Colorful grain bowl with fresh vegetables, protein, and creamy tahini dressing for a wholesome balanced meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Grains Base
01 - 1 cup quinoa or brown rice, uncooked
02 - 2 cups water
→ Protein Options
03 - 14 oz firm tofu, pressed and cubed
04 - 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced (about 10 oz)
→ Fresh Vegetables
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 1 cup shredded carrots
07 - 1 cup baby spinach
08 - 1 cup steamed broccoli florets
09 - 1 ripe avocado, sliced
10 - 2 radishes, thinly sliced
11 - 2 tbsp pickled red onions
→ Tahini Dressing
12 - 3 tbsp tahini
13 - 2 tbsp lemon juice
14 - 1 tbsp olive oil
15 - 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey
16 - 2 tbsp water
17 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
18 - Salt and pepper to taste
→ Garnishes
19 - 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
20 - Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
# Cooking Steps:
01 - Cook quinoa or brown rice according to package directions in a saucepan with water. Fluff with a fork when finished and set aside to cool slightly.
02 - For tofu: Toss cubes with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 20 minutes, turning halfway until golden and crisp. For chicken: Season slices with salt and pepper, then sauté in a skillet over medium heat with olive oil for 6-8 minutes until fully cooked through.
03 - While grains and protein cook, halve the cherry tomatoes, shred carrots, steam broccoli until tender-crisp, slice avocado into wedges, and thinly slice radishes.
04 - Whisk together tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, maple syrup or honey, water, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until smooth and creamy. Adjust consistency with more water if needed.
05 - Divide cooked grains evenly among 4 bowls. Arrange vegetables and protein in sections on top of the grains. Drizzle generously with tahini dressing and finish with sesame seeds, fresh herbs, and pickled onions.
