This healthy and delicious spelt grain bowl is filled with winter fruits and vegetables and topped with an easy 2-ingredient lemon dressing. This vegetarian bowl has crispy leeks, sweet parsnips, tangy pomegranate seeds, crunchy pistachios, and perfectly cooked spelt (farro)!

Vegetarian

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Eating seasonal fruits and vegetables
Macronutrients
Step-by-step parsnip grain bowl
More delicious bowl recipes

Eating seasonal fruits and vegetables

Why eat seasonal produce?

Tastes better— it’s riper and harvested at the right time.
More nutrient dense because it’s at its peak.
Cheaper in supermarkets.
Better for everyone— you, the farmers, and the planet!

If you subscribe to my newsletter, I send out seasonal produce lists via e-mail each month. I hope this inspires people to try new fruits and vegetables the next time they are at the grocery store!

Macronutrients

When building bowl recipes, I like to make sure I have all three macronutrients— carbohydrates, fat, and protein. This makes it a complete and nutritious meal that will keep you feeling full and satisfied.

Carbohydrates – spelt and parsnips (starchy vegetable)
Fat – olive oil, goats cheese, nuts and seeds
Protein – goats cheese, spelt, nuts and seeds

Parsnip grain bowl step-by-step

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F.

How to make the best pearled spelt

Bring a pan of water to boil (just eye the amount, as we will drain it later). Next, add in the spelt and simmer on medium heat for ~25 minutes, or until tender. Then, turn the heat off, drain the water out, and place the cooked spelt back into the hot pan and cover with a lid. Set the pan aside (the heat should be turned off). The steam from the grains help fluff up the grains creating the perfect soft, slightly chewy texture.

How to make perfect honey roasted parsnips

Step 2. Wash and chop the parsnips into similar sized pieces. This ensures they cook evenly. Then, spread them out onto a lined baking tray, drizzle some olive oil on top, and add salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes. I find that if they are well spaced out, then there is no need to flip half way through. When they are done, add them straight to a bowl and mix in the honey. Set aside.

Tip: I had the honey after they’ve been cooked because it’s easier to fully coat the parsnip and the honey won’t burn.

I use reusable baking paper. It looks and feels similar to parchment paper and it can go straight into the dishwasher for easy clean up! [Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.]

Step 3. While the spelt and parsnips are cooking, prepare the other ingredients. Wash and thinly slice the leeks and brussels sprouts, chop the fresh parsley, peel open the pomegranate and pop out the seeds, crumble the goats cheese, and crush the pistachios and pumpkin seeds (chop with a knife, use a pestle and mortar, or blitz in a blender/food processor).

How to make the easiest 2-ingredient dressing

Step 4. Add the dressing ingredients to a jar with a lid and shake well. Alternatively, place the ingredients into a bowl and whisk until well combined. I recommend using high quality extra-virgin olive oil for dressings— it tastes better and it’s better for you.

Although it may seem like a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil would be just as easy, it doesn’t taste the same— trust me! The reason I do not add any sweetness to this dressing is because the honey roasted parsnips make this bowl sweet enough.

How to make crispy leeks and brussels sprouts

Step 5. Heat up a pan on high heat. Once the temperature starts to rise, add in the butter. I recommend using a cast iron pan to ensure you get extra crispy leeks. Add in the shredded leeks and brussels sprouts (that you prepared in step 3). Add salt and pepper and keep stirring until they are cooked to your liking. They will shrink in size quite quickly. Then, turn off the heat. [Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.]

Step 6. At this stage, your spelt should be steaming in the pan and your parsnips in a bowl coated with honey. Dish out the pearled spelt and parsnips into bowls. Then, add in the crispy leeks and brussels sprouts. Top everything with the pomegranate seeds, fresh parsley, goats cheese, and crushed pistachios and pumpkin seeds. Lastly, drizzle on the dressing and enjoy!

More delicious bowl recipes

You may also browse through my Vegetarian Recipes.

I hope you enjoyed this recipe. I’d love to know what you thought in the comments below!

Honey Roasted Parsnip Spelt Grain Bowl

Molly Eardley

Healthy and delicious grain bowl with winter fruits and vegetables. Parsnips, leeks, brussels sprouts, and pomegranate seeds. It's topped with goats cheese, crushed pistachios, fresh parsley, and a really simple lemon dressing!

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Prep Time 8

Cook Time 30

Total Time 38

Course Main Course, Salad

Cuisine American

Servings 2

Ingredients

extra-virgin olive oil
⅔ cups pearled spelt measured uncooked
2 cups shredded leeks thinly sliced
2 cups shredded brussels sprouts thinly sliced
1 tbsp butter
4 parsnips
2 tbsp honey
3-4 tbsp goats cheese
3-4 tbsp pomegranate seeds
2 tbsp crushed pistachios and pumpkin seeds
fresh chopped parsley

Lemon Dressing

1 lemon squeezed
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Bring a pan of water to boil, add in the spelt, and cook for ~25 minutes or until tender. Turn off the heat, drain, and place the grains back into the hot pan. Cover with a lid. The steam from the spelt helps fluff up the grains creating the perfect texture.
Wash and chop the parsnips (into similar sized pieces). Spread them out onto a lined baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and add salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes. If they are well spaced out, there is no need to flip them half way through. When they are done, add them straight to a bowl with the honey. Mix well until they are evenly coated in honey.
Prepare the other ingredients while the spelt and parsnips cook. Wash and thinly slice the leeks and brussels sprouts, chop the fresh parsley, peel open the pomegranate and pop out the seeds, crumble the goats cheese, and crush the pistachios and pumpkin seeds (chop with a knife, use a pestle and mortar, or blitz in a blender/food processor). Set everything aside.
Add the dressing ingredients to a jar with a lid and shake well. Alternatively, place the ingredients into a bowl and whisk until well combined.
Heat up a cast iron pan to high heat. Add in the butter and the shredded leeks and brussels sprouts. Add salt and pepper and continue to stir until they are cooked to your liking.
At this stage, your spelt and parsnips should be done. Dish them out into bowls, along with the crispy leeks and brussels sprouts. Top everything with the pomegranate seeds, fresh parsley, goats cheese, and crushed pistachios and pumpkin seeds. Lastly, drizzle on the dressing and enjoy!

Keywords healthy grain bowl, healthy lunch ideas, honey roasted parsnips, pearled spelt grain bowl, winter vegetables