The kind of summer meal I'm falling for
A satisfying bowl built around a creamy, protein-rich hemp tahini sauce.
Thank you for filling out my Weeknight Simple poll for the recipe you wanted from my June batch. The Herby Hemp Tahini Bowl won, and I think you’re going to love it!
A good grain bowl is all about contrast. Creamy and crunchy. Rich and bright. Familiar and surprising.
But more than that, it’s about structure. The best grain bowls aren’t really recipes at all - they’re frameworks. Start with a grain, add a protein anchor, layer in vegetables, something crunchy, something tangy, and finish with a sauce that ties everything together.
Here, a protein-rich dressing made from hemp seeds and tahini forms the backbone of the dish. Fresh herbs, lemon, and vinegar keep it light and vibrant, while roasted cauliflower, chewy farro, pistachios, pickled onions, and sweet Medjool dates create layers of texture and flavor that make every bite a little different.
Don’t have farro? Use quinoa, barley, or brown rice. Swap the cauliflower for roasted broccoli or sweet potato. The hemp-tahini dressing is equally at home drizzled over a salad, spooned onto roasted vegetables, or used as a dip for crudités. Once you understand the structure, the possibilities multiply.
It’s the sort of meal that works equally well for dinner or packed into containers for lunch the next day. If you’re meal prepping, place the dressing at the bottom of your container and layer everything else on top. When you’re ready to eat, shake and toss. For an extra protein boost, add a generous scoop of Greek yogurt to the base of the bowl.
A Little Summer Surprise
This grain bowl is a good reminder that satisfying meals aren’t about following recipes perfectly. They’re about understanding a few simple principles.
For me, one of those principles is protein layering: combining multiple protein sources so a meal feels nourishing, balanced, and satisfying.
It’s the same approach I use in my favorite summer salads.
That’s why I created my High Protein Summer Salads Workshop, where I teach the exact formulas, protein-packed dressings, and layering strategies I use to build vegetarian salads with 20-30g of protein that don’t feel remotely like diet food.
The best part? You can start watching immediately and be building better salads by dinner tonight.
It’s currently 30% off for summer if you’d like to join me in the kitchen.
Herby Hemp Tahini Bowl w/Cauliflower, Farro & Pistachios
Serves: 4
Ingredients
4 servings Herby Hemp Tahini (recipe below)
2 servings Quick Pickled Onions (recipe below)
½ cup (90g) farro, cooked according to package directions, or quinoa
1 medium head cauliflower (600g), chopped into medium florets
⅔ cup pistachios, roughly chopped
1½ cups canned or cooked chickpeas (420g), or ½ heaping cup (100g) dry chickpeas, cooked
1 pitted Medjool date, finely chopped
3 cups (100g) arugula, finely chopped, or other seasonal leafy greens
1–2 serrano peppers, thinly sliced and seeded to taste, or jalapeño
Directions
Preheat the air fryer to 375°F or oven to 425°F. In a large salad bowl, toss the cauliflower florets with salt and pepper. Spray liberally with olive oil or avocado oil spray and toss again. Air-fry for 5–8 minutes or bake for 10–15 minutes, checking and tossing a few times in between. The florets are done when they turn dark golden brown at the edges.
Combine all ingredients (except the Herby Hemp Tahini and Quick Pickled Onions) in a bowl to make the filling. Toss to mix.
In a shallow bowl or plate, spread ¼ of the Herby Hemp Tahini. Add ¼ of the filling, garnish with Quick Pickled Onions, and serve.
Herby Hemp Tahini (Makes 4 servings)
Ingredients
4 Tbsp. tahini
4 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
30–40g chopped herbs — cilantro (coriander) or parsley, and a little mint
1 small clove garlic
⅓ tsp. fine sea salt
¼ tsp. red chile flakes
6 Tbsp. hemp seeds
6–8 Tbsp. warm water
Directions
Add all ingredients to a small food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
Quick Pickled Onions (Makes 10 servings)
Ingredients
1 large onion (200g), thinly sliced
½ cup white or red wine vinegar
½ cup water (120ml)
1 tsp. fine sea salt
1 tsp. granulated monk fruit sweetener or maple syrup
Directions
In a microwaveable cup, add the vinegar, water, salt, and sweetener. Microwave for about a minute, stirring in between until the salt and sweetener have dissolved.
Add the onions into a glass container with a lid. Pour the vinegar-water mixture over the onions. Press the onions down with a spoon until they are fully covered by the liquid.
Allow to cool to room temperature and then transfer to the fridge. Refrigerate 2–4 hours before using.
Nutrition per serving(see disclaimer)
