Quinoa Mediterranean Bowls with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Equipment
- food processor (for sauce)
- knife & cutting board (for bowl)
- sauce pan (for quinoa) + small skillet (for gf pita chips)
- measuring cups & spoons
Ingredients
Roasted red pepper sauce
- ½ cup slivered almonds, toasted
- 1 16 oz jar roasted red peppers, drained
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed or roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ heaping teaspoon cumin & cayenne pepper*
Mediterranean bowl
- 3 cups quinoa, cooked (1 cup uncooked)
- ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley (sub with cilantro or basil)
- ½ lemon, freshly squeezed
- large pinch Himalayan sea salt
- 1 ¼ cup chickpeas (drain, rinse and pat dry)
- 1 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 ½ cup cucumber, sliced into fourths
- kalamata olives (as desired)
Homemade GF Pita Chips
- 1 almond flour tortilla (or sub tortilla of choice)
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil
- sprinkle of each dried oregano, dried basil and sea salt
Toppings
- scoop of your favorite hummus (I used Whole Foods 365 organic original hummus)
- optional topping ideas; crispy tofu, vegan feta cheese, and hemp seeds
Instructions
- Make red pepper sauce: Prepare the red pepper sauce by first toasting the slivered almonds on the stove in a warm skillet for 2-4 minutes, stirring frequently to ensure they do not burn. Remove from heat once golden and fragrant. Drain red peppers and add to a food processor along with the toasted almonds and all of the other ingredients. Blend until smooth. Pour into a mason jar or something similar.
- Cook quinoa: prepare 1 cup of uncooked quinoa according to package instructions (do not forget to rinse the quinoa well!). Remove from heat once done and toss with parsley, lemon juice, and salt (optional).
- Prep vegetables and chickpeas: while the quinoa cooks, drain and rinse chickpeas, thinly slice ½ of a red onion, quarter ½ of a large cucumber, and grab olives from the fridge. Set aside.
- Make GF pita chips: Warm a skillet over medium heat. Once warm, add ~½ teaspoon of avocado oil to the pan then add tortilla and drizzle another ~½ teaspoon over the tortilla. Sprinkle with oregano, basil, & sea salt. Let cook for about 1 minute, flip, and cook for another minute. Remove from heat once the tortilla is crisped and golden (to your liking). Slice into 4-6 triangles.
- Assemble bowls: add desired amount of quinoa, chickpeas, red onion, cucumbers, and olives to a bowl. Top with a large scoop of hummus and red pepper sauce. Scoop with pita chips and enjoy!
Notes
*cayenne pepper is optional. If using, use a scant ¼- ½ teaspoon depending on your preference of heat.
Time saver: prepare the quinoa and the red pepper sauce before hand. Store separately in airtight containers in the fridge.
Leftover red pepper sauce will be thick from storing in the fridge. Add desired amount to a bowl and warm in the microwave for 15 seconds and stir well before adding it to the bowls. Reheating usually results in smooth results, if not; add a tiny splash of oil and stir again.
Yields 3-5 bowls.
Homemade pita chips should be enjoyed immediately for best results. Do not store, make fresh when enjoying leftovers.
Inspired by Pinch of Yum