Protein Bowls with Salted Maple Tahini Sauce

Last week I spent a day at Avalon, an outdoor entertainment, dining and shopping experience that is so well planted right off the freeway that it doesn’t feel like you are a shopping center in the city. It’s like a sweet neighborhood with beautifully manicured lawns, landscaping and curved sidewalks with smiling faces and neighborly conversation it as a place we visit frequently. Avalon is also home to Whole Foods and my final stop each and every visit.

My most recent Whole Foods quest involved gathering ingredients for a meal to fit within the following criteria: 1) plant based 2) seasonal and 3) could feed 4 for under $20.00. I armed myself with a basket and headed to the produce section to see what was in season. First stop, floral…okay flowers were not on the list but I thought it was the weekend and I would treat myself . The flowers are not included the $20.00 budget but that would be nice to.

As I walked through the produce section I thought about what type of meal I love, my family loves and my readers love which is a protein filled balanced bowl. Only this balance bowl has garnet sweet potatoes, fresh broccoli crowns, sliced red bell pepper, garbanzo beans, fresh pomegranate seeds topped with a maple sea salt tahini sauce. The sauce is amazing and compliments the bowl and ingredients well. Dessert was satsuma orange wedges dipped in cinnamon coconut cream And, yes, under $20.00 minus the flowers.

Protein Bowls with Salted Maple Tahini Sauce

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 cups cooked brown rice
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, diced into 1 inch pieces
• 1 head broccoli, cleaned and chopped into large pieces
• 1 red bell pepper
• 2 cans garbanzo beans, drained
• 1 pomegranate or 1/2 pomegranate seeds
• 1 tsp Sea Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black pepper
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 1/2 tsp Garlic powder

Instructions

1. Rinse 2 cups brown rice in colander with cold water, add to a pan with 4 -4 1/2 cups of water and cook according to package
2. Thoroughly wash and cut potatoes, sprinkle with sea salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet
3. Roast in a 400*F oven for 40 minutes
4. While the potatoes cook add 2 tbsp water to a steel or ceramic pan and heat to medium
5. Add the chopped broccoli to pan and lightly steam/sauté the broccoli and cover with a lid for 2-3 minutes to lightly cook
6. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm
7. Wash and slice red pepper in thin strips
8. Cut pomegranate down middle and remove seeds with hands or use pre packaged seeds

To assemble the bowls:

1. Add 1 cup cooked rice to each bowl, divide ingredients into equal portions and arrange as shown in photo
2. Using a fork, drizzle the Salted Maple Tahini over each bowl and serve

Salted Maple Tahini

• 4 tablespoons tahini paste
• 1/3 cup boiling water
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tsp sea salt

Instructions:

1. Combine tahini, maple syrup and boiling water in a bowl and stir with a spoon until combined and thin consistency
2. Add sea salt and mix well
3. Drizzle over bowls using a fork