This might be the healthiest thing you will ever eat. No joke.

The other day, our fridge was full but empty at the same time. You know what I mean. It always stresses me out, because on the one hand, I don’t want to go to the supermarket when we have a lot of food in the house, but on the other hand, there was nothing for dinner. 

I’m not kidding when I tell you that I obsessed over it during my morning run. Was there something in the freezer? Could we have spaghetti–yet again? What could I possibly make without going shopping? (I don’t know about you, but sometimes the thought of setting foot in Stop & Shop makes me want to scream.)

I got home and rummaged through the vegetable drawers. Here is what I found:

A zucchini
Half a container of Brussels sprouts
A sweet potato
Two carrots
A handful of cherry tomatoes 
An almost-empty package of baby spinach
Fresh basil, rosemary, and thyme

Dinner challenge accepted. I am a food blogger, after all 🙂 

First up, I tossed the veggies with some chopped herbs and roasted them until they were tender and barely beginning to char. Just look at those colors! Kinda makes you want to dive right in…

Next I turned my thoughts to the dressing. I wanted something vaguely like green goddess, but even easier. A few basic ingredients into the food processor and blend, blend, blend. If you want to make this vegan, just replace the yogurt with vegan mayonnaise or cashew cream. 

This dressing is so good it could transform a bowl of iceberg lettuce into a thing of garlicy, basily, creamy beauty. Seriously. 

I have been on a major quinoa kick lately, ever since I read this article from Bon Appetit. The last two tips (to drain the cooked quinoa and let it rest) are amazing! Perfect, fluffy quinoa every time. I love that the quinoa adds a healthy dose of protein to this dish. It really is a one bowl meal. But you can definitely substitute barley, farro, or rice. Use what you’ve got.

These roasted vegetable quinoa bowls are easy enough for a weeknight and can be prepared in advance. Everything reheats beautifully. Just assemble the bowls, pop them in the microwave for a minute or two, and drizzle with lots of basil yogurt dressing. 

I’m so in love with this recipe, I might never go to the supermarket again.

Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Bowls with Basil Yogurt Dressing

2015-12-01 01:49:12

Serves 4

These quinoa bowls are a complete meal on their own, but you can also top them with crumbled cheese, a fried egg, or even some chopped bacon. The dressing can be prepared up to one day in advance. Use whatever vegetables you have on hand. The combination of Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes is especially pretty. You can omit the spinach and use 1 full cup of basil in its place.

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For the roasted vegetable quinoa bowls

1. 2-2 1/2 pounds assorted vegetables, peeled if necessary, and chopped into bite-sized pieces (I used Brussels sprouts, zucchini, carrots, sweet potatoes, and cherry tomatoes)
2. 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3. Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4. 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme (optional)
5. 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary (optional)
6. 2 cups quinoa
7. Pumpkin seeds or chopped nuts, for serving (optional)

For the basil yogurt dressing

1. 3/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
2. 1/4 cup loosely packed baby spinach
3. 1 clove garlic, chopped
4. 6 tablespoons plain yogurt
5. 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
6. 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
7. 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8. 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line two baking sheets with foil. Toss the vegetables with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Divide them between the baking sheets. (Put longer cooking vegetables, like carrots and sweet potatoes, on one sheet and quicker cooking ones, like zucchini and tomatoes, on the other.) Roast, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and just beginning to char, 20 to 30 minutes.
2. While the vegetables are roasting, make the quinoa. Put the quinoa in a fine mesh sieve and rinse it under cold water. Transfer to a large pot with a lid and add 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Transfer the quinoa back to the sieve to drain any excess liquid. Return the drained quinoa to the pot, place a paper towel over the top, and cover it with the lid. Let the quinoa rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
3. To make the dressing, combine the basil, spinach, garlic, yogurt, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a food processor and pulse to blend. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and process until smooth. Transfer the dressing to an airtight container.
4. To assemble the bowls, fill each bowl halfway with quinoa. Top with roasted vegetables and drizzle with dressing. Sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds or nuts, if using.

By Turnip the Oven

Turnip the Oven http://turniptheoven.com/