Veggie and Quinoa Power Bowl (Printer-friendly)

Vibrant bowl with fluffy quinoa, roasted seasonal vegetables, protein-rich beans, and crunchy nuts in zesty lemon vinaigrette.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water or vegetable broth

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
04 - 1 medium zucchini, sliced
05 - 1 medium carrot, sliced
06 - 1 small red onion, cut into wedges
07 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
09 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Beans

11 - 1 can black beans or chickpeas, drained and rinsed

→ Nuts and Seeds

12 - 1/4 cup roasted almonds or walnuts, roughly chopped
13 - 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds

→ Lemon Vinaigrette

14 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
15 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
16 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
17 - 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
18 - 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
19 - Salt and black pepper to taste

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F.
02 - Arrange bell pepper, zucchini, carrot, red onion, and cherry tomatoes on baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle with oregano, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat evenly.
03 - Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring halfway through, until tender and lightly caramelized.
04 - Combine quinoa and water in saucepan. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, let sit covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with fork.
05 - In small bowl, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, maple syrup or honey, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.
06 - Divide quinoa among four bowls. Top each with roasted vegetables, beans, nuts, and seeds. Drizzle with lemon vinaigrette.
07 - Serve immediately or refrigerate for a refreshing cold bowl.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours meal prepping when you really only needed 45 minutes total.
  • You can eat it warm straight from the oven or cold the next day without it losing its charm.
  • Roasting the vegetables yourself means they have actual flavor, not that steamed vegetable sadness.
02 -
  • Don't skip the rinsing step for either the quinoa or the canned beans, it genuinely changes how they taste.
  • The vinaigrette is where the real magic lives, so make it fresh and don't shortcut the lemon juice.
03 -
  • Make the vinaigrette first so it's ready when everything else is, and taste it before using because lemon can vary in how tart it actually is.
  • Don't dress the warm bowl immediately if you want leftovers, because the vinaigrette will soak into the quinoa and make it mushy over time.
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