I’ve been on a vegan kick as of late. And why shouldn’t I? The statistics that support switching to a more plant based diet are staggering. The reasons are related to both health and environmental sustainability. You could eat the cow that will require hundreds of pounds of grain and vegetation; or, you could consume grain and vegetation to feed yourself, instead of feeding it to the cow. I’m just sayin’.

The beauty of this recipe is that there isn’t really a recipe. You can throw together whatever you want in these bowls. They’re great to make ahead for quick, nutrition packed lunches, or for small parties where people can make their own. You can also eat them hot or cold. The possibilities are endless!

So enough of my jibber jabber. Let’s get cooking!

Special equipment:

• oven
• half sheet baking pan
• medium mixing bowl
• 2 quart sauce pan

Vegan Quinoa Veggie Bowls

Makes 4-6 servings

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
• 2 c. vegetable stock
• 2 limes, zested and juiced (set zest and juice apart)
• handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
• florets from 2 fresh heads of broccoli (save the stalks for a broccoli slaw)
• 1/2 c. olive oil (or other mild, high smoke point oil of choice)
• 1 tbsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp red chili pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp. ground coriander seed
• 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt (you can add more later to taste)
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
• 1 15oz can black beans (or beans of choice), drained and rinsed
• 2-3 tomatoes, cored, seeds removed, and chopped
• 2 red peppers (tops, core, and seeds removed), chopped (you can also roast them for more flavor)
• 2-3 ripe avocados, sliced

Garnish:

• a couple of handfuls of fresh cilantro, chopped
• 3-4 fresh green onions, chopped from the greens to the whites
• lime wedges
• hot sauce of choice

Preheat your oven to 400F. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a 2 quart sauce pan, bring the quinoa, lime juice, and vegetable stock to a boil. Cover, and simmer for 15 – 20 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed into the quinoa and the grains grow little “tails”.

As the quinoa cooks, whisk the olive oil, cumin, chili pepper flakes, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, black pepper, and garlic in a medium mixing bowl until combined well. Throw in the broccoli florets and toss to coat. Spread the florets evenly on the prepared parchment lined sheet pan. When the oven is ready, roast the broccoli in the center rack for 12-15 minutes, or until the florets are fork tender. Once done, take out of the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes. Then roughly chop up the broccoli florets.

As everything cooks, prep the other items (beans, peppers, tomatoes, avocados, and garnishes). Toss the cooked quinoa in a serving bowl and mix with a handful of chopped cilantro and the lime zest until evenly distributed. Season to taste with salt and/or pepper.

Get your bowls together: Each bowl should have a base of about half quinoa, half beans. Then top with your choice of tomatoes, peppers, avocado, and other garnishes.

You can really get creative with this. You can substitute almost anything here with another item of your choice. You want lentils instead of black beans? Go for it. Cauliflower instead of broccoli? Sure! There isn’t a “wrong” way to do these.

Go forth and enjoy, my friends! xoxo