Bowls are the 2018 *it* food – they’re everywhere! Grain bowls, poke bowls, rice bowls, veggie bowls… take your pick. Restaurants like SweetGreen have made the concept of bowls incredibly popular and available on every corner.
Making bowls at home couldn’t be easier, so I like to meal prep my grains, some veggies, a sauce or two, and maybe some grilled chicken or steak in advance so that I can easily throw bowls together for quick meals on the go. The simple spice mixture I use on the carrots and fennel in this bowl is a go-to, and works on practically any vegetable. The lemon-tahini sauce is another regular in our house – it has only three ingredients and is perfectly creamy and tangy.
A perfect bowl is about combining the right amount of grains, greens, vegetables, meat (if desired), fruits, fats, and sauces. I wrote an article about the perfect grain bowl formula on Mealthy’s Cook Smarter blog.
Roasted Veggie Grain Bowls with Lemon-Tahini Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 pounds heirloom carrots, peeled and sliced 1/2-inch thick on the bias
- 2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and sliced 1/2-inch thick
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 2 cups baby spinach, kale, or arugula
- 1 orange, cut into segments
- 1 large 1 large avocado, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup toasted cashews
Lemon-Tahini Sauce
- 1/4 cup tahini
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 1 to 2 tbsp warm water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Place carrots and fennel on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Season with salt, turmeric, cumin, and chili powder and toss. Spread evenly so that there is little to no overlap. Roast vegetables for 25 to 30 minutes, until vegetables are tender and browned.
- While the vegetables are roasting, make the lemon-tahini sauce. Stir tahini, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon warm water together in a small bowl. If it needs to be looser, add the second tablespoon of warm water.
- Divide the quinoa, spinach, veggies, orange segments, avocado, and cashews between 4 bowls. Drizzle with lemon-tahini sauce and serve immediately.
- 2 pounds heirloom carrots, peeled and sliced 1/2-inch thick on the bias
- 2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and sliced 1/2-inch thick
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 2 cups baby spinach, kale, or arugula
- 1 orange, cut into segments
- 1 large 1 large avocado, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup toasted cashews
Lemon-Tahini Sauce
- 1/4 cup tahini
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 1 to 2 tbsp warm water