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Roasted Broccoli Bowl with Spiced Sunflower Sauce

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Servings 2
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Ingredients

Spiced Sunflower Sauce

  • ½ cup raw sunflower seeds (see note about soaking)
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1 clove of garlic, peeled
  • 1- inch piece of fresh turmeric (OR ½ teaspoon turmeric powder)
  • 1 teaspoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon raw apple cider vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon pure maple syrup or other liquid sweetener
  • ¾ cup filtered water
  • ½ cup neutral-tasting oil (I like sunflower or avocado)
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
  • hot sauce, to taste (I used about 7-8 dashes of Cholula)

Roasted Broccoli Bowl

  • 2 heaped cups of broccoli florets (from roughly 2 broccoli stalks)
  • 1-2 teaspoons olive oil
  • sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 portions of cooked brown/black/red rice, kept warm
  • 1 cup cooked chickpeas
  • the spiced sunflower sauce!
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • extra sunflower seeds

Instructions

  • Combine all of the special sauce ingredients in an upright blender and blend on high for a full minute, or until completely smooth. Check the sauce for seasoning and adjust if necessary. If the sauce seems too thick, blend it with an extra splash or two of water until it's at the consistency you like. Scrape the sauce into a glass jar, seal it tight, and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Toss the broccoli florets with the olive oil and some salt and pepper on a baking sheet. Once the florets are lightly coated, spread the vegetables out into a single layer. Slide the tray into the oven and roast until broccoli is lightly browned/crisped and the stalks are tender, about 15 minutes for medium-sized florets.
  • In two good-sized bowls, divide the warm rice and chickpeas. Top each bowl with the roasted broccoli florets. Finish the bowls with a hearty drizzle of the special sauce, sliced green onions, and sunflower seeds. Serve immediately.

Equipment

Recipe Notes

  • I don't soak the sunflower seeds since I use a high-speed blender for this sauce. If you have a normal kitchen blender, I'd recommend soaking the sunflower seeds for at least 2 hours. For a food processor, a reader has told me that the sunflower seeds smooth out just fine if soaked for 8 or so hours.
Roasted Broccoli Bowl with Spiced Sunflower Sauce is a filling and wholesome vegan main course. The sauce is delicious on anything!