Artificial Food Coloring Free Buddha Bowl with Tahini-Lemon Dressing

Total time55 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time35 min

Artificial Food Coloring Free Buddha Bowl with Tahini-Lemon Dressing

Colorful, nourishing, and deeply satisfying, this bowl layers nutty brown rice, caramelized roasted vegetables, crispy chickpeas, and golden seared tofu into something that genuinely looks as good as it tastes. Every single ingredient here is whole and recognizable — no dyes, no synthetic colorings, nothing that requires squinting at a label. The vibrant reds and greens come entirely from cherry tomatoes, red bell pepper, zucchini, and fresh baby spinach, so the color in your bowl is the real deal. The tahini-lemon dressing is a simple whisked blend of tahini, fresh lemon juice, maple syrup, and water — creamy, bright, and completely free of the artificial additives that sneak into so many bottled dressings. Tamari steps in for conventional soy sauce, keeping the tofu marinade clean and straightforward. Roasting the chickpeas until genuinely crisp and cooking the tofu until it releases naturally from the pan are the two small techniques that take this from good to great. It's the kind of meal that proves eating without artificial additives doesn't mean eating without excitement.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the rice

1 ½ cups brown rice, uncooked
3 cups water
¼ tsp salt

For the roasted chickpeas

1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Goya Peas Chick Garbanzos Can - 15.5 Oz Bush's Reduced Sodium Garbanzo Beans - 16 Oz S&W Beans Garbanzo - 15.5 Oz Hanover Beans Garbanzo - 15.5 Oz O Organics Organic Beans Garbanzo - 15 Oz
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1 tbsp garlic-infused oil
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp salt

For the roasted vegetables

2 medium zucchini, cut into ½-inch half-moons
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
1 cup cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp garlic-infused oil
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

For the tofu

14 oz firm tofu, drained and pressed, cut into ¾-inch cubes
1 tbsp tamari
1 tbsp garlic-infused oil

For the dressing

¼ cup tahini
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp water, plus more to thin
1 tbsp maple syrup
¼ tsp salt

For serving

2 cups baby spinach
4 scallions, green tops only, thinly sliced
2 tbsp sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Combine the brown rice, 3 cups water, and 1/4 tsp salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
2
Pat the drained chickpeas very dry with paper towels — the drier they are, the crispier they will roast. Spread them on one half of a large baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tbsp garlic-infused oil and sprinkle with cumin, smoked paprika, and 1/4 tsp salt; toss to coat.

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