- May 18, 2023
- Modified On: October 12, 2022
- by Amy Gorin, MS, RDN
- 0 Comments
Veggie Power Bowl with Dijon Dressing
Looking for a veggie power bowl that will fuel you up? This summer grain bowl is not only nutritious, it’s delicious with a Dijon dressing.
Love one-bowl meals and grain bowl recipes? Then this maple-Dijon vegetarian grain bowl will quickly become a household favorite!
The gluten-free, vegan power bowl is packed with in-season veggies, and the dressing combines pure maple syrup with Dijon mustard.
I recommend doubling or tripling the dressing recipe so you have enough on hand for flavoring other salads, bowls, and even sandwiches throughout the week! Now, read on for the intel on how to make this summer grain bowl.
Lately, I’ve been kinda obsessed with coming up with the perfect grain bowl recipe. So I’ve tried all the vegetarian grain bowl recipes and vegan power bowl recipes for inspo.
Since summer is around the corner, I wanted to incorporate my favorite seasonal ingredients—ahem, grilled veggies!—to create a meal that tasted, well, like sunshine.
Ingredients
I also wanted to create a recipe that’s vegan and gluten free. I have many summer events coming up, with guests that have varying dietary restrictions. So whipping up a dish that meets all those needs means happy guests, as well as easier hosting.
I decided on quinoa as the main grain for the vegetarian grain bowl, arugula as the leafy green, kidney beans as the plant protein, and avocado as the healthy fat.
To make this veggie power bowl, you’ll need some ingredients:
Maple syrup: While honey is often used in Dijon dressings to balance out the spicy tang of mustard, I decided on maple syrup for this Dijon salad dressing because it adds complex flavor notes.
Also, using it in the recipe means the dressing is vegan. I like to use maple syrup in such recipes not only because of its unique flavor profile but also because of the many health benefits it offers.
Did you know that Canada produces more than 70 percent of the world’s maple syrup? Most of this production happens in Quebec, where I’ve visited a handful of times—both as a young girl and as an adult.
I always enjoyed sampling the many maple products, from the syrup itself to candies sweetened with it. (Yes, even dietitians love occasional indulgences!)
What I didn’t know then is that the syrup’s taste is directly impacted by when in the growing season the sap used to make it is gathered.
Sap gathered at the beginning of the season, typically in March, yields syrup with a delicately sweet taste. Toward April, the sap produces syrup that’s darker and more caramelized, with a more robust taste. How cool is that?
And pure maple syrup from Canada offers a lot of beneficial nutrients. You definitely can’t say the same about table sugar!
These nutrients include manganese, a mineral that helps control blood sugar and support healthy muscles, as well as riboflavin, a B vitamin that plays an important part in the body’s cellular function.
Maple syrup contains 60-plus polyphenols, aka health-helping antioxidants. One of these polyphenols forms when sap is boiled to create maple syrup and is called Quebecol, after the province of Quebec.
Dijon mustard: You can’t make Dijon dressing without mustard!
Vidalia onion, garlic cloves, yellow squash, grape tomatoes, and arugula: I grilled up a bunch of my favorite veggies, including summer squash and Vidalia onions. I also grilled some garlic cloves and sliced up a bunch of grape tomatoes.
If you can’t get your hands on these specific vegetables, just use what you have on hand! Red onions will work, as will roasted sweet potatoes (you’d probably want to decrease the amount of quinoa if you add potato).
Quinoa: Feel free to use brown rice instead of quinoa, if that’s what you have on hand. Isn’t this news that you’re glad to hear?
Kidney beans: These add vegan protein to the veggie power bowl.
Avocado: This supplies healthy fat, which is filling.
This veggie power bowl can be one of your go-to summer vegan recipes!
Step-by-step instructions
To make the salad dressing for this veggie power bowl, combine olive oil, vinegar, maple syrup, and mustard in a sealed container, such as a mason jar. Shake until well combined, and set aside.
To make the summer grain bowl, first spray a grill or cast-iron grill pan with spray oil. Grill onions, garlic, and squash over medium-high heat, flipping once, until desired tenderness. Grill lemon wedges until slightly browned, turning once.
Place a bed of arugula in two bowls, and top with quinoa. Add grilled vegetables, tomatoes, kidney beans, and avocado.
Season with salt and pepper; drizzle with maple-Dijon dressing. Add lemon wedge, and enjoy immediately.
Recipe FAQ
They are if you choose one, such as this veggie power bowl, that’s nutritionally balanced. You’ll want to make a power bowl that’s loaded with veggies and that contains a protein, healthy fat, and whole grain.
The kidney beans in this power bowl provide protein, the avocado and olive oil offer healthy fat, and the quinoa serves as a whole grain.
Weight loss happens when you take in less calories than you burn. But you don’t want to eat too small of a meal. Aim for a dinner with 400 to 600 calories and one that contains a protein, healthy fat, and whole grain.
More power bowl recipes
I hope this veggie power bowl with maple-Dijon dressing quickly becomes a staple in your household! The whole meal takes less than 25 minutes to put together.
Want more vegetarian power bowl recipes? Also try these summer vegetarian recipes:
These great recipes are great for adding to meal plans. Now, go ahead and whip up this vegetarian power bowl!
This content was originally part of a partnership with Pure Canada Maple.
Veggie Power Bowl with Dijon Dressing
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1½ tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- Spray oil
- ½ Vidalia onion, sliced
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1 yellow squash, sliced
- ½ lemon, sliced
- 3 cups arugula
- 1 cup cooked quinoa, prepared with low-sodium vegetable broth according to package directions
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup low-sodium canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ avocado, sliced
- Sea salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
Salad Dressing
- Combine olive oil, vinegar, maple syrup, and mustard in a sealed container, such as a mason jar. Shake until well combined, and set aside.
Salad
- Spray a grill or cast-iron grill pan with spray oil. Grill onions, garlic, and squash over medium-high heat, flipping once, until desired tenderness. Grill lemon wedges until slightly browned, turning once.
- Place a bed of arugula in two bowls, and top with quinoa. Add grilled vegetables, tomatoes, kidney beans, and avocado.
- Season with salt and pepper; drizzle with maple-Dijon dressing. Add lemon wedge, and enjoy immediately.
Nutrition
Let me know if you make this vegan power bowl with maple-Dijon dressing! What are your favorite ingredients for vegetarian grain bowls? How do you use maple syrup in your cooking?
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