Although I love the recipes on my blog, my typical dinner meals look a little like this. (Ok, so maybe not arranged quite as neatly…) When I saw that the October theme for The Recipe Redux was to create a plant power protein bowl, I immediately thought about revamping my BBQ tempeh and ranch kale bowl I made over the summer. This time, I used quinoa for the grain base and added my favorite roasted vegetables – carrots, brussels sprouts, and delicata squash.
The great thing about plant protein bowls like this one is that by following a few basic rules, you can easily recreate a similar bowl with whatever produce, protein, and starch you have on hand. To make prep even faster on weeknights, I usually roast a pan or two of vegetables and cook up a pot of grains on the weekend so all I have to do is reheat them.
- Protein: My favorite protein options for bowls like this include tempeh, crispy baked tofu, or sliced cooked veggie sausage. Cooked beans are also great in bowls like this one. Since beans are higher in carbohydrates than the other plant based protein options, I will sometimes skip the starch in the bowl.
- Starch: Keep your pantry stocked with a variety of grains from the bulk bin section and you can easily recreate a bowl like this. Some great options include: quinoa, lentils, brown rice, barley, etc. You can also use a starchy vegetable like a baked sweet potato as the base.
- Vegetables: Use whatever vegetables are in season and appeal to you. During the summer months, I was using a lot of sauteed kale as the vegetable for my bowl. In the cooler months, I crave roasted vegetables like in this version.
- Sauce: Adding a sauce or other toppings pulls your bowl together. More often than not, I add a bit of ranch dressing or hummus to my bowl. (Super easy!) I just keep my fridge stocked with a few options (ranch, BBQ sauce, sriracha, ketchup, mustard, etc.) and pick up whichever I am feeling that night. Other healthy add-ins like kimchi or pickled vegetables are also a great way to add flavor to your bowl.
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Prep a few ingredients over the weekend and you can toss together this fall harvest BBQ tempeh bowl together any night of the week for a healthy, filling meal.
Ingredients
For the Quinoa:
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 2 cups vegetable broth
For the Vegetables:
- 1 delicata squash, seeds removed and sliced in 1/3″ slices
- 3–4 carrots, peeled and quartered
- 1/2 pound brussels sprouts, halved
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt
- Ground Black Pepper
For the Tempeh:
- 1 (8 oz.) package tempeh
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/3 cup BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a small saucepan, combine the quinoa and broth. Bring to a simmer and cover. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Turn off the heat and allow to sit another 5 minutes with the lid on. Remove the lid and fluff with a fork. Set aside.
- On a large baking sheet, arrange vegetables evenly and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until fork tender.
- Cut the tempeh into small triangles. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and arrange on a baking sheet. Bake 7-10 minutes or until it starts to brown. Drizzle with BBQ sauce, tossing to coat and return to the oven another 7-10 minutes. Add more BBQ sauce before serving if desired.
- To assemble bowls, layer quinoa, vegetables, and tempeh. Top with ranch or whatever dressing you desire.
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These photos are fantastic- I am salivating looking at the bbq tempeh! Pinning 🙂