Good Health Bowl: Brown Rice With Roast Squash & Chickpeas

Roasted Squash Zucchini Chickpeas Brown Rice bowl | YummyMummyClub.ca

I'm always on the lookout for meals that can be made in a flash for busy weeknights. I absolutely love recipes that utilize roasted vegetables not only because roasting brings out the rich flavour of vegetables, but also because it is so easy — there's no sauteeing or stir-frying — you simply stick the baking sheet in the oven and wait until the veggies are done.

Really, the only time-consuming thing about roasting vegetables is the chopping. I love butternut squash, but peeling them seems to take me forever. Am I alone on this? My mother purchased me a fancy vegetable peeler, which helps a lot, but I still need to listen to Eye of the Tiger when I'm peeling and chopping a butternut squash, just to keep my motivation up.

Then, the other day, I discovered that you can actually buy cubed butternut squash! Sure, it's more expensive, but as my grandma used to say, "You want convenience, you're going to have to pay for it." It's still cheaper than celery (what is UP with that, celery?). Whether you peel your squash or you buy it pre-cubed, this meal will still be on the table in less that forty-five minutes - and do I even need to say that it's packed with nutrition? Tons of protein, fibre, and vitamins? It's a scrumptious, savoury, bowl of good health. So get those veggies in the oven and have a glass of wine while they roast - wine is good for you too!

Ingredients

1 cup brown rice

1 butternut squash, cubed (approximately 4 cups)

2 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (approximately 4 cups)

1-14 ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Sea salt and cracked black pepper

Dressing

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

3 tablespoons soy sauce or Bragg's Aminos

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons water

3 tablespoons tahini

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove garlic, pressed

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Prepare brown rice according to package directions.

While rice is cooking, toss butternut squash and zucchini in 2 tablespoons of olive oil; toss chickpeas in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Arrange butternut squash, zucchini, and chickpeas in a single layer on 3 baking sheets. Sprinkle with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Place in oven and roast 25-30 minutes.

While the rice is cooking and the vegetables are roasting, whisk together the dressing ingredients.

Drink a glass of wine, supervise homework, or browse Facebook while waiting for the vegetables and rice to finish.

Fluff the rice with a fork; spoon vegetables and chickpeas over the rice. Drizzle with dressing, and enjoy!

This is also delicious cold, the next day. If leftovers are anticipated, keep chickpeas and dressing separate until just before serving.

Yield: 4-6 servings