Sweet Potato Hemp Seed Quinoa Bowls

Sweet Potato Hemp Seed Quinoa Bowls

I hope you’ll forgive my sporadic posting lately. Things got a little stressful last week so I took a much needed break. Like, sleep-in then lay on the couch under a cozy blanket all day long break.

My most recent wedding endeavor was trying to decide on a florist and like the rest of this process, doing it from a distance proves to be a challenge. One of them sent me a video of a wedding she did at our venue recently to help me get an idea of her work.

So I’m sitting there, watching the video and taking note of the flowers, then as it gets to the actual ceremony, I start to see cars whizzing by in the background.

Sweet Potato Hemp Seed Quinoa Bowls

I mean a lot of cars…and even a few busses. So then I frantically open Google Maps and see that there is actually a major highway right behind the spot where we plan to get married. {Yes, we haven’t seen our venue in-person. I know…}

Fail number one.

Feeling slightly unsettled, we asked a few of our family members to go by the venue and inspect the situation to see how we can get around it {maybe face a different direction?} and then in the pictures they take I see huge piles of dirt all around the perimeter of the venue.

WHAT?!

Sweet Potato Hemp Seed Quinoa Bowls

Apparently the city is building some sort of pond/gazebo/boardwalk deal and they thought starting the construction two months before my wedding {and many others} would be a good idea.

Fail number two.

Multiple panic attacks later, Brandon managed to calm me down and convince me that it will all work out. And you know what? He’s right, it will. As long as I see his handsome face at the end of that aisle, that’s all that matters. Who cares if there’s a dump truck behind him? Ha.

Sweet Potato Hemp Seed Quinoa Bowls

No, really. We’ll figure it out. It is a little innervating that the venue failed to mention the possibility of construction but it is what it is at this point.

All we can do is go with the flow and find comfort in Mexican flavored health food.

Sweet Potato Hemp Seed Quinoa Bowls

Or demand that they bring in trees to block the construction.

Seriously though, I don’t know what is with me and cilantro/lime flavors lately but that’s all that seems to be coming out of my brain. It’s like my subconscious is telling me that it’s comfort food.

That, and I discovered this green pepper sauce which had to find it’s way into a recipe immediately. I used it in the cilantro-lime dressing that I made for these bowls and it adds a delicious little kick; just enough to make your taste buds happy without singeing them off.

Sweet Potato Hemp Seed Quinoa Bowls

Besides the flavorful dressing and lightly roasted sweet potatoes, they are also loaded with protein power from hemp seeds, black beans and fluffy quinoa.

Then I threw in some spinach (which I learned to easily chiffonade thanks to Sharon’s awesome tutorial) for even more protein and some avocado for topping, but if you’re a dairy lover then it’s great with melted cheddar too.

Sweet Potato Hemp Seed Quinoa Bowls

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: 4 bowls

Sweet Potato Hemp Seed Quinoa Bowls

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked quinoa

2 small sweet potatoes

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup hemp seeds

2 tablespoons sunflower oil (or other high heat oil)

2 cups spinach leaves, sliced

avocado/cheese for topping

Cilantro-Lime Dressing

1 cup cilantro, finely chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil

juice of 2 limes

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon green pepper sauce (or hot sauce)

Instructions

  1. Start by preheating the oven to 400°F. Wash and then cut off any gnarly spots on the sweet potato before dicing into 1 inch cubes. Toss with sunflower oil (or any high heat oil) in a baking dish then roast in the oven for 25 minutes.
  2. While the potatoes are roasting, cook your quinoa by bringing 2 cups water to a boil over medium heat and add the quinoa to it. Once it is boiling, reduce heat to low and cover with a lid. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes then set aside.
  3. While the quinoa is cooking, prepare the dressing by adding all ingredients to a food processor or a small bowl (if you want to chop the cilantro by hand) and mix together.
  4. Once potatoes are done, add the hemp seeds to the dish and stir until the potatoes are evenly coated with the seeds.
  5. Add the black beans to the dish as well and place back in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
  6. Scoop 1/4 of the quinoa mixture into four separate bowls and then top with (spinach if using) and then the roasted sweet potatoes and beans.
  7. Pour 1/4 of the dressing onto each and serve with avocado or cheese.
https://www.makingthymeforhealth.com/sweet-potato-hemp-seed-quinoa-bowls/

 

Sweet Potato Hemp Seed Quinoa Bowls