1(15 oz.) canchickpeas(or other cooked beans/protein)
Creamy Pesto Dressing
1/4cupfresh basil
1/4cupfresh parsley
2tablespoonsred wine vinegar
2tablespoonstahini
2tablespoonsextra virgin olive oil
1garlic clove
1smallshallot(about 2 tablespoons minced)
1/2teaspoonfine sea salt
1/4teaspoonred pepper flakes
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Add the brussels sprouts and cauliflower to a large rimmed baking sheet, and drizzle them with the olive oil. Toss well, and make sure the brussels sprouts are arranged cut-side-down, to brown nicely. Season generously with salt, then place the pan in the oven to cook until they are tender, about 20 minutes.
While the veggies are cooking, rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh sieve under running water. This will help remove any bitter flavor. Add the drained quinoa and water to a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Once it's boiling, cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes. Then remove from the heat completely but keep the lid on for an additional 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside until ready to serve.
While the quinoa and veggies are still cooking, add the dressing ingredients to a blender, along with ¼ cup of water, to help with blending. Blend until very smooth, and adjust any flavoring as needed. (This dressing will thicken when chilled, FYI, so you can thin it out with a splash of water later, if needed.)
To assemble the quinoa bowls, add a scoop of cooked quinoa (I use ¾ cup per bowl) to a serving bowl, along with a big handful of leafy greens, a scoop of warm roasted veggies, a scoop of cooked chickpeas, and any chopped raw vegetables you have. Drizzle generously with the dressing, and serve right away. Leftover components can be stored separately in the fridge for up to 5 days, and served cold again for any easy packed lunch.
Notes
Nutrition information is for 1 of 6 bowls, assuming you evenly divide all of these components among 6 servings. (Including all of the dressing.) This information is automatically calculated, and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.*The cooking time above assumes you are multi-tasking! The quinoa cooks while the roasted vegetables are in the oven, and the dressing can be blended while you wait on the two cooked components to finish.