This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and Mazola® Corn Oil. All opinions are mine alone. #SimpleSwap #CollectiveBias
While I’m waiting for warm weather and farm-fresh vegetables to come around, I have been finding ways to make the current seasonal vegetables that are available more exciting. I have also been trying to be more conscious of what is going into my body and making some simple swaps in my cooking to accomplish this goal starting from the oil that I add to the pan to cook. A recent study has found that adding Mazola® Corn Oil to one’s diet resulted in lower cholesterol levels than Coconut Oil. A previous study found that corn oil can also help lower cholesterol more than extra virgin olive oil. To learn more about the study, see Mazola.com. I had no idea that corn oil could be so beneficial but it’s exactly why I used it to make these Mediterranean Roasted Rainbow Vegetable Bowls.
I’m always trying to pack as many vegetables as I can into my lunches and dinners and these bowls are filled with cauliflower, zucchini, carrots, onions, peppers and seasoned perfectly with aromatic spices. The addition of chickpeas adds a serving of protein and the kale is a great source of fiber. To finish the bowl I whipped up a delicious batch of roasted garlic tahini dressing. If you’re not familiar with tahini it is made of ground sesame seeds. I love the way it smells and it makes a delicious base for the dressing on the kale.
I roasted the vegetables and chickpeas with a variety of seasonings to really create a Mediterranean flavor in this bowl. After tossing everything with the corn oil, I added the seasoning and spread everything out on a pan to roast. Did you know that Mazola® Corn Oil is an all-purpose cooking oil that is a smart heart-healthy choice for your family? It has a wide variety of uses include baking, grilling, sautéing, stir frying, or mixing up a marinade or dressing. A clinical study showed Mazola Corn Oil reduces cholesterol 2x more than extra virgin olive oil. To learn more about this claim, see Mazola.com. Mazola® Corn Oil also has a neutral taste that won’t negatively impact the taste of ingredients, so it lets the natural flavor of your food stand out. Not to get too technical, but Mazola also has a smoke point higher than most cooking oils at 450°F and performs well in a variety of cooking applications, including stir-frying, sautéing, grilling and even baking. Many home cooks may not realize that all cooking oils have a smoke point that, once exceeded, not only negatively affect the food’s flavor but also the nutritional value. Since you roast at a higher temperature, using the corn oil will help to avoid burning the vegetables.
This recipe is great served warm for dinner or if you want to use it for a meal-prep option for lunch you can prepare everything ahead of time and drizzle your kale with the tahini dressing before you’re ready to eat. Since I’ve swapped out butter for the corn oil, vegetables instead of rice and homemade tahini dressing for salad dressing, this is a meal that you can feel good about serving your family!
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 4 cups chopped kale
- 3 cups cauliflower florets
- 1 red pepper, cut into 1" cubes
- 1 yellow pepper, cut into 1" cubes
- 1 red onion, cut into 1" cubes
- 1 zucchini, cut into ½" slices
- 2 carrots, cut into 1" slices
- 14 oz. can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons Mazola® Corn Oil
- FOR THE DRESSING
- ½ cup of tahini
- 5 roasted cloves of garlic
- 3 tablespoons of white balsamic vinegar
- ½ cup of water
- 1 teaspoon of cumin
- ½ teaspoon of finely ground sea salt
- For the vegetables, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In large bowl, add cauliflower, red pepper, yellow pepper, red onion, zucchini, carrots, and chickpeas.
- In a small bowl, add ground cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground coriander. Add the spice blend to the vegetables along with corn oil. Toss to coat everything.
- Spread vegetables out on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven, toss the vegetables around. Bake for another 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Prepare the dressing by adding the tahini, garlic, vinegar, water, cumin, and salt to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Add more water if the dressing is too thick to pour.
- Divide kale, quinoa and roasted vegetables between 4 bowls. Drizzle kale with tahini dressing and serve.
Yummy this is a lovely dish I enjoy roasted veggies I truly believe is best way to cook them. And then you are using tahini yummy idea to garnish the bowl. Thanks for your participation on this shop.