This Sweet Potato Black Bean Buddha Bowl with Tahini Sauce is something you can have for lunch, for dinner or even for breakfast - if you like savory breakfasts at least. Buddha bowls are usually a combination of rice, beans and lots of vegetables. I replaced the rice with quinoa and added oven-roasted sweet potato as well. By adding sweet veggies like beetroot, carrot, sweet potato or pumpkin to your meals, you’ll be able to beat sugar cravings and stay satisfied longer. They even help me to lift my mood!
Sweet Potato Black Bean Buddha Bowl with Tahini Sauce
SERVES: 2 people
EQUIPMENT: oven, glass jar
INGREDIENTS:
Buddha bowl
1 large sweet potato
Turmeric, black pepper & smoked paprika (optional)
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 cup cooked black beans
2 large handfuls baby spinach
1 large handful cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small handful sunflower seeds, raw or lightly roasted
Tahini sauce
3 tablespoons tahini
1 ½ tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons tamari
1 teaspoon maple syrup
Cumin, turmeric & black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat your oven at 180°C (350°F).
2. Rinse the sweet potato, cut it into wedges and put them on a large baking tray. Sprinkle with turmeric, black pepper and smoked paprika to taste. Roast for 10 to 15 minutes, until tender.
3. In the meantime, prepare your tahini sauce. Combine tahini, lemon juice, water, tamari and maple syrup in a glass jar. Add cumin, turmeric and black pepper to taste. Close the lid and shake well. If your tahini is too dry, you can mix it with some sesame or olive oil before adding it to the glass jar. You could use a small food processor or blender too.
4. Assemble your Buddha bowl: start with a large handful of baby spinach, ½ cup of quinoa and ½ cup of black beans per bowl. Top with cherry tomatoes, sweet potato wedges, sunflower seeds and tahini sauce to taste.
JULIE’S TIPS & TRICKS:
• This tahini sauce will stay fresh for at least 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Got any Buddha bowl leftovers? You can store them in the fridge for at least 2 days.
• If you’re using organic sweet potatoes, feel free to leave the skin on. It contains most of the nutrients and gets kind of crunchy when it’s roasted.
• By adding black pepper to the tahini sauce, your body will be able to absorb the nutrients from the turmeric.
• Sunflower seeds are a good source of magnesium and vitamin E. Great to boost your energy and get softer skin! If you don’t have any left at home, you could replace them with pumpkin seeds, almonds, or other nuts or seeds as well. Or how about a few slices of avocado?
Now I would love to hear from you! Have you ever tried Buddha bowls? What are some of your favorite flavor combinations? Definitely let me know by leaving a comment down below.
Looking for more sweet potato recipes? Try this Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Mustard Dressing or this Warming Miso Soup with Sweet Potato & Smoked Paprika Tempeh.
