Spring Glow Bowl with Lemon‑Tahini Dressing

🥗Spring Glow Bowl with Lemon‑Tahini Dressing

A vibrant, plant-based bowl packed with fibre, healthy fats, and seasonal vegetables—perfect for supporting digestion and steady energy.

Serves: 2

🌿 Ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 cup chickpeas (roasted or plain)
• 2 cups kale, chopped
• 1 cup purple cabbage, shredded
• 1 cup cucumber, sliced
• 1 cup roasted sweet potato cubes
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1 handful fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds

🍋 Lemon-Tahini Dressing

• 3 tbsp tahini
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 2–4 tbsp water (to thin)
• Pinch of sea salt

Whisk until smooth and creamy.

🥄 Directions:

1. Roast the sweet potatoes: Toss cubed sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast at 400°F (200°C) for 20–25 minutes until caramelized.
2. Prep the base: Cook 1 cup of quinoa and fluff with a fork. Massage 2 cups kale, chopped lightly with a drizzle of olive oil to soften.
3. Assemble the bowls: Layer quinoa, kale, purple cabbage, cucumber, chickpeas (roasted or plain), and roasted sweet potato in your bowls.
4. Add toppings: Finish with sliced avocado, handful fresh cilantro, and sprinkle with black sesame seeds.
5. Serve: Drizzle generously with lemon-tahini dressing and enjoy!

✨ Tips & Variations

• Massage the kale well — it softens the texture and mellows the bitterness.
• The dressing can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Make it portable by layering in a jar for on-the-go meals
• Swap chickpeas for lentils or edamame
• Add microgreens or fresh herbs for extra nutrients

This recipe is rich in healthy fats. Here’s where they come from:

• Avocado is the star — it’s loaded with monounsaturated fats, particularly oleic acid, which is great for heart health.
• Tahini (sesame paste) provides a good dose of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, along with some omega-6 fatty acids.
• Black sesame seeds add a small but meaningful contribution of healthy polyunsaturated fats, plus lignans which have antioxidant properties.
• Olive oil used in roasting and massaging the kale adds monounsaturated fats as well.
• Chickpeas and quinoa contain small amounts of fat too, though they’re more notable for their protein and fibre.

Overall, the combination of avocado and tahini in particular makes this a well-balanced meal with plenty of the “good” fats that support brain function, hormone production, and absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) from all those colourful veggies.

Marsha Fenwick, C.N.P.  R.R.T.