Seasonal Quinoa Bowl (Printable Version)
Fluffy quinoa paired with roasted seasonal vegetables, fresh greens, and tangy lemon-tahini dressing.
# What You'll Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Roasted Seasonal Vegetables
04 - 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed
05 - 1 red bell pepper, chopped
06 - 1 small zucchini, chopped
07 - 1 cup broccoli florets
08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
09 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
10 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Greens & Toppings
12 - 2 cups baby spinach or mixed greens
13 - 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
14 - 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
15 - 1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
→ Lemon-Tahini Dressing
16 - 3 tablespoons tahini
17 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
18 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
19 - 1 tablespoon warm water
20 - 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
21 - 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
22 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How To Make:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - On a baking sheet, toss sweet potato, bell pepper, zucchini, and broccoli with olive oil, ground cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Spread in a single layer.
03 - Roast the vegetables for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring halfway through, until tender and lightly caramelized.
04 - Meanwhile, combine quinoa, water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
05 - Whisk tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, warm water, maple syrup or honey, garlic powder, salt, and pepper together until smooth and creamy.
06 - Divide the cooked quinoa evenly among four bowls. Top each with roasted vegetables, fresh greens, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese if using, and toasted pumpkin seeds. Drizzle with the lemon-tahini dressing.
07 - Serve warm or at room temperature.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It clears out whatever vegetables are sitting in your crisper drawer without feeling like leftovers.
- The lemon-tahini dressing is good enough that you'll start putting it on everything else too.
- You can eat it warm right away or cold the next day, and somehow it tastes even better after a night in the fridge.
02 -
- Don't skip rinsing the quinoa or you'll wonder why it tastes vaguely like dish soap, a mistake I only made once.
- Stir the vegetables halfway through roasting or the bottom side stays pale and the top burns.
- Make the dressing while the vegetables roast so everything finishes at the same time and you're not scrambling at the end.
03 -
- Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry pan for two minutes before adding them, it makes them nutty and fragrant instead of just crunchy.
- If the tahini dressing breaks or looks grainy, add warm water a teaspoon at a time and whisk hard until it comes back together smooth.
- Use the same baking sheet every time and the spices will build up a seasoning that makes each batch taste a little better than the last.