Since you all know me as the Average Arab Girl, you know that my diet consists of Arab foods and Mediterranean foods. The reason why I love Mediterranean foods is because my country of Syria borders the Mediterranean Sea! So, a lot of our cuisine has been influenced by other Mediterranean countries like Greece, Italy, Spain, and more!
When I make recipes my mind is always stuck to making Mediterranean inspired foods the most, but hey, they are the best kind in my opinion, wink wink*. So, let me introduce you to my #1 favorite nourish bowl I've ever made. I could have this everyday of my life, and I hope you are able to incorporate it into your lives. It's full of micro and macronutrients that you need daily, and super filling. Lets get to it, shall we?
Yields: 1 bowl
Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
This recipe is gluten free, dairy free, and vegan.
Ingredients:
1. 1 cup quinoa
2. 1 bunch of chopped broccoli
3. ½ tomato
4. ½ cup of already cooked and washed chickpeas (either can or fresh)
5. ½ cup of chopped mushrooms
6. 2 finely chopped mini shallots
7. ¼ chopped green bell pepper
8. 1/3 cup of crushed walnuts
9. Extra virgin olive oil
10. Pink Himalayan salt, fresh black pepper, garlic powder, 1 TBSP of fresh zaatar, 1 TSP of cumin, 1 TBSP tahini
11. ½ lemon
Instructions:
1. First, cook the quinoa with turmeric and salt.
2. Next, finely dice the shallots, green bell pepper, broccoli, mushrooms, and tomato.
3. Have your chickpeas ready. If they are canned, then rinse them thoroughly. If they are fresh, you should have soaked them overnight in lukewarm water, and then boiled them in salted water the next day. Which ever you've chosen, make sure they are well cooked.
4. Now, grab a large-sized frying pan and add olive oil on medium-high heat. Allow it to simmer until you can smell the olive oil.
5. Next, add the chopped green bell pepper and shallots, and sprinkle on salt to your liking. Don't overdo it to ensure its not too salty at the end. Let them cook for 3 minutes.
6. Now, add in the broccoli and mushrooms and stir for 2 minutes.
7. Add in the tomato. Season with black pepper and garlic powder. Stir well.
8. Add in the chickpeas and quinoa and cook for 4 minutes. Season with 1 TBSP of zaatar and 1 TSP of cumin.
9. Do a taste test to see if you’d like to add more salt. It should now be 10-12 minutes worth of cooking time on medium- high heat.
10. Add in crushed walnuts and drizzle on a bit of olive oil. Mix well for 2 more minutes.
11. Turn off the stove and place your food into a bowl. In a separate bowl, add in 1 TBSP of tahini, ½ lemon, 1 TSP of olive oil, a splash of water, and a dash of salt. Mix well until the tahini is a creamier consistency. Keep adding water until the consistency is creamy.
