These bowls are everything! Simple to prepare, light yet satisfying, packed with nutrients and kid-approved! I make extra for a quick and delicious meal in minutes throughout the week. When on-the go, simply layer the ingredients in a jar and toss in your bag. No more missed lunches!
Roasting the red peppers is super easy and brings out their natural sweetness. The roasted red peppers that you buy at the market will work, but they really don’t compare to roasting them at home in your oven. I roast a few at a time to use throughout the week in soups, sandwiches, wraps, pasta, scrambled eggs… there’s so many ways to use them. Once you start roasting your own peppers, you won’t go back to buying them!
Gather
Roasted Red Pepper Sauce:
2 large red bell peppers
1 clove garlic
½ teaspoon sea salt + more to taste
juice of one lemon
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup almonds or walnuts
For the Mediterranean Bowls: (build your own bowls using the ingredients you like)
1 cup quinoa + a handful of finely chopped parsely
spinach or kale (fresh, sautéed or steamed)
cucumber, diced
feta cheese, crumbled or diced
white beans
kalamata olives
pepperoncini
thinly sliced or chopped red onion
hummus
fresh basil or parsley
avocado
extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper
Method
Preheat oven to 450°F. Wash the peppers and cut them in half lengthwise. Cut off the stems with a paring knife and remove the seeds and membranes. Place the peppers cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper (do not use tin foil – it will leach aluminum into your peppers). Roast for about 10-12 minutes, or until the skins are wrinkled and the peppers are browned; rotating the sheet if necessary for them to cook evenly.
Pulse all of the ingredients for the sauce in a food processor or blender until mostly smooth. The texture should be thick and textured. I blended mine a bit more for my little ones, as pictured above. The boys like to mix everything up!
Rinse and drain 1 cup of quinoa. Place in a saucepan with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, turn the heat down to low and cover for about 10-15 minutes. Once cooked, place in the refrigerator to cool. Once cooled, stir in finely chopped parsley.
Now it’s time to build your bowls! Use whatever ingredients tickle your fancy… and top with a dollop of the heavenly roasted red pepper sauce!
Be sure to store leftovers in separate containers and assemble each bowl just before serving – especially the greens and the sauces – as they will get soggy when combined with the other ingredients. Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Pinch of Yum