Quinoa Dream Bowl and Tahini Lemon Dressing

Hannah Sunderani
Apr 22, 2016
3 min read

I love eating this Quinoa Dream Bowl mid-week because it's so easy to put together. You're looking at some good old-fashioned veg, quinoa and tofu. Simple ingredients. I think what really brings this dish to the next level is the fresh herbs and the dressing! Fresh herbs in any dish is always a game changer. You don't want to forget these when cooking. They provide so much depth to a dish that dried seasoning just can't compete with. Think of it as jewelry - your outfit just isn't complete without a little bling! For the herbs, I've used fresh mint and cilantro, but you can use whatever herbs you want - dill, basil, parsley. They're all delish!

For the dressing I've used tahini and lemon. I'm telling you, nothing is better than these two ingredients to dress your dressing. The citrus and creaminess combine together make a liquid so scrumptious you'll want to freeze time!

I've been making quinoa bowls for a long time now, but I think this Quinoa Dream Bowl takes the cake because it's a favourite for me and Mitch. It's quinoa base and tofu makes it protein packed, which always puts you in the fiancé good books. But it's also tossed with fresh veg and herbs giving it a that lighter feel that I prefer.

I'd like to warn you though that this recipe makes A LOT of quinoa. I purposely like to make too much because then we have leftovers for next day lunches. So feel free to half the recipe if dining for two. Another thing to mention is that you don't need to follow each ingredient to a tee. Just like the herbs, the veg can be changed too. That's what makes this recipe so great! If you don't like tomatoes, switch it for roasted red pepper instead, or carrots. It really doesn't matter. As long as you have your fresh herbs and this delicious tahini lemon dressing you're golden.

Quinoa Dream Bowl and Tahini Lemon Dressing

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

For the dressing:

1/2 cup tahini
1/2 cup water
4 tbsp olive oil
2 lemons (freshly squeezed)
4 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

For the Dream Bowl:

2 cups uncooked quinoa
4 cups filtered water
2 sweet potatoes
olive oil
200g tofu
1/2 pint baby tomatoes
1-2 handfuls fresh spinach (chopped)
2 green onions (chopped)
3/4 cups fresh mint (chopped)
1/2 cups fresh cillantro (chopped)
salt and pepper
cayenne pepper

Directions:

For the dressing; add your tahini, water, olive oil, lemon juice, chopped garlic, cumin and cayenne pepper to a jar. Cover with a lid and shake well. Place to the side.
In a saucepan add your quinoa and water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes, or until cooked. Place to the side.
Chop your sweet potatoes and drizzle in olive oil until nicely coated. Roast at 400F for 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown. When cooked, place to the side.
Chop your tofu into small cubes and add to a skillet. Drizzle with olive oil and fry the tofu on medium heat until it becomes slightly golden in colour (approx. 5-10 minutes). Place to the side.
Next toss your baby tomatoes into the skillet. Drizzle with a little more olive oil and fry until the tomatoes begin to wrinkle and crush (approx. 5-8 minutes). Place to the side.
In a large mixing bowl, add your cooked quinoa, roasted sweet potato, fried tofu, fried baby tomatoes, spinach, green onion, mint and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour in your lemon tahini dressing and toss until well coated. Season with more salt and pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste.