Nourishing Roasted Chickpea Buddha Bowl with Lemon Tahini Dressing

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Buddha bowls are one of my favourite meals to throw together when I don’t know what else to cook. I always seem to have a can of beans, some form of veggies, hummus and tahini in my cupboard. If there’s also an avocado waiting expectantly in the fruit bowl, well that is just about enough to create some colourful magic in my bowl.

The theme of this post: use what you have. Following a recipe is all well and good when you find something new and run out to buy specific, exciting ingredients, but sometimes recipes can simply be a great starting point. I’m a big believer in reducing waste and am always finding creative ways to use up leftover veggies at the end of the week. Buddha bowls are an easy way of putting together random combinations of plants to create unexpectedly delicious results.

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Let me take you through the basics of creating an epic buddha bowl. The combinations here are literally endless. This is just a rough template from which you can let your creativity run wild!

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1. Grain or starchy root veg (e.g. brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat, sweet potato, pumpkin)

2. Greens (e.g. baby spinach leaves, sautéed kale, raw massaged kale, rocket leaves, beetroot leaves)

3. Protein (e.g. Crispy Curried Chickpeas, Mexican beans, roasted tofu, marinated tempeh, hummus)

4. Vegetables (e.g. broccoli, broccolini, tomato, corn, carrot, zucchini, beetroot)

5. Good quality fat (e.g. avocado, olive oil, raw/roasted nuts and seeds - these add a great crunch too!)

6. Digestive aid (optional) (e.g. sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir)

7. Delicious sauce/dressing (see recipe below for my go-to Lemon Tahini Dressing or go for a classic balsamic vinegar + olive oil, apple cider vinegar or Cheesy Cashew Nacho Cheese sauce, or Vegan Sour Cream)

Nourishing Roasted Chickpea Buddha Bowl with Lemon Tahini Dressing

Ingredients

Bowl

• 1/2 small sweet potato, thinly sliced
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 avocado, sliced
• 1 cup broccoli florets, diced
• 1/2 cup baby spinach leaves
• 1/2 avocado, stone removed and cut into slices
• 1
• 1 Tbsp. sauerkraut (optional - great for digestion!)
• 1 Tbsp. hummus
• Salt and freshly cracked pepper

Lemon Tahini Dressing

• 1 Tbsp. tahini
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• Pinch of salt

Takes 30 min , serves 1.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350 Preheat oven to 350°F). Line two trays with baking paper.
2. Arrange the sweet potato slices on one tray, drizzle with half the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven
3. Scatter the chickpeas over the second tray, drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt, pepper and cumin. Place in the oven
4. Roast both trays for around 20 minutes until the sweet potato is soft and the chickpeas are crunchy
5. Meanwhile, lightly steam the broccoli if desired, or enjoy it raw
6. Make the dressing: in a small bowl combine tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup and a pinch of salt
7. Arrange all ingredients in a large bowl with a scoop of hummus in the middle. Drizzle with tahini lemon dressing and dig in!

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Tamika Woods | Nutritionist

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

For a decade, Tamika battled chronic acne, irregular cycles, mood swings, hair loss, painful periods, severe digestive issues and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). You name it - she's been there!

Tam was finally able to clear her skin, regulate her cycle, be free of period pain and fall pregnant naturally with her daughter in 2020. It took Tam 10 years and tens of thousands of dollars in tertiary education to get the answers she needed to get better. She didn’t want other women to suffer as long as she did which is why she has dedicated her life to helping women in the same position as she was.

Tam helps women interpret what their bodies are trying to communicate through frustrating symptoms, and then develop a step-by-step roadmap to find balance again. She's here to help you get on track!

Tamika Woods holds a Bachelor of Health Science degree (Nutritional Medicine) as well as a Bachelor of Education, graduating with Honours in both. She is a certified Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) Educator and a certified member of the Australian Natural Therapists Association (ANTA).