Roasted Sweet Potato and Broccoli Buddha Bowls with Almond Butter Tahini

So it’s officially Spring. It doesn’t quite feel like it yet, ya know since the temperatures are still right around freezing in the morning and the heat is still kicking on at night. But, with the longer and lighter days and a bit of warmth during the day now it’s that time of year when I make a change in my eating habits and try to be a little more health conscious. I try to leave the heavy dishes back in the winter and bring out meals that are fresher, lighter, and don’t make me feel like I want to hide behind big layers and poofy coats.

Funny thing is, I usually find myself gravitating towards the healthier lighter options anyway. But like most people, I still struggle with keeping my fridge stocked with those healthy options, or if I do have lots of veggies on hand I’ll be lacking the energy or motivation to whip something up. Yes, even us food bloggers hit mental blocks whether it be lack of energy or lack of motivation.

Roasting veggies is one of my absolute favorite ways to eat vegetables. The crispiness and depth of flavor roasting adds makes just about anything so savory and addicting. This Buddha Bowl has roasted sweet potato, roasted broccoli, and crispy roasted chick peas. So much flavor. Then, to really take this over the top it’s drizzled with an Almond Butter Tahini recipe I found. Guys, this tahini is literally the best thing I’ve eaten in a long time. I was just dipping tortilla chips in it as I waiting for the veggies to finish roasting.

I haven’t mentioned yet the best part about the sweet potatoes….they’re seasoned with curry. If you’ve never eaten curry before I really urge you to try it on these sweet potatoes. The flavor is similar to cinnamon and cumin mixed together, it’s not spicy at all. More like a really warm spiced flavor. It’s incredible when it’s paired with the almond butter tahini sauce.

And these crispy chick peas? You’re going to want to put these on everything you make from now on. Truth is, I don’t really like the chick peas on their own, like just as a snack. I know a lot of people like to just roast them up and pop them like chips, but I much prefer them mixed into something to add a crunchy texture. I also feel like they do much butter with some kind of sauce. I’m looking to come up with some taco recipes that have roasted chick peas in them. Stay tuned.

Once you eat this not only are you going to feel full and satisfied, but you’re going to feel great too. No bloated way-too-full feeling here! After eating these delicious roasted veggies with brown rice and an almond butter tahini you’re going to want to keep the healthy eating momentum going and add more veggie based dishes to your weekly menu.

Enjoy!

For the Bowls
-2 medium sweet potatoes, diced into medium sized chunks (slightly larger than the size of homefries)
-1 large head of broccoli, diced into chunks removing as much of the stem as possible
-1 15.5oz can of chick peas, drained
-5 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-1 teaspoon sea salt
-1/2 teaspoon curry powder
-salt, pepper, garlic powder
-Cooked brown rice (I have a rice cooker)

For the Almond Butter Tahini
-1/4 cup almond butter
-1 lemon, juiced
-1 tablespoon soy sauce
-3 gloves garlic, grated
-1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
-3 tablespoons water

1. Preheat oven to 425. Peel and dice the sweet potatoes. Pour into a large bowl, toss with 2 tablespoons of the EVOO and the curry powder. Pour onto a large baking sheet. Next, dice the broccoli into small pieces removing as much of the stems as possible. Pour into the large bowl, add the sea salt and 2 tablespoons EVOO. Toss to coat then pour onto the other side of the large baking sheet with the sweet potatoes. Lastly, drain the can of chick peas into a strainer. Shake the strainer a bit so that any of the loose shells of the chick peas come off. Remove any of the visible loose shells then pour chick peas into a bow, coat is 1 tablespoon EVOO and season lightly with salt, pepper, and a few dashes of garlic powder. Place the chick peas onto a separate baking sheet. (There’s so much flavor elsewhere in this dish that I keep the chick peas a little basic and using them mostly for the crunch factor).

2. Place the sweet potato/broccoli baking sheet in the oven and set the time for 30 minutes. After 5 minutes has passed, place the chick peas in the oven for the remaining 25 minutes. So basically the sweet potatoes and broccoli bake for 30 min while the chick peas bake for 25 min.

3. While everything is baking is you’re cooking rice on the stove top now’s the time to do that. As mentioned above, I use a rice cooker which I love. I love that it saves me from having to watch one more pot or stir something else. Just set the cooker and let it do it’s thing.

4. To make the tahini sauce, juice the entire lemon into a bowl and grate the 3 gloves of garlic and also add to the bowl. Add in all remaining ingredients and whisk together. If it is too thick add another tablespoon of water. You want this to be the consistency of a dressing and not heavy or thick like peanut butter.

5. Assemble to bowls by first adding as much rice as you want, then as much veggies and chick peas. Drizzle generously with the almond butter tahini.

Enjoy!