Vegan & Gluten Free Recipe

Rinse quinoa

Place 1 cup quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold running water for 30–60 seconds, rubbing lightly with your fingers to remove bitter saponins. Drain well.

Cook quinoa

In a medium saucepan, combine rinsed quinoa, 2 cups water and 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and keep warm.

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

In a bowl, toss 1 cup cubed sweet potato, 1 cup broccoli florets and 1/2 cup sliced red bell pepper with 1 tbs olive oil, 1/2 tsp kosher salt (from base) and 1/4 tsp ground black pepper until evenly coated.

Spread vegetables in a single layer on the prepared sheet. Roast for 18–22 minutes, stirring or flipping once halfway through, until sweet potato is tender and edges are caramelized and broccoli is lightly crisp-tender. Remove from oven and keep warm.

While the vegetables roast, preheat a small skillet over medium-high heat (or use the same oven if desired). Pat 1 cup rinsed and drained chickpeas dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture—this helps them crisp.

In a small bowl, toss chickpeas with 1 tsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp ground cumin and 1/4 tsp fine sea salt until coated.

Add seasoned chickpeas to the hot skillet and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until chickpeas are golden and slightly crisp, about 6–8 minutes. Alternatively, spread on the baking sheet alongside vegetables for the last 12 minutes of roasting, turning once.

In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tbs tahini, 2 tbs fresh lemon juice, 3 tbs warm water, 1 tsp maple syrup, 1 tsp minced garlic and 1/4 tsp fine sea salt until smooth. If the dressing is too thick, add additional warm water 1/2 tbs at a time until desired pourable consistency is reached. Taste and adjust lemon or salt as needed.

Divide 2 cups baby spinach or mixed greens between two bowls (serves 2). Spoon half the cooked quinoa into each bowl (about 1/2 cup cooked quinoa per bowl).

Top each bowl with equal portions of roasted sweet potato, broccoli and red pepper (from Roasted Vegetables) and half of the chickpea crisps.

Add sliced avocado (1/4 avocado per bowl), sprinkle 1 tbs toasted pumpkin seeds and 1 tbs chopped fresh cilantro over each bowl. Drizzle each with about half of the tahini-lemon dressing (adjust to taste).

Finish with freshly ground black pepper to taste and serve warm or at room temperature.