Mediterranean Bowl with Quinoa, Easy Meal Prep Recipe
This Mediterranean Bowl is loaded with the amazing flavors of the notoriously healthy Mediterranean diet. Fluffy quinoa mixed with cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, red onions and kalamata olives on a bed of baby spinach mixed with a lemony olive oil dressing. All topped with tahini yogurt sauce, roasted chickpeas, feta cheese, and creamy hummus. Your taste buds will thank you (and so will your body!) down to the last bite. This may just become your new favorite recipe for a plant-based meal. 😊
Equipment
- 1 colander
- 1 saucepan
- 1 food processor or blender
- 1 spatula
Ingredients
For Quinoa Salad
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa ~ 2 cups cooked
- 10-12 cherry tomatoes ~ ½ cup diced
- ½ english cucumber ~ ½ cup diced
- ½ red onion ~ ½ cup diced
- 5 kalamata olives
- ½ cup fresh parsley ~ 2 tablespoon chopped
- ¼ cup fresh mint ~ 1 tablespoon chopped
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- salt and black pepper to taste
For Roasted Chickpeas
- 1 (16 oz) can chickpeas aka garbanzo beans
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- black pepper to taste
For Lemon Tahini Yogurt Dressing
- 1 cup whole fat greek yogurt or low fat
- ¼ cup tahini Soom brand is great
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice juice of 1 large lemon
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- black pepper to taste
For Homemade Hummus (skip these ingredients if you prefer to use store-bought hummus)
- 1 (16 oz) can chickpeas aka garbanzo beans
- ¼ cup tahini Soom brand is great but any brand works
- ¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice juice of 1 large lemon
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 3 tablespoon chickpea liquid (Aquafaba) from the can of chickpeas can use water instead
- salt, to taste
To Assemble the Bowl:
1 cup baby spinach
½ cup Quinoa Salad
¼ cup Roasted Chickpeas
2 tablespoon Lemon Tahini Yogurt Sauce
2 tablespoon Hummus
2 tablespoon feta cheese
Instructions
- Step 1. Make Roasted ChickpeasPreheat oven to 425℉ and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Rinse and drain chickpeas and dry with a paper towel, discarding the skins that come loose. In a small bowl, toss the chickpeas with extra virgin olive oil and spice blend including salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, and garlic powder. Place the chickpeas on the baking sheet in a single layer and roast in the preheated oven on the middle rack for 20-28 minutes. Oven times will vary so check on them starting at 20 minutes and every couple minutes after! Chickpeas are done when they are a golden brown color. Tip: the trick to crispy chickpeas is to rinse and dry them before adding the oil and spices.
- Step 2. Make Quinoa SaladWhile the chickpeas are baking, prepare your quinoa salad. Add rinsed quinoa and cold water to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Then lower to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until water is absorbed. When quinoa is done cooking, remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.While quinoa is cooking, dice cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion and kalamata olives and chop fresh parsley and mint. Add the dressing ingredients including lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin, allspice, and salt and pepper. Add 2 cups of the cooked quinoa. Mix well to combine. Tip: read the instructions on your quinoa! Most require rinsing before cooking
- Step 3. Make Lemon Tahini Yogurt Sauce Mix together the tahini and yogurt in a small bowl. Add the remaining ingredients including the fresh lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, ground cumin, salt, and black pepper and give it a good stir. Set aside. Hint: if you prefer a thinner tahini sauce, add a tablespoon of water at a time until it gets to the consistency you prefer.
- Step 4. Make Homemade Hummus (skip this step if using store-bought hummus)Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Save the liquid from the can in a separate bowl (you’ll use it later). Add the chickpeas to your food processor or high speed blender. Blend until creamy using a spatula to push down the sides as needed.Add the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and cumin to your food processor or blender and puree until smooth. I recommend waiting until the end to add salt. This helps you better control the taste! Next, drizzle in the olive oil and continue to process/blend for about 1 minute.Add the chickpea liquid (Aquafaba) to the mixture and puree until it reaches the consistency you desire. Season to taste by adding salt or garlic as desired. (Optional) for an even creamier hummus, add an ice cube or two at the end and puree until the ice is melted.
- Step 5: Assemble the BowlAdd 1 cup of spinach and ½ cup of the quinoa salad to create the base. Add ¼ cup roasted chickpeas, 2 tablespoon lemon tahini yogurt sauce, 2 tablespoon hummus, and 2 tablespoon feta cheese. Mix it together and enjoy!
Notes
Expert Tips
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- There are several components of this recipe that you can meal prep ahead of time including the quinoa salad, roasted chickpeas, tahini yogurt sauce, and homemade hummus! Store each in a separate container. Then when you're ready to make the Mediterranean Bowl, just mix it all together.
- When cooking quinoa, be sure to read the packaging for instructions since they will vary a bit depending on the brand.
- Use fresh lemon juice instead of bottled. Bottled lemon juice doesn't taste as good. Here is a great tool to help squeeze lemons easily.
- To make the roasted chickpeas crispy, rinse and dry them with a paper towel or dishcloth before adding oil and spices. Remove the extra chickpea skins that come loose when you dry them.
For more nutrition information and nourishing recipes, visit mallorythedietitian.com. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! 😊
Nutrition
Serving: 1bowlCalories: 510kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 17gFat: 31gFiber: 10g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!