This is a delicious, nutritious, and beautiful meal in a bowl. In addition to being loaded with fiber and nutrients, the quinoa and chickpeas pack a protein punch. In this bowl, the quinoa lays the foundation for layers of greens and colorful cooked and raw vegetables that are drizzled with a tangy balsamic vinaigrette for a mouth-watering plant-based meal.
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Serves
6
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried white quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 6-8 cups mixed greens
- 2 medium golden beets
- extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt
- 2 large carrots
- 1 medium cucumber
- 1 large red onion
- 1 large red bell pepper
- 1 recipe lime-garlic chickpeas
- 1 recipe roasted chile-lime cauliflower
- 1 recipe balsamic vinaigrette
Steps
1
Rinse the quinoa thoroughly in a fine mesh sieve. Transfer the quinoa to a medium pot and add the 2 cups of water. Heat on medium high until the mixture comes to a boil. Turn down the heat to low and cover the pot. Cook for 20 minutes or until the water is absorbed and the quinoa can be fluffed with a fork. If it is too wet, let it cook for a few more minutes. Set aside.
2
While the quinoa is cooking, prepare the lime-garlic chickpeas, the roasted cauliflower, and the balsamic vinaigrette according to the recipes. For efficiency, roast the cauliflower and the beets simultaneously in separate pans.
3
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Prepare the beets by washing thoroughly and trimming the ends. Slice the beets into ½ inch thick slices, then cut each slice to form roughly ½ inch cubes. Place the beets in a roasting pan or glass baking pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt. Toss to coat then spread in a single layer and roast for 20 minutes, turning once or twice. When the beets are done, a sharp knife will slide into a beet with ease. Remove from the oven and let cool.
4
Wash, rinse, and dry the greens. Wash and shred the carrots using the largest size on the shredder. A food processor with a shredder attachment makes easy work of this. Peel the cucumber and slice into ⅛ inch thick slices. Remove the outer skins of the onion and cut in half. Trim the ends, then slice each half into thin slices. Cut the stem end off the red peppers and remove the seeds and inner membranes. Cut in half from tip to end, then slice into thin slices from tip to end.
5
To assemble the quinoa bowls, spoon approximately 1 cup of quinoa into the bottom of a shallow bowl and flatten with the back of the spoon. Top with the greens. Place a handful of onions, peppers, carrots, and cucumbers near the outside edges of the greens. Place a scoop of each of the beets, cauliflower, and chickpeas in the center of the dish. Top with a drizzle of the vinaigrette. The cooked elements can be served warm, cold, or at room temperature. Enjoy.
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