When I lived in Southern California, once in a while I used to take a trip to the valley to go to a restaurant supply type store that only sold items for bakers and pastry makers.
Next door was an all natural organic market that had a little cafe in it. The place was always packed! Sometimes you had to put your name in and go through the store ten times before someone would call you with an empty seat. Their food was simple and wholesome, nutrient rich and always seasonal.
After spending the holiday weekend eating and watching everyone eating sweets (I’m not much of a sweets eater – but I can make savory dishes disappear!), I thought I would make a simple, wholesome and nutrient dense meal for the family. I thought of that little all natural cafe and some of the delicious things they served and these Quinoa Bowls with Turmeric Tahini Sauce came to life!
I knew these Quinoa Bowls with Turmeric Tahini Sauce needed to have lots of flavor because “bland” is not our thing! I started by roasting some golden beets, radishes and red onion drizzled with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper.
Of course, you can choose any seasonal produce available to you. The beets and radishes were so fresh and beautiful that I could not pass them up and I love the sweet flavor of roasted onions! They caramelize and become mild and delicious!
After roasting them for 20 minutes, I added chopped kale to the same sheet pan (oh yeah we aren’t doing tons of dishes either!). I drizzled the kale with a bit of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. I returned them to the oven and roasted for about 8 more minutes. This gives the kale an extra oomph of deliciousness! Some bits even get crispy and who doesn’t love some crispy kale goodness?
Now the sauce. The sauce is everything! It’s creamy without having cream and very flavorful. The addition of turmeric gives it such a nice bright golden color. Of course, I’ve been trying to add more turmeric into my diet so this is perfect!
You don’t need to haul out any equipment to make the sauce which is always a huge plus for me! Just whisk it together and make sure you don’t get any turmeric on your fingers or kitchen counters (unless you like to wear bright yellow for a while!)
quinoa Bowls with tumeric tahini sauce Recipe Tips
- Take a shortcut, buy pre-cooked quinoa to make this easy dish even easier!
- Canned chickpeas are the way to go here! To rinse or not to rinse? I drain and hardly ever rinse them but do what you prefer!
- Roasted carrots and broccoli would work extremely well in this recipe.
- This Mexican Buddha Bowl of Roasted Vegetables and Cilantro Lime Quinoa is a must try! So flavorful and nutritious!
Quinoa Bowls with Turmeric Tahini Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 bunch radishes, halved
- 4 golden beets, peeled and quartered
- 1 small red onion, quartered
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for the kale
- salt and pepper to taste
- 6-8 kale leaves, chopped
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 can garbanzo beans, drained
For the Turmeric Tahini Sauce
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons tahini
- 1/4 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2-4 tablespoons water
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
- Place the beets, radishes and red onion on a baking sheet lined with foil. Drizzle them with olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss well. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and give the vegetables a toss. Push them to one side just enough to make room for the kale.
- Drizzle the kale with a little bit of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Toss and return to the oven.
Roast for 8 – 10 minutes. - Assemble individual bowls with the quinoa, vegetables and garbanzo beans. Serve with the Turmeric Tahini Sauce.
To Make the Turmeric Tahini Sauce
- In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, garlic and turmeric. Add 2 tablespoons of water and mix well. Add more water if you need to thin it out a bit more. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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