Vegan Grain Bowl

This easy grain bowl has so much to love--sweet potatoes, protein-packed chickpeas, creamy avocado and homemade tahini dressing. Make the full recipe on the weekend and pack into individual serving containers for ready-to-go lunches for school/work all week. This recipe yields 4 servings.

Recipe adapted from: https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/258091/vegan-buddha-bowl/

Ingredients

• 1 sweet potato, peeled if desired, cut into 1-inch chunks

• 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil (divided)

• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided

• 2 tablespoons tahini

• 2 tablespoons water

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 clove of garlic (minced)

• 2/3 cup dried quinoa

• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas (rinsed and drained)

• 1 firm ripe avocado, diced

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. In a medium bowl, toss diced sweet potato with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

3. Transfer the seasoned sweet potato to a rimmed baking sheet and roast, stirring once, until tender, for approximately 15 to 18 minutes.

4. While sweet potato is roasting, rinse can of chickpeas under cold water in a fine-mesh sieve until water runs clear. Set aside. Repeat the rinsing process with 2/3 cup of quinoa.

5. In a saucepan, combine rinsed quinoa with 1 1/3 cups (330 mL) of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender.

6. Whisk together in a small bowl the remaining tahini, lemon juice, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, alongside 2 tablespoons of water and 2 tablespoons of oil.

7. Divide cooked quinoa into 4 bowls and top each with equal amounts of roasted sweet potato, chickpeas, and sliced avocado.

8. Drizzle homemade tahini sauce over the bowls and sprinkle parsley or cilantro as desired.

9. Serve and enjoy!

Adapted from EatingWell.