This week, the first sign of flowers and leaves put me into full Spring mode. My meals have been fresher than ever and I’m feeling on fire energy wise.
It’s about time!
The hot yoga sessions are also helping tremendously. (Thank you, by the way, for your great comments yesterday.) I’ve been to 4 hot yoga sessions now and you could pretty much say that I’m addicted. But, more on that later.
[We need to mow the lawn and weed the garden! eek…it begins]
Yesterday, I was craving an old favourite- the Protein Power Goddess Bowl that I adapted from The Coup Cookbook. I’ve been smitten with this salad since I made it last year and the tahini-Lemon dressing is just to die for!
My mission yesterday was simple: To lighten up this salad for Spring.
I wouldn’t call this salad heavy per say, but I was never crazy about the 1/2 cup of olive oil that the original recipe calls for. I knew with a bit of work, I could create a lighter Tahini dressing that would taste just as tempting as the original.
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Protein Power Goddess Bowl
By
This hearty recipe is inspired by a vegetarian restaurant called The Coup in Calgary, Alberta. A rich, tangy lemon-tahini sauce coats chewy French green lentils, spelt berries, and crunchy vegetables. I suggest serving a couple spoonfuls of this recipe on top of a salad or alongside crackers and hummus—a little bit goes a long way.
Yield
6 cups
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Ingredients:
For the goddess bowl:
- 1 cup uncooked French green lentils (2 to 2 3/4 cups cooked)
- 1 cup uncooked spelt berries or wheat berries (2 cups cooked)
- 1 tablespoon (15 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 medium or large red onion, chopped
- 3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved or 1 large tomato, chopped
- 3 cups packed baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced
- 1 batch Lemon-Tahini Dressing
- Fine sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- Chopped green onion and lemon zest, to garnish (optional)
For the Lemon-Tahini Dressing:
- 1 large garlic clove
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) tahini
- 3 to 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast, to taste
- 3 to 4 tablespoons (15 to 20 mL) extra-virgin olive oil, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Directions:
- Soak the spelt berries in a bowl of water overnight, or for at least 8 to 12 hours. Drain and rinse well.
- Add the drained spelt berries into a medium pot and cover with a couple inches of water. Bring to a low boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes until tender, but still chewy. Drain excess water.
- Rinse and drain the lentils. Add to a medium pot and cover with a couple inches of water. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil and then immediately reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes until tender, but still a bit chewy. French lentils will hold their shape beautifully and won't break down like regular green or brown lentils. Drain well.
- Prepare the Lemon-Tahini Dressing: Mince the garlic in a mini food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients and process until smooth. Set aside.
- In a large skillet or pot, add the oil, onion, and garlic, along with a pinch of salt. Stir. Sauté over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, until the onion softens.
- Stir in the chopped red pepper and tomato and sauté for another 7 to 8 minutes.
- Add the spinach, cooked spelt berries and lentils, and stir to combine. Sauté until just wilted. Remove the pot from the heat.
- Stir in all of the Lemon-Tahini Dressing, and the fresh parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with chopped green onion and lemon zest on top, if desired. This salad is lovely served on top of a leafy green salad, or you can serve it with hummus and crackers on the side too.
Nutrition Information
Lightening up the Tahini-Lemon dressing was a huge success! I cut down the oil by 75% and the dressing still tasted wonderful.
Here are the changes I made to the lightened up version:
- I added another garlic clove (to make 3) (to add more flava!)
- I added 2-3 more tbsp water (to thin it out more)
I was worried the taste would be compromised but it was just as addicting like I remembered. Even if you don’t want to make this lentil salad, you could always make the dressing and use it for salads all week long. It is truly one of my most loved homemade dressings to date.
[print_this]
Lightened Up Tahini-Lemon Dressing
Adapted from Tahini-Lemon Dressing.
Yield: Just under 1 cup of dressing
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup Tahini
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- 1/4 cup Nutritional yeast or a bit more, to taste
- 2-4 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
- 1 tsp kosher salt + freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- 3 tbsp water, or as needed
Directions:
1. In a food processor, add all ingredients and process until smooth. Makes just under 1 cup.
[/print_this]
Once you cook your desired grains and make the dressing, you simply sauté some vegetables of your choice until tender.
Yesterday, I added Lacinato Kale instead of spinach and I loved it! It’s less bitter than regular kale.
Mix in your grains and dressing.
When it’s all cooked, remove from heat and stir in the minced Parsley for another kick of fresh flavour.
Taste test… Uncontrollably!
Serve with a lemon wedge and zest and you have yourself a protein and fibre packed dinner! It’s creamy & comforting, with a tangy kick that is just irresistible.
This will definitely be my go-to version of this salad from now on. We didn’t miss the 6 tablespoons of oil at all.
Have a good one!
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{ 266 comments… read them below or add one }
i am young pup when it comes to eating naturally and healthy. i’m interested in this recipe however concerned with two questions … 1. how well does this salad store? i’m the only one in my family eating this way. 2. do you eat this warm or cold? leftovers warm or cold? … silly questions i know.
I would guess that it would keep for 3-5 days. You could also cut the batch in half if you wanted just 3 cups. I eat it both cold and warm. It is excellent fresh out of the skillet though. I do have it for lunch cold sometimes too and it is good!
Jeny,
I hope you are still eating healty. I’m in the same situation as you. It’is a challenge when the rest of the family is not onboard, but don’t give up. My neice (the vegetarian who still eats a lot of white flour and sugar products) has expressed an interest in trying raw kale, so I’m going to make Angela’s kale salad (with added spinach). If she likes it, I’ll progress to this dish. Good luck with your efforts, hope the family catches on.
I have been eyeing up this recipe for awhile and the lightened up versiom is just what I was looking for! Def making tonight mmm :)
I love all of the colors, and the fiber and protein make it a great meal!
that dressing sounds so yummy!!! I just bought tahini yesterday!! I also love kale and we grow it in our garden!!! So yummy!!!
Major droool happening right now! Lentils and spelt/wheat berries are two of my favorite foods! I love the color and nutrition of this dish……aaaah it looks so good!
Ooh yum this dressing sounds heavenly! I hadn’t tried putting tahini in salad dressing until just a little while ago but it is SO tasty! Gorgeous photos Ange – the colours have got me in a spring mood too, even though it’s not looking overly sunny out today! PS. You’re turning into a hot yoga holic!! I bet you’ll be showing me up next time! Do they know you by name yet? ;)
haha they know me as the girl with the intro pass that never swipes properly maybe! lol
I can’t wait to try this! I make your original a couple of times per month and I’m happy to be able to lighten it up a bit! We’ve gotta get our bods ready for the summer right!?!
That salad looks so fresh and vibrant — I just love the colors. I am definitely in Spring mode as well!
That dressing sounds fab!
“Light” is exactly what I need today! It is so HOT out!! That dressing sounds so so good, it sounds like somethihg that is going to become very versatile in my kitchen!
I love dishes like this. This week I made something similar with quinoa. I also tossed in a huge bunch of fresh herbs (savory, mint, and basil) and lemon and orange juice and zest. Delicious!
Yum! That dish looks like it would be scrumptious! I need to make it asap!
I have SO much kale and spinach right now from my CSA — this looks like a lovely way to use some of it :)
Agreed! I need to use up this kale from the farmer’s market, and this recipe sounds like just the ticket.
This looks so good. I’m not a big fan of parsley, do you think cilantro would work as a substitute?
I’m not sure…Im sitting here trying to taste the flavour combos in my head! I would portion a small serving out of the skillet and then add a bit of minced cilantro to see if you like it first.
I’m like a year and a half late on this, I know, but I finally made my own version of this last night with what I had lying around the house. That mean subbing quinoa for spelt berries (definitely worked, but I’m going to buy spelt next time just for the texture), and cilantro for parsley since one of my chickens got out and ate all my parsley. I think parsley would be divine, but I really liked the cilantro, too! Then again, I’m a big cilantro lover. So, yes, it does work (in my opinion).
I am also not a big fan of parsley, but it works REALLY well in this salad. Especially since it’s cooked. Try a little. YUMMY! And let us know if the cilantro is good too.
Looks so yummy! I’m so into combining lentils with grains these days! The other day, I made a warm salad of brown rice + brown lentils + curry spices and veggies + hard boiled egg. I know you don’t eat eggs, but man, it was so good! Thanks for this! Love the idea of using tahini in it! And lacinato kale is my favorite vegetable ever!
This is the type of recipe I could eat all the time. I would most likely make a huge batch and a huge bowl of the dressing too. :)
The dressing I am really excited for, I usuaslly make one just like it, but maybe add some crushed red pepper flakes. I love my heat whenever I can.
Have a great day!
i’ll take light and flavorful any day! this looks absolutely perfect for any meal really, even breakfast :) i’m actually going to be taking my first hot yoga class next week! i’m excited and a little nervous, but can’t wait :)
I cant wait to see how you like it!
This sounds delicious! Yup, I’ll be making this for dinner tonight!
Hmmm sounds delicious. lemon + tahini would be the perfect spring combo.
Yaaay!!!! Awesome recipe!!! And lightened up means you get to eat more, right??? :D
yes….double yes :)
Looks delicious, Angela. You’ve inspired me to my save money going to restaurants like Fresh or Urban Herbivore by making myself a nourishing power bowl at home! Cant wait to dig into some of that zesty tahini goodness. :)
Enjoy!
Aha! Now I will definitely try this! Love how you reduced the oil. I always cringe when I see dressings with 1/2 cup olive oil!
I love this adaptation! It’s so true with nearly ANY recipe – you really don’t miss the oil when you cut it down
You have been on a recipe roll lately, girl! Keep it up! :)
This recipe looks so delicious! I have to try it out. I love the flavor profile!
Thanks for making that salad light. It is so easy to reduce the oil and still have a great tasting product. I sometimes think oil is a tongue/texture thing more than taste. This looks fantastic!
That is a good point! I would have to agree.
I had the original recipe bookmarked to make, and now I am excited to try the healthier version. I love nutritional yeast on popcorn, but have yet to try it much in cooking. Thanks for the recipe!
I never thought a bowl of lentils and veggies could look and sound so good!
The dressing looks amazing too. Now I know what to make with my leftover tahini. :-)
This looks absolutely delicious, Angela! I love lentils, though they do tend to lend themselves to winter dishes. This is a wonderful way to dress them up for spring! :) Thank you!
This looks so good. I think when there are a lot of colors in a food.. it just tastes so much better.. and well.. this definitely has a lot of color!
What an awesome idea to make a more summery version! Love the recipe!
Oh my goodness, that looks amazing! Thanks for sharing.
The salad looks great and I am not a stranger to full fat, full calorie, full sugar anything..but oil. Ugh 1/2 c of oil just makes most anything taste like an Exxon Oil Slick :) So I never use the full amount of oil b/c it’s usually overkill. Love that you lightened it up and the flavor was still great. Probably BETTER without all the oil :)
Love the vertical shot with the soft blur of the bowls/lemons in the background. If you can get that image, in it’s entirety or most of it, into the TS or FG boxes without compromising composition, please tell me what SIZES you used b/c it’s a photo like that that I just can never get to fit in entirety but you really need most of it for the full effect.
It’s 3:40pm, I haven’t eaten lunch and this looks ridiculously good.
what a beautiful dish!
I love that you are addicted to hot yoga, because I also tried it for the first time this week (today was day 3) and it feels amazing!! I am addicted too and now don’t want to miss a day!
Amazing colours in that bowl, looks and sounds delish, this one is going to the ‘to make soon’ list.
Glad to hear you enjoyed it too! :) Im obsesssssssed. ahah
SO many gorgeous photos in this post. All of the colors are beautiful. <3 This lightened up version sounds great to me!!
I LOVE this recipe! I made it a while back and was just thinking about adding it to my grocery list soon! I have a question though, I don’t have any nutritional yeast… do you have any ideas of what I could use instead? (Just a note: I’m not vegan but I love healthy and delicious recipes :) )
I think it might work without nutritional yeast, although you might have to adjust the other ingredients to taste :)
tahini is so addictingly delicious, i’m sure I would love this dressing. And your photos are especially gorgeous with all of the bright colors.
Putting this dish on my dining wishlist for my upcoming visit ;)
Noted :)
Delicious looking! I’m trying this tonight with buckwheat. I’ve got all of the ingredients including fresh parsley from my own little garden.
I can now confirm that this is delicious tasting as well! This will enter the regular rotation of favourites. And the the dressing is addictive!
Wow this looks amazing!!
I must go in search of spelt berries!!!
Leaves? Flowers? I saw a crocus on Sibbald Flat yesterday and it nearly moved me to tears. Nature has given notice there will be a Spring after an ugly winter. Many large campgounds will not be open the May long weekend due to snow pack or avalanche damage. Spring is running about 3 weeks late in Calgary. I thought we were in the next ice age. David is fine. Give Ewa a hug for me, pls.
This looks delish! I love how creamy it looks and how healthy it sounds. Im trying to figure out how to incorporate that into my cleanse diet…. hmmmm.
www.birdietobe.blogspot.com
Yum! I will be making this for lunch tomorrow! Thanks!
It looks so fresh and delicious…. I wish I had all the ingredients to make that!
I want to try hot yoga so so bad, I’ve heard so many great things about it!
I love this and I love the look of that Tahini Lemon dressing!
Love this recipe Angela! I actually just made it and was wondering, what would you consider a serving? Or if you don’t mind me asking, how much of the recipe did you eat?
Thanks!
I dont measure my portions…because it depends on how hungry I am. It makes 6 cups though, so I guess if you figure a cup is a serving, it could technically serve 6, but that would be pushing it because its addicting. :) I think saying it serves 4 is safe.
I love what you did to the goddess bowl. It’s one of my favorites at the Coup. When you were there, did you try their miso gravy? Hubba hubba ding ding it’s amazing!
I got to go to the Coup twice this week, once for Mother’s Day, and the second time for my birthday. I’m one lucky gal. Next time you go, you have to try the portabella flatbread. It’s out of this WORLD.
What a great recipe! I have got to make this soon. I see where you said substitutions would work well for the spelt. I’m thinking black heirloom quinoa. Do you think that would work?
I cant see why not! I would probably add a bit less quinoa since the quinoa tends to absorb more sauce & u dont want it dry. :)
Great thought. I’m trying it tonight. I’ll let you know how it goes!
That looks like something I’d get at my favorite vegan cafe!
http://goldhearted.etsy.com
Hi Angela! That looks amazing!!! I can’t wait to make it! I am a teenage girl and have just started my own blog! If you get a chance to check it out, that would be wonderful and I would be so honored! Thank you for being an inspiration for me to start a blog! -Lauren
teeneatlive.wordpress.com
Cool, will check it out now!
This sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing.
This definitely sounds delicious and protein packed! The dressing sounds decadent!
It is :) a ‘bowl licker’ heh
Grain and bean salads are my favourite warm weather meals. I’ve already tried a bunch of your salad recipes, and I can’t wait to try this one too!
Mmm this sounds really delicious :) It’s pretty easy to make, too! I’m definitely making this soon, but I’ll probably be subbing the Asian dark toasted sesame paste for Tahini and leaving the nutritional yeast out. Do you think that would work, or is it too much change??
I just made this and it was fantastic :)
I didn’t have many veggies though… just onions, spinach and carrot. I’m sure it would have been even better with peppers and whatnot.
That would be good to eat with pita bread, or something of the such.
http://faithfulsolutions.blogspot.com/
That looks like a fantastic refreshing salad that will leave you nice and full. Perfect!
I love catching when trees begain to bud. But then again I like when they’re multi-color and crunchy. Cue Elton John’s “Circle of Life” to play while you read this….
I can’t believe you have daffodils!! It feels like so long ago that ours died from heat!
Mmmm, this looks really good! I love that your salades are always filling once, with grains and fats. And im a huge fan of both spelt berries and tahini, so this one is really for me :) Thanks for sharing!
I love bowls of grains and beans and veggies like this! I just like Mmmm sauce on mine :)
I love veggie filled bowls with healthy fats, grains, veggies and more. I only hope a meat eater wouldn’t ask, “how do you get your protein?” :)
this looks so good but long ingredient lists intimidate me!
this looks so good but long ingredient lists intimidate me!
That dressing looks really really good, will try this one very soon! :)
I made your original version last week, and it really was as delicious as you say! Thanks for your great recipes!
I’ve had the original recipe for the Protein Power Goddess Bowl bookmarked for a while, but now I think I’ll have to swap it out for this one. It looks SOOO good! I’m really liking the lemon tahini dressing. Lately I’ve had a mild obsession with tahini. I put it on everything! :-P
This is an awesome recipe! So glad I found your site :-)
This looks perfect for summer! The colors are so beautiful. I love when plates are filled with a rainbow of veggies :)
This salad looks so fresh! Perf for warm weather :)
I love The Coup! I go every time I’m in Calgary for work! (It’s so nice to find a place where you can get healthy delicious food while one the road, isn’t it?) Have you been?
Yes I went last November and loved it!!!
That looks great! So colorful and flavorful. I love lacinato kale too
This dressing ROCKS! Just made it for lunch. Sooooo good! Thanks and love your site! (and thanks for introducing me to nutritional yeast – made the oatmeal recipe last week and loved it too!)
yay!!
Great looking salad, and thanks for the lightened up tahini dressing recipe! I’m going to make it for salads, try it on some fish.
Hey, I have been following your blog, and I am getting my blog up and going. Added you to my blogroll :)
Thanks Katherine!
Delicious! I made this and loved it. Looks great, still! Lighter, sunnier weather deserves a lighter meal. ;)
Angela, where in the Halton region can I purchase spelt berries? Thank you in advance!
YUM! I have made your original one before and it was delicious! This one looks great too. Will definitely be giving it a try :D
Ooh I needed an excuse to buy a new jar of tahini. I’ll be putting this on my meal plan for this week :) Sounds delicious.
I loved the original so I will have to try this one too!
Do you use roasted tahini or raw in the salad dressing? It really looks and sounds so good!
This looks delish! The tahini in our cupboard usually just hangs out in there until someone decides to make hummus (which is rare), this is definitely a great way to start using it more often!
i made this tonight and it was delicious! a great warm-weather recipe- filling but still light! in case anyone has trouble finding spelt berries or lacinato kale nearby, i used wheat berries and regular kale and it worked great.
Wow that looks really delicious! It’s on my to-cook list. I’ve never acutally cooked with spelt before.
That looks tasty! I keep seeing your recipes on BlissTree.com. Makes me smile everytime! :)
Angela- you ROCK. I am currently peeling myself down from the ceiling just enough to write this. It’s still warm in the skillet and I want to EAT THE ENTIRE THING. OMG. That was worth every second of effort. YUMMYYYYY.
K
Oh, I should say that I made very minimal changes.
1) used coconut oil instead of olive
2) used mixed brown/wild rice (gluten free)
3) simmered the tomato/pepper/kale for very minimal time to maintain the crunch.
Wow. My three year old just ate two bowls.
YUM!!!! I made this on Friday night and had it for dinner, then lunch on Saturday, then dinner again on Saturday. Totally addictive! Then made another batch of dressing to have on a salad today. Thank you so much for this awesome recipe!
I just made the dressing – wow it’s SO good!
Consider this filed in my favorites! I wanted a light, but hearty dinner tonight, so I whipped this up and WOW. My family raved about this being one of their favorites and I cannot wait to make it again! I snapped a few photos so I can re-publish this tasty little (maybe little isn’t the right word!) dish on my blog in the next day or two. In case anyone wonders, I used short grain brown rice instead of the berries and added a significant amount of minced ginger (1″ piece) in with the garlic and onion and it was tasty, although I couldn’t taste the ginger in the final product.
This would be a great meal to whip up for brown bag lunches. Angela, another delicious recipe — thank you!
Thank you so much for this recipe. It will be my lunches for most of the week and is very tasty at room temperature. I used wheat berries, frozen spinach, and canned lentils and it is great.
Just made this (with some changes because of tomato allergies and lack of nut. yeast) here in NW China and I loved it! I love following your blog and trying out your recipes. I am not a vegan but have been trying to avoid meat where I live lately because of the quality so I am so thankful for delicious alternatives! Thanks for your fun stories, recipes and pictures!
Made this last night and thought it was delicious. I’ve finally purchased a mini-food processor so now I can make your recipes!
But I still have a lot left and I’m headed out of town. Do you think it will freeze well?
mm not sure if it will freeze well as Ive never tried it. Maybe bring it along with you if you can? :)
I just made the lemon tahini sauce- so good! Thanks for the recipe! It’s really dressing up my steamed kale and tempeh :)
I made this last night, was ah-maz-ing!!!
I used brown rice as spelt and wheat berries are difficult to come across in this country…but it tasted good and I LOVE brown rice!!!
Thank you for introducing this to us!!!
This sounds great, can’t wait to make it. I’ve never heard of nutritional yeast though, can you just buy it at the grocery store? Is it with the baking yeast?
Just made this, only change was I added some sun dried tomatoes. It is yummy!
Enjoying this recipe as I type! I made it with white quinoa and it is delicious! I usually enjoy these dishes with ripe oil cured black olives as well (2-3 olives only).
Angela, I have been following your blog for awhile. I became vegan last summer (end of June) and I have to say your blog/recipes has been so helpful. My husband now eats the vegan dishes I make!!
I have two questions for you:
1. Do you have any NEW recipes that use red kidney beans?
2. Is your bakery located downtown Toronto? Where are you located?
Glad you enjoyed it!
I have this recipe for kidney beans: http://ohsheglows.com/2011/04/04/energizing-protein-power-salad/
My bakery is strictly online, no storefront :)
I LOVE everything about this bowl- name too :) it’s starting to warm up here in the Maritimes and lighter meals are more than welcomed :)
Just made this for supper, and it is AMAZING! I will definitely be making it again!
I adapted this into a cold salad by keeping all the veggies raw (the lentils and, in my case, brown rice wilted the kale) and chilled it in the fridge. It was amazing! I can’t wait to use the leftovers as salad toppers later this week!
Great idea!
Great thing about this is that you can use whatever you’ve got in the fridge. I made this with the quinoa I had made a few days ago, some kale, tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic and steamed asparagus. The light sauce was delish and very flavorful. No extra oil required at all! Easy and satisfyingly healthy meal with leftovers (including extra dressing)! Thanks, Angela!
Where did you buy wheat berries I can’t find them.
I believe I bought them from Bulk Barn (A bulk food store here in canada)
angela… this salad is ah-mazing!! I just made it and can’t stop sending pictures of it to my vegan/healthy friends. The true taste tester (mother in law) will be here for dinner tonight, but I am certain she will LOVE this power packed salad! Thanks!!
yay! Glad to hear that :)
I just tried this for the first time and it was AMAZING!! Definitely filling and satisfying! I’m so glad I found your site. I enjoy looking at all of your recipes and am going to try your double chocolate chilled torte next week on our family vacation. I’m the only vegan in the group so we’ll see if I can fool them :). Thanks for all you do!
So glad to hear you enjoyed it and that you are making the torte! woot…im obsessed. So sad the one I made last week is gone! haha
Gah! I wish I could find tahini paste here! Honestly, I think this would be the only recipe that I use it for (I dislike hummus).
Would you recommend any other dressings?
what about a balsamic and vinegar dressing? There is a good one in my back on track salad. I will put my thinking cap on for you.
I just made this dressing…it’s so good, I’d like to bathe in it! Can’t wait to put the whole salad together tomorrow!
i know i’m a tad late, but this is probably one of the best dishes i’ve ever eaten! it fulfills my needs for freshness and garlicky goodness. so super grateful you shared this recipe!
I made this last night for myself for dinner while everyone else was eating fried chicken and potato salad. It was delicious and all of the non-vegans were very surprised how tastey and filling it is! This will be a staple for me for sure!
Oh MY. I just made this for dinner tonight and YUM! I used wheat berries instead of speltberries. Didn’t have nutritional yeast, but I’ll be picking that up, as that dressing is SO good!! And you know, this should come with a statement: “WARNING. The salad you are about to eat is very filling. Eat seconds at your own risk – stomach may become uncomfortably full from lots of deliciousness.”
hha I can so relate to that disclaimer ;)
My husband was smart and didnt go up for more. I did – a small portion, but yikes! LOL Now I know – wait. 10 minutes. A half hour. And THEN if I’m hungry, go for more. ;) Quite delish and I can’t wait to explore your other recipes. Forgot to say in my original post that I’m new to your blog, so hi! LOL
HELLO! :) Nice to meet you Karen! Glad you both enjoyed it :)
I added some brined olives for some nice contrasting flavors and it was quite yummy. Thanks for the recipe!
This sounds delish, do you have any idea what the protein/fat/carb/calorie content is for this dish?
Hey Angela. Just stumbling upon this post. Love the sound of the protein packed one, the salad you chose as #1. How would you suugest taking this for lunch? I’m assuming that you’d have to eat it right away. How do you think it would work out if I made the veggies and then mixed everything together at work, including the dressing and warming in the microwave~would that work at all???
This is delicious Angela! Thank you!!
Ps. I made your Weekend Glow Kale salad, halved the salad component, but saved half the dressing so I could try this as well!!
This sounds so good I have tahini in my fridge just waiting tobe used!! I was wondering though Doyle need the nutritional yeast?? I have never seen this in a store around me…. Thanks can’t wait to try this!
This looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it!
I just made this and it’s fabulous! I actually forgot to put the water in the dressing to thin it out, so it clumped together, but I served it on a bed of greens and it was almost like a casserole – divine! Next time I’ll try adding the water for a different take on it, but I enjoyed it either way – the flavour is the same regardless! Thanks Ange :)
Nutritional yeast always makes me sick, even just the smell of it, would the dressing recipe still work without nutritional yeast or is there a replacement for it? Any tips would be great.
Ive made it without nutritional yeast before and I wasnt a big fan of it. Sorry, Im not sure of any subs!
Love Love Love!
I made a couple of changes to adapt to what was in my fridge, but this is the perfect lunch, I made 3 tupperwares to take to work! Warm or cold are both delicious.
I made a version of this tonight, will be eating it for a while! I used the lentils I had and some black wild rice since I had it rather than buy wheatberries or whatever. I added some sunflower seeds I had for crunch. Very filling and healthy and tasty.
I made this today, and because I wasn’t sure of the flavors, I only made half. Well, I really wish I made the full recipe!! It was so good! I even got a thumbs up from my 12 year old (last day of school and home early!!!). When he got home he said he wasn’t hungry for lunch, but I asked him to have a taste and he quickly said he wanted a bowl! It’s going to be my husband’s and my lunch for tomorrow. I make my husband lunch for work every afternoon. This way he can stick to being vegan. We are only vegan for 2 months. I love your blog!!!
This is the first recipe I tried from your blog. Delicious. I substituted what I had on hand including brown rice, broccoli and basil.
OMG! I just made this for lunch today and I’m moaning through each bite! Thanks so much for sharing your healthy foods for the rest of us to try out and devour :)
I’m adding you to my reader this instant and I’m so glad I saw the photo of this dish on Pinterest!
Made this last night with Quinoa instead of spilt berries, because that’s what I had. It was beyond delicious, reminded me of nachos and I don’t know why but it was deceivingly decadent for lentils.
Hi angela!
This looks amazing! Would you mind providing the nutrition info for it? I know you dont usually do that but I am training for a tri and am keeping track of my fueling!
And another winner! I too added hot chili flakes for some zing…to my 2nd helping! Yum, yum, yum.
Thank you for this recipe! My kale is growing like CRAZY and I need new ways to prepare it. (Although I’m completely obsessed with kale chips…)
I made this tonight and let me just tell you…this.was.amazing. I made it without nutritional yeast (because the nearest grocery store didn’t have it) and it still tasted great! I was in heaven!
I was just thinking I should find a good vegan low-oil dressing when I came across this post! I haven’t made the whole thing yet, but I did make the dressing for a salad today. Thanks so much for posting.
My 14 yr. old daughter loves this. We subbed cilantro for parsley. Delish! Also we try to go low-fat in our house. Not because of weight gain (so over that nonsense) but for health reasons (see 80/10/10). Didn’t put any olive oil in the yummy dressy because have all that lovely fat from the tahini already. Just changed ratios slightly. Used less tahini and added more lemon juice and a splash of water. [2 tbsp. tahini, 1 1/2 lemon, 1 garlic clove, splash of water, good amt. of sea salt] Also try to cut down on grains (again not b/c of weight gain – just find we are not suited for grains – even gluten-free ones:) wherever possible and this salad doesn’t need any. Just gorgeous the way it is!
Thanks so much Angela!
Eating this as I write…Love this recipe!!! So hearty and tasty. I will be eating this often :)
Hi,
I’m thinking on making a Kale Salad with some Tahini dressing, I looked up the recipe for the dressing and it says to put in Tahini, i’m a bit confused but I thought the point was to make it? In any case where can I find the most natural starch free tahini? Health food store. I’m excited to try this out. I hope it works out.
I was out of town and needed a quick dinner so I stopped at a natural foods store and picked up a kale salad from their deli. I ate in my hotel room and it was amazing. The dressing tasted just like this and I knew I’d come home and want to make it again. The salad was chopped kale, grated carrots, minced red onion, and chopped cashews, in case you want something else to put that dressing on. It’s my lunch today, lol!
Hi Angela — I have to tell you this is my new favorite recipe. I made it for the first time a few weeks ago and loved it. My husband even went back for seconds, which is a pretty big deal. Thanks for sharing and doing what you do!
Thanks for this great recipe! I made this as a cold salad this past weekend and submitted it in our Annual Family Cook-Off and it won 1st prize in the salad category (I won a bottle of wine)! I absolutely LOVE the dressing! The salad was especially good the second day…my husband loved it and my three year-old daughter even ate the rice/lentils (she picked out the veggies). Delish!
I’ve made this several times now, and it is so fantastic!! Love the flavors! It’s my husband’s favorite. Thanks!
Ive made this dressing numerous times, it’s so delicious! But I added nutritional yeast for the first time and it curdled on me? I’m new to using nutritional yeast, do you have any idea what went wrong? I immediately made another batch without the yeast and it turned out fine. The yeast was a couple of months old but I read it can last for 18 months.
Hey Ashley, Are you sure it curdled and it wasn’t just the flakes of yeast making it bumpy? I ask because I’ve noticed that nutritional yeast can make things look a bit clumpy at times. Its usually remedied by a good whisking.
i made this last night with farro and spelt berries and it was AMAZING! i also added carrots, palm hearts, mild green olives, swiss chard, cucumber and avocado on top, and left the veggies raw. thanks for this!
That was very good, had to substitute the pepper and tomatoes for carrots and corn,( my kids!!) It was still very good.
I would like to know if there is a way to bookmark your recipes other than w/Pinterest?
And will all the recipes on this blog be in your cookbook? I think that would be great and make it easier to find!
Hey Stephanie, I will look into a recipe book marking service for the blog. I’ve heard there is one out there but I havent looked into it yet. Thanks for the suggestion!
Not all recipes will be in the book, but some of the reader favs will be. :)
WOW.
I have been wanting to make this for months now and I finally did tonight. It was AMAZING.
I made this for my mom (who’s trying to lose weight) and my dad (who’s an ex hippie veg head) and they both could not stop raving about it. In fact, my dad shamelessly had 3 servings!!! It was everything I was dreaming of and I felt compelled to tell you.
Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful recipes with us!
(I can’t wait for tomorrow night when we try the next one!!! <3)
Aw that is so good to hear! Thanks Julia :)
Oh, Mama! I made this last night and you weren’t kidding — it IS addicting!!! I had some for lunch and now I’m dreaming of having some again for dinner. That never happens for me! The flavors, colors, and textures in this bowl are incredible and I am so happy I came across this. I made everything just as you had it, but I used quinoa in place of speltberries. Absolutely delicious, thank you!
I am OBSESSED with this salad dressing. It’s totally beyond. I make it in batches and store it tightly sealed in Tupperware containers in the fridge, but I’m never certain how long the dressing lasts for. How long would you recommend before tossing it? Thanks!
hah you sound like me! I think it should last for 2-4 weeks. I usually just smell it and if it looks and smells normal, I keep using it.
I just tried this recipe this week and was floored by how delicious it came out! I’m admittedly a baker, not a cook, but this was very easy to follow. Thank you for posting such healthy & tasty recipes :)
I wish you would preface your lemony recipes with how much you like lemon. I had to double the recipe because I made it once and it was way too lemony, so I added more of everything but the lemon. Even halving the lemon juice like that, it’s still surprisingly strong. I had to do the exact same thing with a different lemon-containing recipe of yours (I commented on it at the time), and I guess I forgot. Either you have a very mild lemon wherever you live (admittedly, I do live in socal, the land of citrus), or your lemon tastes are way duller than mine. A little caveat would be greatly appreciated!
Do you think the dressing would turn out okay without the nutritional yeast?
This was SO good even the next day! Thank you!
Oh man, I finally made this this afternoon and I definitely fulfilled the “taste test uncontrollably” step haha. It is really delicious, thank you so much for providing this recipe! My mom loved it too and was surprised that she enjoyed the kale so much! It was my first time trying kale as well and I am definitely a supporter. Thanks again and I will continue to go through the recipes on your website! I also made your pumpkin pie this Thanksgiving and it was a total hit. Well done! Looking forward to your cookbook, that’s for sure!
I’m so happy to hear that Michelle! Thank you for letting me know :)
Delicious Delicious Delicious!!!
I’m having some dinner guests soon and i was thinking of serving stuffed portobello mushrooms but i wanted to mix up the stuffing. Do you think this would taste good on top of portobello mushrooms? This salad looks beautiful! :)
Im not sure, but it might be worth a try!
Delicious! Thanks for the awesome recipe. :)
I made this for the second time last night but I didn’t have any brown lentils, only had one lemon and foolishly decided upon amaranth as my grain of choice, suffice to say it did not look like your beautiful pictures but it still tasted really good. I used quinoa the time before and it was a much better texture. I think the red lentils were really the main texture culprit. Anyhow, thought I’d share in case someone else was planning on using red lentils as a substitute also. :)
Thanks for all your great recipes, love your site!
Does the lemon tahini dressing work well as a make-ahead and store in the refrigerator overnight? Or should it be made right before dressing the salad?
Hi Karen, Yes I would imagine that you can certainly make it the night before! Enjoy
Hi Angela,
Just wanted to let you know how much I love this recipe! I pinned it on Pinterest a few weeks ago and just made a second batch yesterday. And you’re right, it is good warm or cold. I can’t wait to eat my lunch today!
I just made this tonight and it was so beyond amazing! I am always looking for awesome ways to get my protein in and this is the best recipe I’ve seen so far! I am so excited to make this again and again!
This was a total HIT- I had three carnivores at my table loving every bite!
Made this gorgeous dish again. Put the kale mixture in the bowl and put the tahini dressing right over the top without cooking the dressing in the pan. Couldn’t wait! And pureed the parsley right into the tahini dressing which made it green. Probably not as pretty to most but saved me the chopping time and still tasted good:) Thx again for another yummy dish!
And forgot to say have made each time without a grain and I get no complaints…just have to make more of it!
so easy and so good ! made this for dinner last night and today my family and i ate some of it for lunch the next day ! ive been looking for recipes that i can make in advance and brin to campus. this will definitely be a regular meal ! thanks !
I just made this, and it is awesome! I never would have thought to put these ingredients together in this way. YUM!!!! Will definitely make it again!!!! Thank you!!!
We can’t get nutritional yeast in Ireland, can you recommend a substitute? This looks gorgeous!
I was going to make this salad (which I’ve made before – it’s great!) but then I saw a can of chickpeas lying on the counter and thought I’d make hummus from your tahini dressing recipe. The result was amazing! Added leftover chives too! Never made hummus with nutritional yeast before. New favourite! Thanks for the inspiration! :)
This was absolutely delicious! The Lemon Tahini dressing is fabulous and my carnivore hubby loved it!! Thanks for great recipes!
So happy to hear that Ann :) Thanks for trying it out!
I am so excited to try this recipe! It sounds absolutely delicious! But this is the first time I have heard of Tahini. Would you be able to explain it a little more? Also, which brand of Tahini do you usually buy?
Hey Tara, Tahini is also known as sesame seed butter. I don’t have a go-to brand, I usually just buy what’s on sale. :)
Any way I could get the nutrition info on this? I’m looking for just calories, grams of protein and carbs? Thx so much, this looks so wonderful!!
Your lightened up protein bowl (rice, lentils, kale, veggies and dressing) tastes AMAZING with Sambal Oelek.
Oh, I forgot to say, a friend and I liked it warmed up, whereas my husband liked it cold. Fabulous dish. Thank you for the amazing recipes!!
I talked about the Tahini Lemon Dressing on my blog – just love that stuff!
I’ve been reading your blog for ages. Can’t believe it’s taken me so long to attempt a recipe. I’m literally writing this as I eat this dish. I’m so impressed. Thank you!!!!!
We love this dressing- it makes a great lunch dressing for my kids. It is really great also with some herbs thrown in- dill, parsley, cilantro or a mix. love you blog. thanks!
This dressing is my new favorite thing! I rarely want anything else on a salad. I often add more garlic cloves than called for, because I love garlic.
My husband and I have only been vegan for 10 months or so and we LOVE your blog and recipes. The goddess bowl, along with many other recipes of yours have become staples on our menu. Thank you sooo much for helping cooking-challenged vegans like us have delicious meals and desserts that we can enjoy and share with our non-vegan/vegetarian friends and family!
I’ve been experimenting going vegan lately. Giving up dairy completely makes me nervous. However, I made this for dinner tonight! Wow! It is so delicious, comforting and yummy!!! The creamy lemony tahini dressing is outstanding. I used lentils and quinoa in my mix. I’ll make this again!
Great recipe! Next time, though, I think I’ll replace the parsley with another herb, I’ve never been a big parsley fan.
Also, I am in love with this entire blog. You are a culinary genius, I can’t wait to get your cookbook in the mail.
Congratulations on your big news! So exciting! As a much less important note, the lightened up tahini lemon dressing is WONDERFUL! Made it for the first time two days ago and will be making more today!!! Brought new life to my salads!
My husband made this for lunch yesterday for my post 13 mile run lunch (1/2 marathon race in 2 weeks!) and it was DELICIOUS and so filling! I love the flavor and creaminess of the dressing. We used wheat berries instead of spelt berries, since that’s what we had on hand, and while they took forever to cook they were a good substitute (and super high in protein!). Looking forward to leftovers today!
Made this for dinner tonight and love it! Nice combination of ingredients. I used quinoa instead of speltberries.
Just found your site last week, and made this recipe over the weekend. Really impressed! Really good flavor and I have plenty left for lunches for a couple days. Since I didn’t make the lentils or rice the night before, it seemed like a lot of prep work all at once to pull it together, but going forward I’ll definitely do this in two parts to make it faster. Thank you!
just found your website after reading about power bowls in the newspaper. I can’t wait to try this.!!
Just made this amazing dressing. Was skeptical about HALF A CUP of lemon juice, but it is totally appropriate! Counters the salty savor of the tahini really well. I’m looking forward to more recipe discoveries from this blog. It’s just the kind of good I’m into. (Found my way here from Ginny’s blog Small Things.)
I made this dish last night and I must admit it is one of my absolute favourites. I replacedthe nutritional yeast with some mustard and a little red wine vinegar (had to improvise) but it was delicious. Definitely a winner. Thanks so much for the amazing recipes.
Ever since I first made this I literally have cravings for it at least once a week! Absolutely delicious! I think I’ll make again it for lunch tomorrow :)
Your recipes all look delicious! I have been wanting to try this salad for a long time now but I can’t find tahini in any of my local stores. I am wondering if you think I can sub it for garbanzo beans maybe or something else that is a more common ingredient? Please let me know. Thanks!
What is nutritional yeast a substitute for? I’m not vegan but am wanting to make this recipe. Thanks!
Just discovered this website. I’ve made a few things, and so far, everything has been so fantastic! Just made this last night with the brown rice (gluten free) option. My husband and I ate it warm and it was beyond delicious! Had it left over cold for lunch. Even better! Thanks for the amazing recipes! :D
Yum, very interested in preparing this dressing. I’ve had to be dairy free for some time due to my fibromyalgia. Also, I know I’m a cess pool of candida as the fibro gets worse when I eat anything that could upset this. I can’t find information either way on the internet as to whether or not it’s ‘okay’ to have nutritional yeast if you’re trying to remove Candida. Do you know what could substitute?
I guess I could try it w/o the nutritional yeast, but I would really like to have things according to their recipes and delicious. Every vegan cheese or cheese sauce has nutritional yeast that I find… Would be really nice if there was something that could substitute.
Could I freeze this?
Wow! This was sooo good! I am ordering your book tonight :)
I just cannot live without your recipes. Thanks for sharing!
I made the dressing but substituted almond butter and added a 1/4 c of maple syrup… Heaven!!
Just made this. WOW! Super yummy. The only substitute I made was the bell pepper. I used roasted red bell pepper because I did not have a fresh one. This recipe is a definite keeper. I love your blog and your recipes. Thank you!
Does anyone have any advice on how long this will keep in the fridge? I’m the only one eating but love leftovers for lunch and quick weeknight dinners. Would you recommend leaving the dressing off and only using it on a per-need basis? Or should it keep well in the fridge all dressed from the get go?
Thanks!
Just found your webiste and love it. Was wondering about Tahini-Lemon Dressing would it be ok just ot leave the oil out and if so what could I sub for it maybe water. Look go wanted to make a low lowfat dressing. What do you think?
Help! Just recently told I have food allergies to things I eat ALL THE TIME like almonds and gluten and Brewers yeast! Can you recommend a substitute for the yeast in this tahini dressing?
BTW I got your cookbook for christmas and I love it!
This is soooo good! I put it in a cassava wrap with some Siracha.. YUM! Even my carnivorous husband loved it.
I made this with raw veggies instead of sauteing them and it turned out great! i love it on its own or thrown over a bed of lettuce!
This looks delicious! Do you have any idea if it would freeze well? Thank you!
I’ve been making this dish for years. Enjoying it for lunch today -so, so good!
I have died and woke up in heaven. This dressing is AMAZING. Wow! Why does it taste sooooo good. lol lol Oh She Glows is definitely glowing on this one, you really outdone yourself with this one :)
I am a health coach and am loving all of your recipes! I constantly refer my client to this website for cooking homework. I will be trying this recipe tonight, I like to double the recipe and freeze so I always have food on hand. Will this be ok to freeze? Is there anything I should definitely not try to freeze? The thought of spending a lot of time and money on something that is ruined in the freezer is tough!!! Thanks!
OK, this dressing is the nectar of the gods. I made a full batch today and mixed it with two bags of Trader Joe’s Cruciferous Crunch (shredded brussell sprouts/broccoli/green & red cabbage). Served it at a party and scored a home run. Seriously…the entire bowl was consumed and licked clean. I’m going to whip up another batch tomorrow. It.is.that.good. Thank you for the double dog delicious recipe!
I know this recipe has been around for awhile, but I just got around to making it last night. We subbed cilantro for parsley because my husband will not eat anything with parsley in it. It turned out great! My husband has demanded that this recipe be included in the weekly rotation. Thanks for another great recipe!
I know this recipe has been around for awhile, but I just got around to making it last night. We subbed cilantro for parsley because my husband will not eat anything with parsley in it. It turned out great! My husband has demanded that this recipe be included in the weekly rotation. Thanks for another great recipe!
As soon as I saw this recipe, I had to make it immediately! I cooked it tonight and it was absolutely gorgeous….it is now my new favourite meal I’ve found since going veggie a year ago. My husband and I ate ALL of the 6 cup yield in one sitting, it was so lovely! I have no idea how it compares to the original, but I loved it as it is
I made this for dinner last night – YUM. I cooked 1 cup quinoa (in place of the berries) but didn’t need it all – 3/4 cup will probably be fine. Skipped the raw garlic in the sauce. Served hot, sprinkled with toasted pepitas. My husband took the leftovers for lunch today – I guess he doesn’t mind glowing. Thanks!
This was great! Before your blog, I thought I could NEVER do Vegan. Now I incorporate Vegan meals into the weekly plan, but also use some of your recipes and incorporate meat (I hope that isn’t a desecration to your goal :-) I’ve just found that your seasonings are better than most recipes out there and my husband and I are very much meat-eaters, tho we also highly value plant-based nutrients and spices.
I’ve tried to like green lentils and can’t, so I substituted grilled chicken cubes for the lentils and quinoa for the brown rice part… also just added some cumen to the mix. And sprinkled the top with feta cheese. Everything else was the same as your recipe and it’s DELICIOUS! Thank yoU!
I just made this and I absolutely love it! The dressing adds so much flavour. I did not use nutritional yeast and it was still delicious! I am not vegetarian but I do look for healthy recipes and I have tried a few of your recipes and I am in love with them!
Thanks!
Just made your tahini sauce. It was absolute perfection and a HUGE hit with my (normally very picky) 8 year old boy. You’re making vegan eating so easy!
Hello,
I love your website, I was just wondering do you mind adding the nutritional information of each recipe!
Hi Angela… I am not vegan but have tried many of your recipes.I love them..!!! Especially the salads and bars. They are delicious and healthy. I really want to try this salad but I don’t have access to nutritional yeast. Can you please suggest a substitution for same for dressing? Thanks a ton for all the recipes. :)
So…this may be too late but i am trying to make this for dinner tonight from the cookbook recipe. Thing is the ingredients listing says Speltberries soaked overnight but the recipe says cook according to table on page 302. So, do i soak over night then drain any remaining water then add the 1.5 cups water and cook or do i add the 1.5 cups in addition to the overnight water? They have increased in size considerably so ran to your site to check but I can’t even find the same recipe! Any help is very appreciated. Hopefully you will see this soon and my dinner will be saved! Thanks!
Hi Angela – I just made this recipe for dinner last night and it was delicious! The dressing is so addictive and the meal overall isn’t heavy. I tweaked the recipe just a bit and replaced the spelt berries with goji berries because spelt berries weren’t available at the grocery store. I was a little nervous about how this change would affect the recipe, but let me tell you it was amazing! The combination of the tangy sauce with the sweet flavor of the goji berries was something I couldn’t get enough of. I will definitely make this again. Thanks!
I wonder about experimenting with buckwheat groats instead? I have never used them but have some in the cupboard. Ideas? :)
Another amazing recipe! And that dressing…I had to stop myself from drinking the dressing right out of the food processor!
Haha, I’m glad you liked the recipe, Alyssa! (I love that dressing too, it’s one of my favs!)
I ran across this recipe the other day. I just made it last night. I only had green lentils, but I didn’t cook them as long so that they didn’t get mushy and I used kale instead of spinach. I love it! I loved it hot and cold! Thank you so much! This will be a go to for weekday lunches :)
I really want to make this lemon tahini dressing for a gathering tomorrow, with the weekend glow kale salad:) However, I was wondering if there’s a substitute for the nutritional yeast by any chance?
Any suggestions for subbing out the cherry tomatoes? I’m not a fan of them, but it seems like an essential mix in the flavors.
Angela, I have been using your cookbook and online recipes now for almost a year (thanks to my new daughter-in-love – no law here!) and I have yet to find one that I don’t absolutely LOVE – I’ve made at least 20 of your recipes and still going! Usually I find a few favourites in any cookbook – but each new recipe becomes a favourite! This is likely to become one of my go-to’s for a ‘company’ salad, as well as one of my fave lunches! Thank you so much for your generosity in sharing your wonderful talent and love of cooking with us!
Aww thank you so much Judi! That means the world to me :)
Just made this and love it! I did substitute the wheat berries for sorghum (gluten free option), which has a really good taste and texture. It did take a long time to cook the sorghum (45-60min). Thank you for another beautiful recipe :)
Do you think this should freeze well?