Let me guess. You want to eat healthier this year but aren’t sure how finances or time factor into the equation. This is an age-old dilemma, but luckily it can be solved by a little meal prep!
I feel so much better when I know my lunch is healthy and planned out during busy workdays. This recipe is full of color, texture, and flavor, and it’s completely customizable! It has a quinoa base and is topped with roasted chickpeas, loads of fresh produce, and a tahini lemon sauce. I chose a savory, slightly spicy palate with a rainbow assortment of winter vegetables. Make this recipe your own-- this one is vegan but is delicious with grilled chicken or salmon.
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
Bowl
+ 3/4 cup of quinoa
+ one can of chickpeas
+ 1 sweet potato
+ 1 yellow pepper
+ 1 red onion
+ 1 head of cauliflower
+ 1 head of broccoli
+ 1 pint of cherry tomatoes
+ 2/3 cup of olive oil
+ 1 1/2 teaspoons of cumin
+ 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
+ 2 teaspoons paprika
+ 3 cloves of garlic
+ salt and pepper
Sauce
+ 1/2 cup of tahini
+ zest and juice of 1 lemon
+ 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
+ 1 teaspoon soy sauce
+ 1 minced clove of garlic
+ dash of salt and pepper
+ 1/4 cup of hot water; add more if consistency needs it
Instructions:
- Gather ingredients—Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Halve tomatoes, cut cauliflower, and open the can of chickpeas. Put everything in a gallon-sized ziplock bag with a marinade of 1/3 cup of the olive oil, the paprika, red pepper flakes, cumin, salt, pepper, and 3 minced garlic cloves. Set aside.
- Cook quinoa. I used a rice cooker with 2 parts water, 1 part quinoa, and a dash of olive oil. The same method could be used over the stovetop; add water, quinoa, and oil, raise heat to a boil, and occasionally stir until quinoa absorbs water.
- Chop the rest of your veggies: sweet potato, red onion, broccoli, and yellow pepper. Put everything (including your marinated veggies) on a pan, drizzle olive oil and s&p, put in the oven for 35 minutes or until crispy. Tip: Cut the stem off the pepper, rub it down with oil, s&p, and roast whole.
- While everything roasts, make your sauce. The sauce adds a citrusy sweet and Asian flavor profile-- it MAKES the bowl. Whisk together the tahini, lemon zest, lemon juice, maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper until smooth. Add the hot water and whisk again until completely smooth and creamy.
- Assemble and enjoy-- you're a step closer to a healthier, more efficient, week!