Ancient Grain Bowl with Roasted Sweet Potato and Chickpeas

Ancient grain bowl recipes are a versatile and easy meal idea that can be catered to any dinner table. There is something wholesome, filling, and happy about warm and healthy grain bowls. The ancient grain in these bowls is quinoa! I top these quinoa grain bowls with a whipped honey and goat cheese sauce that is simply delicious and goes so well with the toasted quinoa, chickpeas, and roasted sweet potatoes that I use in this recipe.

The best part of this easy grain bowl recipe is how great it is for meal prep. You can make a huge batch of these grain bowls and pair them with different proteins throughout the week. It always makes my week so much better when I have a good lunch or dinner and having these grain bowls ready made are such a fun and healthy way to incorporate tasty food throughout the week. Grain bowls are also great because they are easy to pack a bunch of fiber and nutrients into one meal. This is one reason I love this recipe so much! The quinoa, chickpeas, and roasted sweet potatoes are such a good way to get your fiber in. I hope you give this recipe for easy grain bowls with roasted sweet potatoes and chickpeas a try today!

Notes and Tips to Roasted Sweet Potato, Quinoa, and Chickpea Grain bowls:

• This dish can be made in steps for even easier assembly. I recommend making the quinoa a few hours prior to toasting or even the day before.

• I call out for the sweet potatoes to be roasted with their skin on, peeled, and then roasted again. This is an optional step but if you skip the first roast, it may change the texture of the sweet potatoes slightly. The pre-roasted potatoes will be a little softer, while the one time roasted potatoes without the skin on will yield a chewier potato. Both are delicious and it just depends on your to time availability.

• If you are using your grain bowls as a way to meal prep for the week, you should check out my Fast Recipe Booklet! It is a collection of easy meals that will help you get dinner on the table easier.

• You can add 1-2 Tbs of olive oil to the goat cheese sauce as needed. I leave it out of the recipe for the sauce since many cheeses are creamy enough!

Common Questions For Ancient Grain Bowls:

What is a Ancient Grain Bowl Made Of?

• A grain bowl is a meal made from cooked grains that are paired with vegetables, proteins, and sauce. This grain bowl uses toasted quinoa but other common grains used are rice, oats, or wheat based products. Other ancient grains to consider trying are sorghum, millet, or amaranth!

• You can even mix and match your grains if you want to try out something like buckwheat groats with rice or this toasted quinoa. Let me know what you use for your grains in the comments below!

Are Ancient Grain Bowls Good For You?

• Grain bowls can be a really healthy option for you! Ingredients like quinoa, roasted sweet potatoes, and chickpeas, are high in protein, fiber, and micronutrients that will help you feel full for longer.

• The other way to make grain bowls good for you is to top them with some fresh vegetables like arugula or baby spinach. Let me know what you top your grain bowl with!

Are Sweet Potatoes Better Than Regular Potatoes?

• I love sweet potatoes for grain bowls! They have a ton of flavor and when roasted, are both a sweet and savory addition to your grain bowl. Regular potatoes will offer the savory touch and have the same texture as sweet potatoes, but do not have the sugar that sweet potatoes do. It is hard to say if one is better than the other, since I think it may be based on personal preference. You can use sweet, yellow, or fingerling potatoes for grain bowls and they will all be delicious.

How To Make Quinoa Taste Good?

• If you have not tried toasting quinoa to make it taste good, then you are missing out! When you toast quinoa using either a skillet or the oven, this grain takes on a delicious and nutty flavor that adds so much savory goodness to any dish. To toast quinoa, you can add cooled or cold quinoa with some salt and oil and let it crispy slightly.

• You can also make quinoa taste good by adding sauce or vegetables to it. That is why I pair this quinoa with chickpeas, roasted sweet potatoes, and my whipped goat cheese and honey sauce. If are hesitant about quinoa, definitely give it a try with these delicious pairings.

Is Honey Goat Cheese Sauce Good?

• The short answer is YES and the long answer is YES. Goat cheese whipped up with honey, dill, garlic, and Greek yogurt is smooth, rich, and savory. It pairs so perfectly with your grain bowl by tying everything together with a fresh and creamy note.

What To Pair With Grain Bowls?

• Grain bowls are a meal all on their own but if you are looking for some easy vegetable pairings to add more fiber or some proteins to bulk up your meal, then I have listed some great pairings below.

• Curried Cauliflower with Basil is a great addition to these bowls. The flavors of curry and basil will match great with the toasted quinoa and chickpeas.

• My recipe for Crispy Tofu with Spicy Pan Sauce is a good option for adding a vegetarian protein to your grain bowl.

• My Recipe for Slow Cooked Honey Soy Chicken thighs is a no fuss dinner that you can add directly from the slow cooker to this grain bowl.

Ingredients For Ancient Grain Bowls with Chickpeas and Sweet Potatoes:

Instructions:

1. Roast the Sweet Potatoes and Make the Quinoa

   1. Preheat the oven to 350F

   2. Poke your sweet potatoes a couple of time with a fork.

   3. Wrap the sweet potatoes in foil and bake until fork tender, about 30 minutes.

   4. While the sweet potatoes bake, cook 1 cup quinoa (yield 2 cups) according to package instructions. Feel free to sub water with stock for added flavor. Set aside to cool.

   5. Remove the sweet potatoes from the oven to cool.

2. Double Bake the Sweet Potatoes

   1. Preheat your oven to 350F

   2. Once your sweet potatoes are cooled, peel the skin with a peeler or knife. Coin your sweet potatoes and add to a cookie sheet.

   3. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and massage until combine.

   4. Bake until crispy on the edges, about 30 minutes.

3. Toast the Quinoa and the Chickpeas

   1. While the potatoes bake, heat a couple Tbs of olive oil over medium heat in a skillet. Add the cooked quinoa spread evenly out.

   2. Drain the chickpeas and add them to the skillet with your quinoa, and some salt and pepper.

   3. Continue to toast the quinoa and chickpeas until the chickpeas have color on all sides and the quinoa is getting crispy, about 12-15 minutes.

   4. While the potatoes bake and the quinoa and chickpeas are crisping, we will make the whipped honey goat cheese sauce, and chop the cherry tomatoes.

   5. To a blender or food processor, add the Greek yogurt, goat cheese, dill, garlic clove, honey, lime, and a dash of salt and pepper. Blitz until smooth and fully combined.

   6. Chop the cherry tomatoes, set aside.

4. Combine the Grain Bowls

   1. Remove the potatoes from the oven for assembly.

   2. To a bowl add some sweet potatoes, quinoa, chickpeas, and cherry tomatoes.

   3. Drizzle with honey goat cheese sauce, extra fresh dill, and salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!