Monday, January 13, 2020

Lentil Quinoa Vegetable Bowl with Lemon Tahini Sauce

This meal is almost entirely vegetables, a huge array of vegetables. It's packed with flavors and nourishment. I like to make the quinoa and lentils ahead of time and heat them in the microwave just before eating.

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked quinoa
2 cups
6 large carrots, peeled and chopped
4 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
2 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
4 cups brussels sprouts
4 cups chopped broccoli
1 medium zucchini
1 medium yellow squash

For the Lemon Tahini Sauce:
4 TBSP Tahini
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
water to thin, slowly add and whisk until you reach desired consistency

Directions:
(1) Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees F.

(2) To a large roasting tray add the peeled and cubed butternut squash and chopped carrot. Add 2 tsps olive oil and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper and use your hands to mix so everything is coated. Roast for 35-45 minutes until tender, stirring halfway through.

(3) Chop off the ends of the brussels sprouts and slice them in half (long-wise). On another roasting tray add the brussels sprouts, toss them with 1 tsp olive oil and salt and pepper. With your hands mix them all up until they're evenly coated. Put them on another rack in your hot oven and roast them for about 25 minutes.

(4) To cook the quinoa, bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Add 1 cup uncooked quinoa, reduce heat to a light simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff the quinoa with a fork.

(5) To cook the lentils, bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Add 1 cup dry lentils, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes until tender.

(6) Next, steam the chopped broccoli in a medium sized pan.

(7) Wash and slice the zucchini and yellow squash into small pieces and steam them in another medium sized pan.

(8) To make the Lemon Tahini sauce, whisk all of the sauce ingredients together until smooth and creamy.

(9) To eat, place all the vegetables over the quinoa and lentils and pour the lemon tahini sauce over. You can make this ahead in 4-6 bowls or containers and equally divide everything between them.