Quinoa & Roasted Vegetable Bowl with Lemon-Tahini Dressing
Great for lunch or dinner — high in fibre, antioxidants and healthy fats.
Ingredients (2 servings)
For the bowl:
1/2 cup quinoa, uncooked
1 small zucchini, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 small sweet potato, cubed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon turmeric (optional, anti-inflammatory)
Salt & pepper to taste
1 handful baby spinach or kale
Optional: 1/4 avocado, sliced
For the lemon-tahini dressing:
2 tablespoons tahini
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
1–2 tablespoons warm water (to thin as needed)
Pinch of garlic powder or minced garlic (optional)
Instructions
Cook the quinoa:
Rinse quinoa under water. In a pot, add 1/2 cup quinoa + 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes or until fluffy.
Roast the vegetables:
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss zucchini, pepper, and sweet potato with olive oil, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Roast on a baking tray for 25–30 minutes until soft and lightly browned.
Make the dressing:
In a bowl, whisk tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, garlic, and water until smooth.
Assemble the bowl:
In each bowl, layer quinoa, spinach/kale (it will wilt slightly), roasted veggies, and avocado (if using). Drizzle with the lemon-tahini dressing.
Tips:
Serve warm or chilled
Add grilled salmon or chicken if extra protein is needed for dinner
Use pre-chopped veggies to reduce prep effort
Keeps well in the fridge for 2–3 days
Raheel Mirza’s Blueberry, Walnut and Cinnamon Muffin Recipe
Ingredients:
For the Toppings:
2 tablespoons (40g) light or dark brown sugar
50g chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the Muffins:
100g plain flour
120g wholemeal self-raising flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
115g softened or slightly melted unsalted butter
100g golden caster or granulated sugar
50g light or dark brown sugar
2 eggs
125g vanilla flavoured yoghurt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
60ml whole milk
120g blueberries
Equipment:
Silicone muffin cases or cupcake tray. Line each hole with grease proof paper or lightly butter.
Instructions:
Mix all the topping ingredients together and set aside.
Whisk all the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl and set aside.
Using a handheld or stand mixer, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Beat in the yoghurt and vanilla extract until combined.
Add the dry ingredients and milk into the wet ingredients and mix with a spatula until combined. Finally, gently fold in the blueberries.
Spoon the batter into the cases, filling them ¾ full. Sprinkle over the brown sugar topping on each one, gently pressing it down into the surface so it sticks.
Bake for an initial 5 minutes at 210° (you can also use an air fryer on the bake function for these). Then reduce the oven temperature to 160° and bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.
Cover the muffins and store at room temperature for a few days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.