Seattle's snomageddon is an event I will never forget. Not for the volume of snow that we accumulated, because it was actually far less shocking than all the models and forecasts indicated, but rather for the apocalyptic level of preparation that so many Seattlites put into the last couple of days. We're talking two hour lines for Costco gas, entire grocery store shelves cleared of bread, dairy products, and donuts, and of course, the total sell out of salt throughout the entire Puget Sound area. It was like folks here thought they'd never see another slice of bread.
While we made one grocery run in the days leading up to the storm, it was only to buy our usual stock of fresh veggies, bananas, quinoa, and almond milk. I was confident we would be able to restock before spring, and fresh ingredients don't keep long enough to buy three times as many anyway!
When the sun went down and the temperatures dipped, and most exciting for those of us who live in the Northwest, the snow started falling, I turned on the oven and got chopping. Buddha Bowls are one of my favorite throw-together-meals. You can use any combination of veggies, grains, and proteins. I like to use what we have on hand and what's in season.
When you build a Buddha Bowl, pay attention to color and texture. And have a little fun with it. You can't go wrong. And if you follow my blog, you'll know I love Buddha Bowls because of this post, and this post, and this post!
For this weekend's Warming Buddha Bowls, I started with a base of cooked quinoa, and then added roasted broccoli, cauliflower, and sweet potatoes. I topped the Buddha Bowls off with sliced tomatoes, garbanzo beans, diced scallions, and a creamy lemon tahini dressing. The sauce brought the whole dish together and was super easy to make. Here's the recipe.
Warming Buddha Bowls with Creamy Lemon Tahini Dressing
Ingredients
6-7 medium sized sweet potatoes, diced into 1-2" cubes, skin on
2 cups broccoli florets
2 cups cauliflower florets
4-6 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
5 green onions, sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup tahini
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups cooked quinoa
Method
Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with foil. In a large bowl, toss the cubed sweet potatoes with about 3-4 tablespoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread out on one of the sheet pans and roast for 20 minutes.
Wipe out the large bowl and toss the broccoli florets and cauliflower with the remaining 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Distribute in an even layer on the second baking sheet and add to the oven with the sweet potatoes. Continue roasting for about 20 minutes.
While the vegetables and potatoes are roasting, whisk the dressing ingredients and prepare the other ingredients.
When the vegetables and potatoes are done, scoop about 1 cup of quinoa into the bottom of each bowl and then top with a generous spoonful of each of the ingredients. Drizzle the tahini sauce over the top and enjoy while hot.
Since this recipe makes plenty of leftovers, store each ingredient in a separate container and reassemble the Buddha Bowls for a second meal.
While we made one grocery run in the days leading up to the storm, it was only to buy our usual stock of fresh veggies, bananas, quinoa, and almond milk. I was confident we would be able to restock before spring, and fresh ingredients don't keep long enough to buy three times as many anyway!
When the sun went down and the temperatures dipped, and most exciting for those of us who live in the Northwest, the snow started falling, I turned on the oven and got chopping. Buddha Bowls are one of my favorite throw-together-meals. You can use any combination of veggies, grains, and proteins. I like to use what we have on hand and what's in season.
When you build a Buddha Bowl, pay attention to color and texture. And have a little fun with it. You can't go wrong. And if you follow my blog, you'll know I love Buddha Bowls because of this post, and this post, and this post!
For this weekend's Warming Buddha Bowls, I started with a base of cooked quinoa, and then added roasted broccoli, cauliflower, and sweet potatoes. I topped the Buddha Bowls off with sliced tomatoes, garbanzo beans, diced scallions, and a creamy lemon tahini dressing. The sauce brought the whole dish together and was super easy to make. Here's the recipe.
Warming Buddha Bowls with Creamy Lemon Tahini Dressing
Ingredients
6-7 medium sized sweet potatoes, diced into 1-2" cubes, skin on
2 cups broccoli florets
2 cups cauliflower florets
4-6 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
5 green onions, sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup tahini
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups cooked quinoa
Method
Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with foil. In a large bowl, toss the cubed sweet potatoes with about 3-4 tablespoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread out on one of the sheet pans and roast for 20 minutes.
Wipe out the large bowl and toss the broccoli florets and cauliflower with the remaining 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Distribute in an even layer on the second baking sheet and add to the oven with the sweet potatoes. Continue roasting for about 20 minutes.
While the vegetables and potatoes are roasting, whisk the dressing ingredients and prepare the other ingredients.
When the vegetables and potatoes are done, scoop about 1 cup of quinoa into the bottom of each bowl and then top with a generous spoonful of each of the ingredients. Drizzle the tahini sauce over the top and enjoy while hot.
Since this recipe makes plenty of leftovers, store each ingredient in a separate container and reassemble the Buddha Bowls for a second meal.
