Winter Grain Bowl
Why I love this dish
Eating seasonally is my favorite thing to do to support my body and overall health. Our bodies are so smart and there is a reason you crave warming, comforting foods in the winter! Your body knows exactly what it needs and when. Plus vegetables are at their most nutritious and flavorful when they are in season. This bowl is packed with roasted seasonal veggies and topped with a creamy maple tahini dressing to bring you all the warmth as the weather continues to cool down.
What You Need to Make This Winter Grain Bowl
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: To roast the veggies. You can also use avocado oil.
- Veggies: This bowl is packed with seasonal root veggies. I used cauliflower, beets, sweet potatoes, carrots and brussels sprouts. Feel free to add in any veggies you desire!
- Quinoa: I used organic sprouted quinoa but organic brown rice would also be delicious. Be sure to choose organic because grains can be heavily sprayed with pesticides.
- Fresh Herbs: Fresh herbs add so much flavor and vibrancy to meals plus they help keep our gut healthy by diversifying our gut microbiome.
- Seeds: I topped mine with hemp and pumpkin seeds for extra protein and some healthy fats.
- Tahini: Tahini is the base of the dressing. It gives a slightly nutty flavor and adds creaminess. I personally only use Soom because it’s the best quality, texture and flavor that I’ve found.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: This adds a tanginess to the dressing and balances super well.
- Maple Syrup: The maple syrup adds a little bit of sweetness to the dressing.
- Dijon Mustard: This adds slight bitterness with a little hint of sweetness. The perfect balancing flavor.
- Salt: Add to taste for the dressing.
Yield: 2
Winter Grain Bowl
This bowl is the perfect plant based winter bowl. It's packed with seasonal root vegetables, fluffy quinoa and a maple tahini dressing. Plus it's ready in 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1 lb brussels sprouts, halved
- 1 large sweet potato, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 large beet, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 cup quinoa, cooked according to package
- 2 tbsp hemp seeds, to top
- 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds, to top
Maple Tahini Dressing
- ¼ cup tahini
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- ½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
- pinch of salt
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425. Toss carrots, sweet potatoes, and beets with olive oil and some salt. Spread on a greased baking sheet. Bake for about 25-30 minutes.
- Toss brussels sprouts and cauliflower with olive oil and some salt. Spread on a separate greased baking sheet. Place in the oven and cook for about 15-20 minutes.
- While everything is baking, mix together all of the ingredients for the sauce, except the water. Once fully combined, slowly add water, a little bit at a time until you reach desired consistency.
- Remove veggies from oven.
- Add quinoa and veggies to a bowl then drizzle with maple tahini dressing. Top with fresh herbs, pumpkin seeds and hemp seeds. Enjoy!
Did you make this recipe?Tag @happy_balancedlife with hashtag #happybalancedlife on Instagram. We love to see what you make!
I made this last week and it was delicious! The sauce is to die for, and as always I love how easy the recipe was to throw together!
I could seriously drink the sauce! Haha. I’m glad you loved this bowl!