Bowls make the perfect meal and are so easy to pull together with whatever grains and vegetables you have on hand—plus a homemade creamy dressing, of course! If you are short on time or are cooking for a family, preparing your vegetables, grains, and dressings once a week is a great way to have all the ingredients on hand for a quick (and healthy) lunch or dinner.
This Mediterranean twist on my Healthy Vegan Bowl is perfect for summer, and the super-creamy, herb dressing takes it over the top. Warm quinoa, briny olives, crisp romaine, fresh tomatoes, and my Spicy Roasted Chickpeas make for a heavenly pairing. You’re going to love it!
Serves 1
What you need:
- ¼ cup quinoa
- ⅔ cup water
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup chopped romaine lettuce
- ⅓ cup chopped tomatoes
- ¼ cup kalamata olives
- ⅓ cup Spicy Roasted Chickpeas
- ⅓ cup English cucumber
- ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
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- ¼ cup tahini
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ⅓ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- ¼ cup water
What you do:
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, add quinoa, water, and salt. Cover, bring to a simmer, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until all water has absorbed. Turn off heat, fluff, and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, for the dressing, place all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until creamy.
- Transfer quinoa to a bowl and top with romaine, tomatoes, olives, chickpeas, cucumber, and red onion. Drizzle with Creamy Herbal Dressing.
Healthy hints:
- >> I always serve my grains warm, and love how the vegetables soften when combined with warm grains. Cold grains just don’t cut it for me!
- >> Get ready: my Creamy Herbal Dressing will become a regular staple in your fridge! Use throughout the week on salads, sandwiches, bowls, or as a dip for vegetables.
>> Don’t miss my go-to Healthy Vegan Bowl, which I eat at least three times a week.