Roasted Vegetables Quinoa Bean Platter [ balsamic dressing ]

This is a great example of a meal that can be prepped upfront and one that is also delicious as a on the go lunch or quickie next day. This roasted vegetables quinoa bean platter with a balsamic dressing is loaded with healthy fiber rich vegetables, the quinoa and beans are a great source of plant based protein.

I always try to have a ready to eat plant based protein like beans or tofu, at least one healthy starch like rice or sweet potatoes and steamed and some cooked or baked vegetables in the fridge so I can assemble a bowl of healthy food in a few minutes.

Grilled or oven baked vegetables have a very different texture from cooked or steamed. On one hand they seem dryer on the eye yet they have a moist and intense flavor on the inside. It is all about the perfect baking time so the vegetables don’t burn and get dry but are moist and golden brown. I didn’t add oil when roasting these, only salt and pepper. Oil is a refined food, pure calories and no nutrients so I usually omit using it.

What are the best vegetables for roasting?

I love roasting root vegetables like sweet potatoes and those small white ones with their skin on. Carrots and parsnips also do very well when baked in the oven. Besides those brussel sprouts are a winter favorite for sure. Also broccoli, cauliflower, onions, pumpkin, zucchini, fennel, bell peppers and cherry tomatoes are delicious roasted. Little pockets of concentrated flavor. I do my baking and roasting on these non-stick pba free silicon reusable baking mats.

And we shouldn’t forget about oven roasted garlic …. that is the best! I always pop a whole bulb in the oven whenever I’m baking something. The baked garlic is sweet, easy on the stomach and just delicious in salad dressings.

My roasted vegetables quinoa bean platter is made up of mixed baby greens, quinoa, black beans, roasted vegetables and fresh herbs like basil and chives.

This balsamic garlic dressing compliments the roasted vegetables so well! Very simpel, oil free and full of flavor. Of course I added some oven baked garlic to the balsamic vinegar, also some mustard, maple syrup and nutritional yeast. Combines deliciously with the salad.

The next day I paired some of the roasted vegetables with greens, lentils, baked sweet potato and avocado. You can reheat the veggies or serve them cold, depending on the meal. Batch Cooking is something I find very useful and necessary if I want to keep these healthy meals coming and easily available daily.

This roasted vegetables quinoa bean platter fits perfectly in a whole foods plant based weight loss plan. It is filling and will trigger the FULL feeling due to the volume of food, an important part of a healthy doable life style, you don’t want to feel deprived. Lots if nutrient and fiber rich, blood sugar balancing foods on one plate.

Read HERE on how to increase your bodies metabolisme to enhance weight loss.

Tina x

ps. if you like this recipe you can print it or save the picture below to your Pinterest board,