great! Happy this one broke the losing streak :)
Ditto – it has been truly crazy how down my mood and energy have been this winter… the political landscape is definitely one reason; I can say without hesitation it has affected my entire wellness system.
That said, a potent vitamin B tablet has really been helping me – and a consistent bedtime. And a bit of excercise (which I’ll get right on after my out-of-nowhere bladder/yeast infection clear up; eeeek!)
My gynecologist also is checking my iron and thyroid levels; evidently that can be a thing, even with seemingly healthy women.
Here’s to longer days, more sunshine and healthy (and perky-er!) bodies!!!
Hope you’re on the up-and-up, Sarah! I’m going to get my vitamin B and D levels checked out. I wonder if running out of multivitamins a few months ago while I was going crazy on cookbook details was really bad timing. Are you taking probiotics regularly? I used to get some out-of-nowhere infections like that, but not anymore! I take the Ultimate Flora Women’s Care brand (it’s available on Amazon).
I made the Farmer’s Market Bowl last night for my family. They LOVED it and so did I! I avoid dairy so I made the vegan sauce. The meal preparation was a little more labor intensive than I normally do for a mid-week meal, so I cut the veggies/made the sauce/toasted the pepitas in the morning and then did the rest in the evening. I allowed my 5 and 7 year old sons to choose 2 of the 3 roasted veggies (choice helps A LOT in making sure my boys get the nutrition they need!). They ate every single bite. My husband said it was “restaurant quality!” I would definitely recommend this meal to anyone to warm up a cold winter night. Thank you so much!!
What a great way to have the boys involved in choosing nutritious, delicious food! So happy the whole family loved this one.
I really appreciate your post, Kate. I’m in cold and not that bright Chicago and feeling the usual bit of a winter slump exemplified by a general malaise, anger, sadness over politics. I thought- I need to make myself some healthy, delicious food. Then I found this! While I don’t wish sadness/winter fog on others, it feels good to know we’re not alone. So until the sunnier days come, we have each other…and fresh vegetables.
Oof, send my love to the windy city, Mary! Yes, our midwest winters can be rough, but at least we have good friends with whom we can commiserate and nutritious food to heal what ails us.
We used kale and arugula as the base, because radicchio is expensive, and it turned out great! The sauce could use more flavor — I upped the salt and black pepper, but will think of ways to improve it even more for next time. It was great, even without the pepitas/chickpeas.
So happy your version worked out well, Elina!
Yes definitely try taking a multivitamin and maybe have your vitamin d and thyroid levels checked just to be sure there isn’t anything else going on. <3
Thanks, Kaycee! I hope to shake this funk off soon.
I’m sorry to hear that winter’s being a pain to you. Personally, I find that it can help to just look at some pictures of sunshine, beaches, etc… Gives me hope that spring will come eventually ;). Or if you have a fireplace, you could just get warm with a fire and some hot chocolate.
Best of luck!
And the recipe looks amazing!! Can’t wait to try it!
Thanks, Anneka! A cozy fire would be wonderful.
What a ridiculously good looking plate of food! I just love when my food is colorful and so visibly fresh!
Me too, Gustavo! This one is beautiful & nutritious.
I made these this weekend. There is nothing like smelling fresh chopped herbs to brighten your mood on a cold, grey winter day! My home smelt so fresh and vibrant! Instant mood booster :)
Yay! Thanks, Alexandra!
I added apples to my roasted veggie mix. What a delicious recipe! Love your blog.
Apples sound *so good* with this!
I don’t know how your recipes are so consistently good. I just made this for lunch and it’s fantastic. I subbed cauliflower for the squash and cauliflower rice for the farro and it is just so, so good. I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s lunch!
Lots of trial & error on my end, Lora! So glad this one came out great :)
This was very good, and so healthy too! I especially liked the crunch from the toasted pepitas, but really everything was good. Thanks!
You’re welcome, Vivian! Thanks for trying it :)
We are fans of your recipes in general, but I could seriously eat this everyday!! We are vegan and gluten free, so I subbed wild rice for the Farro. My kids are not fans of squash, so I subbed broccoli. For the dressing, I used Kite Hill Almond yogurt and omitted the buttermilk. It was all amazing!! One of my favorites. Thank you!
Great, I’m glad this has worked out for everyone’s needs & tastes. Thanks, Christine!
Hi Kate, I’m a new reader and absolutely loving and so thankful for your recipes! I saw you mentioned Vitamin D, and I’m not sure if you were serious, but I recently had my vitamin d level checked after 4 years of struggling with depression, fatigue, and brain fog and it turns out- mine is abnormally low. Just a thought to check with your doc if it’s a real concern :)
Hi Karis! Thank you for your note. I’m so glad you found my blog. I’m sorry to hear that you struggled with an undiagnosed deficiency for four years. That’s so unfortunate! At least now you have your solution. I saw my doctor recently and she tested me for a variety of issues but not Vitamin D, strangely enough. She said insurance wouldn’t pay for it because it’s presumed that most American women ARE deficient (that’s crazy, right?), so I’m going to start taking daily supplements.
I’d highly recommend a news fast after 5 pm — my mornings got a lot easier when I wasn’t tossing and turning and having political nightmares.
This recipe looks so delicious I am going to try it tonight! Sorry that you are feeling down and so sad. Yes the political situation is crazy right now. I do know the news is a good thing to avoid, as it can really make you feel angry and depressed. But I certainly feel a new energy in our country now and I think so much can be accomplished for the good. The majority of people here in this country want to see the country as a whole doing better, and the political results are an indication that things will at least be going in the right direction now.
So please don’t feel too down, as things can only go up from this point. Thanks again for the great recipes!
Thanks, L! I hope you love this recipe. I hope we see more good news soon!
I feel the same way . I am so pleased to have found your healthy recipes. I am in a winter slump and need to kick start my healthy cooking again. I have not been eating as healthy and clean as I should. I am looking forward to Spring, riding my bike, and enjoying the outdoors.
Hey, Julie! Yes, I’m definitely a sun-worshipper, so I’m there with you, looking forward to spring. I hope you can find some reprieve from your winter funk soon :)
This was delicious! The only adjustments I made was to roast the garbonzo beans with the vegetables, and I substituted black rice for the Farrow. The sauce was good on its own, but spectacular when it’s all put together. Thanks again Kate, you never disappoint!!!!
Yes! So glad this worked out for you, Joey.
Hi Kate
Looks delish – can’t wait to try.
Definitely get your vit d and iron levels checked! There is a lot of vitamin deficiency which is causing lots of us to feel sleepy and well – just not there – please do get this done asaaaapppp!!! (med student here)
Take care and time will pass, and the bad news will pass and better news will come :)
Try to look for silver linings and honestly they will change your outlook and just make you feel better on the inside. Too cold to go out? Hmm hot choc indoors instead? WIN etc
lots of love xx
Thanks, Dani! I just got my blood tests back and they were all normal. My doctor said insurance won’t pay for a Vitamin D test since it’s generally assumed that American women are deficient in Vitamin D. I’m going to get some Vitamin D gummies!
Hi Kate- I feel ya. I spent most of November feeling like there was no way I would ever be able to focus on real life again and also like I was living in a dystopian novel.
One thing that has snapped me out of this at least a little is by engaging in other activities to make me feel like I am making the world a little better. I became a monthly donor to planned parenthood. I’m volunteering in my community. I am writing my (ok lets face it.. other peoples) senators and representatives. I am doing a side project with my friends to increase access to medicines that reduce maternal mortality.
Everything still kind of sucks, but at least now it feels a little more like I am living in one of those Parks and Recreation episodes where nobody appreciates Leslie Knope than 1984.
There’s no time for complacency! We have to work to protect the things we care about now. Also it just makes you feel a little less helpless.
Also… I need more information about these vegetable packed nachos.
Best of luck
-D
Thanks, Danielle! I love what you’re doing to help. And love your Parks and Recs/George Orwell reference. I am thinking about ways to use this blog platform for good. As for the nachos, try baking up some cheesy nachos and topping them with a bunch of this carrot salad. Sounds weird, tastes awesome.
Not a fan of this meal. I was really excited about it but it came out flat and it took way too long.
I’m sorry you were disappointed, Jane. Were you looking for more spice than the end product seemed to have?
This recipe is so beautifully presented! Can I ask the brand of the bowl you used?
Just made this for my husband and 3 kiddos (3,5,9). I used asparagus instead of Brussel sprouts and didn’t have pepitas otherwise I followed the recipe . It was delish!!! Even my kids ate it. Keep cooking Kate! Love your recipes!
So glad everyone enjoyed, especially the kids! Thanks, Camille.
Made this tonight with a few modifications and we loved it! Subbed farro for wild rice because my mom is gluten free. We forgot to get yogurt at the store and ended up using ricotta and some sour cream and it worked just fine! Added the juice of an entire lemon (yum) to the sauce and some black pepper. For the herbs, we did parsley, oregano, and thyme. For veggies, we couldn’t find heirloom carrots so we subbed a small red onion sliced into wedges and a small bag of pre-chopped cauliflower. So good!!
Oh! And I added the canned chickpeas to the baking sheets for the last 15 minutes to crisp them up a bit which I really liked! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Made this tonight for the fam- this recipe is booming with flavor! Filling. Tastey. Everyone loved it! Can’t wait to make it again :)
I didn’t have all the ingredients for this but I made for a quick snack for just me with the little quinoa and veggies I had left and it was delicious! That green goddess sauce is something else! :D
I’m glad that worked out, Grace! I love each of the components of this recipe.
I LOVE this recipe because it really is a foundation for a seasonal vegetable bowl of your choice. I’ve made this with a variety of different vegetables, just like the recipe suggests, and each time it turns out fantastic.
It’s hearty, tasty, filling and it stores well for leftovers. It pairs well with a lager or IPA beer or a smoky red wine. It’s great for guests or meals for lunch in the office.
Ooh, thanks for the beverage pairings, Dana! I appreciate that. I’m so glad it was delicious.
This looks SO good! I love creamy dressings too. I think I will make this with vegan yogurt. Definitely relating to you right now, though it’s summer, it has been difficult finding the motivation to do anything-let alone cook. Looking at these recipes is changing that. Can’t wait to try this! thank you so much.
Ugh, I get the motivation thing, for sure. I hope that this puts a little pep in your step!
This recipe posting is nearing a year old, but super relevant today! The weather has dropped from 78 last week to a frosty 38, and I was really feeling some comfort food. This. Was. Phenomenal. I used quinoa, and the veggies I had on hand to roast were acorn squash, brussels sprouts, and red onion, and I had red cabbage for crunch. Even though I nixed the pepitas, this was still incredible. Thank you for posting, I now have delicious lunches for a couple more days that I can’t wait to eat!
I think it is very fitting, Sara. Thanks for your review!
We made this last week using brown rice instead of farro. Absolutely delicious! And the leftovers the next day were just as good :)
Great! Thank you, Traci for your review. Leftovers are the best :)
Love this recipe, so easy and versatile! I’ve made at least three different versions of this one already. Also great to clean out your fridge. Thx!
You’re welcome, Sophie!
I wanted to make savory pancakes for dinner this weekend and went looking on your site for a savory pancake recipe and couldn’t find one. I used this recipe instead and substituted pancakes for the farro. It was good. I’d recommend. There was plenty of creamy sauce for sopping up with the pancake. But can I request some savory pancake recipes on your site? I’m not sure why savory pancakes aren’t more of a thing. :)
I will think about that one! Thanks, Giselle.
Absolutely delicious!
Super great combination of flavors. I used short grain brown rice since it’s what I had on hand and actually put a tablespoon of zhoug sauce in the dressing since I love the flavor. I could totally see doing the roasted veggies again on a busy week night. My only comment would be that the Brussel sprouts cook so much faster than the rest, which might be a good thing to mention in the instructions. I took them out at around 20-25 minutes and they were already getting pretty browned. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Juliana, Thank you for sharing! I haven’t experienced that. I wonder how big or small you cut your vegetables? That can play into them cooking faster.
Yeah I’m not sure what caused it. I cut the Brussel sprouts in half and cut the carrots and squash about a 1/2 inch thick. I guess every veggie and oven is a bit different ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ loved the recipe tho. I just needed to keep a watchful eye.
Hmm…I’m not sure. I’m happy you enjoyed it!
Love this blog. Love your cookbook. Love this recipe. Every flavor adds a wonderful layer for a hearty, comprehensive experience with each bite.
I love all your recipes! So fresh like clean laundry! An inspiration. I live in the northeast so I know about foggy mornings.
just wanted to send you my love and support from afar – afar….
thanks for your beautiful food.
take care