Directions
Subtitle: Hearty, Protein-Packed, and Oh-So Tasty!
Description: These vegan lentil bowls are bursting with vibrant colors and zesty flavors reminiscent of traditional Moroccan tagines. Enjoy as a satisfying main meal or fill up on leftovers for easy lunches throughout the week!
Ingredients:
For the Lentils:
1 (19 oz) bag brown lentils
5 cups water or vegetable broth
Salt to taste
Optional: 1 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
For the Roasted Veggie Topping:
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 medium carrots, peeled and cubed
1 small red bell pepper, cored and sliced into thin strips
1/4 cup pitted dates, roughly chopped
1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 tsp smoked paprika
Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
For the Tahini Sauce:
1/2 cup raw, unsalted cashews
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup plain full-fat yogurt (or non-dairy yogurt alternative)
Juice of 1 lemon, freshly squeezed
1/2 tsp maple syrup (optional)
1/4 tsp salt
For Garnish:
Chopped fresh parsley or mint leaves
Chopped walnuts or almonds
Sliced avocado (optional)
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 4 hearty servings
Directions:
Soak the lentils in plenty of water or vegetable broth overnight to speed up cooking time. Alternatively, you can use a pressure cooker to cook the lentils within 15 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 400°F. In a large mixing bowl, toss together the sweet potatoes, carrots, red bell pepper, dates, apple sauce, olive oil, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper if using. Spread the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until tender, stirring halfway through. Set aside to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, prepare the tahini sauce by blending all the ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth. Set aside.
Once the lentils are cooked and the roasted veggies are cooled down, assemble the bowls by adding cooked lentils to the bottom, then top with the roasted veggies, and finally drizzle with the tahini sauce. Sprinkle with chopped herbs, nuts, and sliced avocado if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Note: You can easily double or triple the recipe to have leftovers for later or to feed a larger crowd. Store any extra cooked lentils and roasted veggies separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. The tahini sauce will last for several weeks in the refrigerator.
