Eat Green, Get Lean: The Sweet Potato Chickpea Buddha Bowl

I am far from a master chef, but I found a dish that I couldn't help but brag about all over social media. I took pictures of it, have made it four times since last weekend, and I think you absolutely must try the delicious Sweet Potato Chickpea Buddha Bowl I found from Minimalist Baker.

So let's start with the basics: What's a Buddha Bowl?

A Buddha Bowl is a giant bowl of plant-based goodness, guaranteed to leave you with a Buddha belly, because you'll want to eat every single morsel in your bowl. And the best part? It's so healthy you will not feel heavy or gross afterwards, you'll feel like you just drank a glass of sunshine, while riding a unicorn over a rainbow.

Yup, it's that good.

It's no wonder you're left feeling so magnificent, the ingredients include sweet potato (the Vitamin A antioxidant powerhouse), kale (the superfood of all superfoods) and chickpeas (rich in fiber and protein).

The fun thing about Buddha Bowls is you can pretty much roast any vegetable you feel like. I've gone rogue and roasted these additions as well:

• zucchini
• carrot
• beets
• garlic
• broccoli
• spinach

So you can customize your Buddha Bowl in whatever fashion you see fit. Have fun and play with some different flavours, and health benefits!

And seriously, this recipe shall come with a warning: the maple-tahini sauce is going to make you question every sauce you've ever consumed. It made my eyes roll to the back of my head, and I pretty much want it on everything I eat! Three simple ingredients, all natural and ridiculously yummy. Consider yourself warned.

Also, this is SO easy to make. While the veggies are roasting, you toast up the chickpeas and put together the 3 ingredient maple-tahini sauce and you're good to go. 

​My husband said this is the best thing I've ever made. It was too good not to share!
​

SWEET POTATO CHICKPEA BUDDHA BOWL
 
PRINT FRIENDLY VERSION

Prep time
5 mins
Cook time
25 mins
Total time
30 mins
 
Flavourful, filling, 30-minute Buddha Bowl with roasted sweet potatoes, onion, kale, crispy chickpeas and an AMAZING tahini-maple sauce! A healthy, satisfying plant-based meal.

Author: Minimalist Baker
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: Vegan, Gluten Free
Serves: 2-3

Ingredients
VEGETABLES

• 2 Tbsp olive, melted coconut, or grape seed oil
• 1/2 red onion, sliced in wedges
• 2 large sweet potatoes, halved
• 1 bundle (227 g) broccolini, large stems removed, chopped
• 2 big handfuls kale, larger stems removed
• 1/4 tsp each salt + pepper

CHICKPEAS

• 1 15-ounce (425 g) chickpeas, drained, rinsed + patted dry
• 1 tsp cumin
• 3/4 tsp chili powder
• 3/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp each salt + pepper
• 1/2 tsp oregano (optional)
• 1/4 tsp turmeric (optional)

TAHINI SAUCE (OPTIONAL - but so freaking necessary lol)

• 1/4 cup (56 g) tahini
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 2-4 Tbsp hot water to thin

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and arrange sweet potatoes and onions on a bare baking sheet. Drizzle both with a bit of oil, making sure the flesh of the sweet potatoes are well coated and placed skin side down on the sheet.
2. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from oven flip sweet potatoes and add broccolini. Drizzle broccolini with a bit of oil and season with a pinch each salt and pepper.
3. Bake for another 8-10 minutes, then remove from oven and add kale. Drizzle kale with a touch more oil and season with a pinch each salt and pepper. Bake for another 4-5 minutes then set aside.
4. While vegetables are roasting, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add chickpeas to a mixing bowl and toss with seasonings.
5. Once hot, add 1 Tbsp oil and chickpeas and sauté, stirring frequently. If they’re browning too quickly, turn down heat. If there isn’t much browning going on, increase heat. I found 10 minutes total at slightly over medium heat was perfect.
6. Once the chickpeas are browned and fragrant, remove from heat and set aside.
7. Prepare sauce by adding tahini, maple syrup and lemon juice to a mixing bowl and whisking to combine. Add hot water until a pourable sauce is formed. Set aside.
8. To serve: Slice sweet potatoes into bite size pieces. Divide vegetables between 3 serving bowls and top with chickpeas + tahini sauce.
9. Best when fresh, though leftovers will keep for a few days in the fridge.

Please let me know if you give this a try. It is such an amazing dish, for your taste buds but most importantly for your health! 

Healthy eating isn't always easy, but dishes like this that are so easy to make and so incredibly healthy make it a little simpler.

Comment and let me know if you'd like to see more of these recipes, and I'll keep my eyes open for more delicious & nutritious meals in the future!

Sending love, light and good health,
-L.K.