High Fructose Corn Syrup Free Mediterranean Buddha Bowl

Total time50 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time30 min

4.5

(16)

High Fructose Corn Syrup Free Mediterranean Buddha Bowl

Bright, fresh, and deeply satisfying, this Mediterranean-inspired bowl is built entirely from whole, unprocessed ingredients — which makes avoiding hidden sweeteners genuinely effortless here. Fluffy quinoa forms the base, topped with crispy oven-roasted chickpeas seasoned with cumin, smoked paprika, and turmeric for a warm, earthy depth that makes the whole bowl feel substantial. The lemon-tahini dressing is the real star: just tahini, fresh lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and a little water whisked together into something silky and bright — no bottled shortcuts, no mystery additives. Sliced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, creamy avocado, and red onion round out the bowl with color and crunch that makes every forkful interesting. High fructose corn syrup tends to sneak into store-bought dressings and canned goods, but every component here is made from scratch or sourced from simple, single-ingredient staples you can easily verify. The trick to getting those chickpeas genuinely crispy is patting them completely dry before they hit the oven — don't skip that step. It's the kind of meal that looks impressive, eats like comfort food, and comes together without a single ingredient you'd need to second-guess.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the quinoa

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
¼ tsp salt

For the roasted chickpeas

1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp ground turmeric
¼ tsp salt

For the lemon-tahini dressing

3 tbsp tahini
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely grated
2–3 tbsp water, to thin
¼ tsp salt

For the bowls

1 english cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup kalamata olives, pitted
2 avocados, pitted, peeled, and sliced
¼ red onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
2 tbsp raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas) (optional)

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Combine the rinsed quinoa, 2 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 fully absorbed and the quinoa tails have unfurled, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
2
While the quinoa cooks, spread the drained chickpeas on a clean kitchen towel and pat thoroughly dry — the drier they are, the crispier they will roast. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil, and toss with the cumin, smoked paprika, turmeric, and 1/4 tsp salt until evenly coated.

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