Spinach White Bean Power Bowl (Printable Version)
Protein-rich bowl with white beans, spinach, quinoa and zesty lemon-tahini dressing for a complete nutritious meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water
→ Beans & Vegetables
03 - 2 cups baby spinach, packed
04 - 1 can (15 oz) white beans (cannellini or great northern), drained and rinsed
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
07 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
→ Toppings
08 - 1 avocado, sliced
09 - ¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
10 - 2 tbsp feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
→ Dressing
11 - 3 tbsp tahini
12 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
13 - 1 tbsp olive oil
14 - 1 tbsp water (plus more as needed)
15 - 1 garlic clove, minced
16 - ½ tsp ground cumin
17 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
# How To Make It:
01 - Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add rinsed quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is completely absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff gently with a fork, and let stand for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
02 - Combine tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, water, minced garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk vigorously until completely smooth and creamy. If dressing is too thick, gradually add additional water 1 teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.
03 - Divide cooked quinoa evenly among 4 serving bowls. Arrange baby spinach, white beans, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion in sections over the quinoa base.
04 - Arrange sliced avocado on top of each bowl. Sprinkle toasted pumpkin seeds evenly over all servings. Add crumbled feta cheese if desired.
05 - Drizzle lemon-tahini dressing generously over each bowl immediately before serving. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It keeps you full for hours without that heavy post lunch crash
- The dressing turns simple ingredients into something restaurant worthy
02 -
- The tahini dressing thickens up in the fridge so add another splash of water before serving leftovers
- Quinoa continues to absorb liquid so add dressing right before eating not during meal prep
03 -
- Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry pan for 2 minutes to bring out their nutty flavor
- Let the quinoa cool for at least 10 minutes so it does not wilt the spinach too much