Enjoy this hassle free vegetarian dinner with a quick and easy microwavable Thai peanut sauce. These extra colorful Gluten Free Roasted Veggie Bowls with Lime Peanut Sauce will leave you feeling healthy and satisfied.
Well, we’re officially mainlanders again. Can you believe it?! I am still looking back thinking that the past two years living in Hawaii were just a dream. Did we really do that?! And did we really just leave paradise?!
Yes. We. Did.
And now here I am typing away at my parents’ computer in Utah, planning out how I’m going to waste my time away for the next 5 1/2 weeks until our belongings arrive in Arizona and we can finally move it.
Oh wait, I’ll tell you what I’m going to do. I’m going to move my parents into their new home. There’s nothing like packing up myself, then packing up my parents, then coming home and unpacking myself. I’m going to take a month long nap in August once the kids go back to school. What do you think about that???
Speaking about being tired and sleeping, this jet lag time difference jazz has really hit Emry hard. The kid slept until 11:45 am the second day we were here. As soon as she finally woke up, we got her dressed, threw her in the car, and met my mother-in-law for lunch. So I guess Chick-fil-A was technically her breakfast???
Which, by the way, having a Chick-fil-A near by is definitely a perk of living on the mainland. I pretty much despise fast food with a passion, but if we need to grab something quick or the girls have earned a fun night out, I can always rely on Chick-fil-A having gluten free options and somewhat healthy food. I actually had one of the freshest restaurant salads I’ve ever had (as far as the produce part goes) when we ate there for lunch. I was thoroughly impressed.
So, yes, it is a bit of a relief to have a fast food option nearby that doesn’t completely make me shudder with total mom guilt. I have such anxiety about some fast food options that even up until the day we were moving, I fed my family home cooked meals instead of throwing my arms in the air and going out to eat.
We got invited to a Memorial Day potluck (two days before we moved) and I showed up with a crock pot full of rice topped with a from scratch chicken and veggie stir fry, a homemade peanut sauce, and a garnish of freshly chopped Thai basil…which I actually shoved in my purse from eating pho at a restaurant a few days prior. Yes, I’m that cheap.
Anyway, my friends were all looking at me like, “Uh, I thought you were moving. Why the heck are you bringing a homemade meal??? Where’s the takeout?!”
Well, slight confession…there was a part of that meal that was actual takeout: the rice. Seriously, who buys takeout rice??? $10 takeout rice for that matter?! The rice noodles that I attempted to soften never actually softened, so Panda Express was my saving grace.
Anywho, these Gluten Free Roasted Veggie Bowls with Lime Peanut Sauce were a real hit at the party. Even a handful of kids enjoyed my dressed up takeout. I think Braelyn even helped herself to seconds. And the next day, when I avoided fast food again, the girls were actually excited when I heated them up some leftovers for lunch.
These rice bowls are full of flavor beginning with the robust roasted veggies. Roasting pretty much makes everything taste better. It really enhances the natural flavors of the veggies and gives the meal more depth.
Aside from the veggies, the lime peanut sauce is the real star of the show. It’s sweet. It’s tangy. It’s creamy. And it’s oh so peanut buttery! You can add more or less peanut butter to your liking. I tend to like my peanut sauces with a little more peanut butter and even some extra toasted peanuts on top. But if you want more of a soy/teriyaki sauce flavor, go for the lesser peanut butter measurement.
I love adding a variety of toppings to my rice bowls. Some of my favorites are: avocado for creaminess, toasted peanuts or sesame seeds for crunch, cilantro for that fresh herby flavor, and a squeeze of lime for some added tang. I also enjoy sriracha, water chestnuts, edamame, peas, you name it. You can get all kinds of creative with toppings for these bowls. Really, almost anything goes…almost.
So whether you’re moving the next day, or you have all the time in the world with nowhere to be, making these rice bowls would be a hassle free fabulous dinner idea. It’s nice to fill your tummy extra full with veggies every once in a while. Trust me.
What is your favorite Asian fusion type meal?
- For the roasted veggies:
- 1 small onion, roughly chopped
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed into bite sized pieces
- 4 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite sized pieces
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1½ teaspoons salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic
- For the sauce:
- ¼ cup gluten free soy sauce (tamari sauce)
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1½ tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic
- ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼-1/3 cup creamy peanut butter, depending on preference
- For the bowls:
- 4 cups cooked brown rice
- 1 cup frozen peas, heated and seasoned with salt and pepper
- 1 can water chestnuts, chopped
- 1 avocado, sliced
- fresh cilantro
- chopped peanuts
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
- Prepare roasted veggies by chopping onion, peeling and cutting sweet potatoes, and chopping broccoli. Place potatoes and onions on roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, garlic, and ginger. Toss to coat onions and potatoes. Roast at 425 for 20 minutes.
- Remove pan from oven. Add broccoli to pan toss with additional tablespoon of olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt. Toss to coat all veggies. Continue roasting for additional 15 minutes.
- While veggies are roasting, prepare sauce. Combine all ingredients except peanut butter into microwave safe bowl. Heat on high for 2 minutes. Remove and stir. Return to microwave and heat an additional 2 minutes and stir. Heat for 1 more minute on high. Stir and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Whisk in ¼ cup peanut butter and allow to thicken.* Add in more peanut butter for stronger peanut flavor and thicker consistency.
- To prepare bowls, place rice at bottom and top with roasted veggies, peas, water chestnuts, and sliced avocado. Drizzle peanut sauce on top. Garnish with chopped peanuts and fresh cilantro.
