Montreal was dreamy. Parks and green space were both in abundance, as were spacious bike lanes and an inspiring amount of cyclists putting them to good use.
Bagels also abound, but even more exciting for me was the number of vegan spots present in every neighborhood. There were tons of them. It was glorious.
Many of the vegan restaurants were casual, hosting menus of simple, affordable meals made from quality ingredients. It was in the details, like that extra handful of sprouts or the fact that the tempeh was homemade, that made each meal stand out.
The warm, notably thin, ever-so slightly crispy pita that held one breakfast’s tofu scramble still sticks in my mind this morning. Details. It’s all about the details.
A lot of spots also had nourishing bowls like this, the inspiration behind today’s recipe. After snacking on croissants, these kind of meals come in handy.
But really, if you want to feel energized and clear-headed, meals like these are perfect for anytime.
It’s the best when you finish up a filling meal, and feel nothing but refreshed afterwards. This is the beauty of what the blogging world calls the Buddha Bowl.
Packed with protein-powered whole grains and sweet, creamy roasted kobacha squash, I consider this a treat to welcome in the autumn season. Tahini sauces are always my favorite, too, so this herbed rendition really seals the deal. You’ll notice the recipe makes double the amount of sauce you’ll need. You could either A) feed more people and double the veggies too, or B) save the sauce and use it in other salad/grain recipes later. If you decide to do the later, you may wish to add a little extra water or heat the sauce following refrigeration. The sauce thickens once cooled.
Feel free to add some tofu or chickpeas on top for a little extra oomph.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 kabocha squash, cubed (plus salt, to season)
- 1/4 head red cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1 small beet, grated
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2/3 cup sesame tahini
- 1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp. warm water
- 1 lg. lemon, juiced
- 1/3 cup dill
- 1/2 tsp. paprika
- 1/2 tsp. coriander
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 Tbsp. chives, chopped
- 2/3 cup dry quinoa, cooked according to packaged directions
- 1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Scatter squash in a single layer on top and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 30 minutes, or until squash is soft.
- Meanwhile cook the quinoa according to package directions, and prepare the veggies.
- To make the sauce, pulse garlic in the food processor. Add sesame tahini, warm water, lemon, dill, paprika, coriander and salt. Puree until smooth.
- To assemble, divide quinoa between two bowls. Arrange squash, cabbage and beets on top. Drizzle a generous spoonful of tahini sauce around the bowl, and finish with a sprinkle of chives and sesame seeds. Enjoy!
2 Comments
Sarah | Well and Full
September 30, 2015 at 9:40 amThese photos are so lovely, Grace!! 😀
Grace @ FoodFitnessFreshAir.com
September 30, 2015 at 9:35 pmThank you Sarah!