Vegan Buddha Bowl with Black Rice, Toasted Vegetables and Tahini Sauce

Your to-do list today was quite the hill to climb, but you’ve managed to accomplish it all. Now you want to come home and prepare a warm, wholesome meal that you can feel good about. This is that meal.

Servings: 4
Prep time: 55 min
Difficulty: easy
Cannot be frozen

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups black rice, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups thin asparagus spears, woody ends removed
• 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into batons
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 broccoli head, prepared into florets
• 1/3 cup tahini
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco®
• Sesame seeds, to garnish
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

• Combine rice with 3.5 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt in a heavy-based saucepan.
• Bring to boil over moderate heat before covering and cooking over a low heat until rice is tender and most of water has been absorbed, about 30–40 minutes.
  In meantime, preheat oven to 400°F.
• Toss vegetables with olive oil and some salt and pepper to taste on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 20–30 minutes until colored and tender to the tip of a knife.
• Remove from oven and cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm.
• Whisk together tahini, lemon juice, honey and Tabasco® with 2 tablespoons hot water and some salt and pepper to taste in a small mixing bowl.
• Drain rice when ready and divide between bowls. Top with roasted vegetables and prepared tahini sauce before serving with a sprinkle of sesame seeds on top.

The Tabasco® mark is a registered trademark exclusively of McIlhenny Company. up4® is a trademark of DSM.