Maple tahini brussels sprouts quinoa bowls are tasty, satisfying and full of healthy vegetable goodness. You can vary the contents of these bowls to keep them vegan or vegetarian, the base recipe is purely plant-based and flexible. Plus, the marinade for roasting the vegetables doubles as the dressing for the finished quinoa bowls; it’s too easy!
There’s not a lot I love about short, cold winter days, but I do adore lots of the seasonal vegetables that make a prominent appearance this time of year. Brussels sprouts are definitely one of my favourites, especially when they’re oven roasted. The outside leaves get a little crispy and crunchy, and the inside turns sweet and soft. SO good. Pop them into this brussels sprouts quinoa bowl and you have a magic combination.
The maple tahini sauce for this brussels sprouts quinoa bowl is a magic combination in itself, too. I’m a complete tahini addict and use tahini as a base for making lots of dressings. When you whisk a little water into tahini, it just thins into the most perfect creamy dressing base; it\’s such a nice and easy dairy free option. (My tahini lime salad dressing is one of my staples). Hulled tahini (which is the more common type) has a lighter, creamier flavour, but I like the unhulled version too.
When I make this brussels sprouts quinoa bowl, I tend to add another protein source (in addition to the quinoa). My personal favourites are grilled chicken and/or boiled eggs, but you could also add salmon, leftover roast meat, tinned tuna, chickpeas or other legumes. Even a few slices of halloumi would be a tasty option I think! And you can serve the bowls hot or cold – they make an easy packed lunch if you have leftovers. They’re also lovely with a sprinkle of seeds (e.g. sesame, sunflower, pumpkin seeds) and a squeeze of lemon juice added as an additional garnish!
Maple Tahini Brussels Sprouts Quinoa Bowl
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp tahini
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 tbsp maple syrup (to taste)
- 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
- 200-250 grams Brussels sprouts
- 150-200 grams carrots
- 25 grams rocket or other salad leaves (2 handfuls)
- 100 grams cherry tomatoes
- 2 tbsp dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 160 C and line a large baking tray with foil or baking paper.
- Wash and trim any inedible bits off the brussels sprouts. You can cut the sprouts in half if they're really chunky. Cut the carrots into thick batons or chunks. Spread everything out on the tray.
- In a small bowl or a mug, add the tahini, olive oil and maple syrup together. Whisk briskly with a fork until smoothly combined.
- Spoon 3 tablespoons of the tahini mixture over the sprouts and carrots (reserve the rest for later). Use your fingers or a spoon to toss the vegetables in the mixture so they're evenly coated and then spread out across the baking tray. Then season the vegetables with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
- Place the vegetables in the oven to roast for 30-45 minutes, until they're softened and browning at the edges (cooking time will vary based on how big the sprouts and carrot pieces are, keep an eye on them). Gently toss them a few times while roasting to prevent burnt bits.
- While the vegetables are cooking, prepare the quinoa. Rinse the quinoa and pop into a lidded saucepan with 1 cup (250mL) of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer, and cook, almost completely covered, until the water is absorbed. This should take about 15 minutes. Then, turn the heat off, place the lid on the saucepan fully and leave to sit for 10 minutes. Once it's rested, fluff with a fork.
- If you're making some additional protein to add to the quinoa bowls, you can also prepare this while you're cooking the vegetables and the quinoa. (e.g. grill some chicken, boil some eggs, or simply open up a can of tuna or chickpeas!)
- Once everything is cooked, assemble the bowls. Layer in the salad leaves, quinoa, tomatoes and then the roasted Brussels sprouts and carrots. Top with your additional protein if you're using one. Sprinkle over the dried cranberries and then spoon over some of the remaining tahini sauce. (If you'd like a larger quantity of dressing, you can thin the remaining dressing out with some water.)
- Serve the bowls hot or cold. Enjoy!
Notes
I’m going to try it Tomorrow
So beautiful, as always. 😉 Thank you so much for sharing your delicious recipes with us at AFT, Monique! 🙂
Thank YOU as always Raia 🙂 It’s a pleasure!