Cauliflower and Lentil Butternut Squash Noodle Bowl with Maple Tahini

Great news. My eat-your-meals-in-bowls obsession has resulted in me devoting a whole section of the...

Cauliflower and Lentil Butternut Squash Noodle Bowl with Maple Tahini Recipe

Great news. My eat-your-meals-in-bowls obsession has resulted in me devoting a whole section of the blog (and Pinterest) to “bowl meals.”

Yes, now, you’ll be able to search the blog for “bowl meals.” You know, a bunch of flavors all in one bowl.

This is how I prefer to eat and let me explain why.

Cauliflower and Lentil Butternut Squash Noodle Bowl with Maple Tahini Recipe

First off, “bowl meals” shouldn’t be confused simply with pasta dishes. Yes, it’s best to eat pasta in bowls (so they sauce can be slurped up afterwards, of course!)

I’m talking about meals like Buddha bowls. Meals where it makes sense to put everything into a bowl, because then you can assemble the “perfect bite” (as my husband coins it.) You can fork a bunch of different ingredients and have that flavor-packed bite.

Take today’s recipe for example. This isn’t a pasta. It’s not a soup, it’s not a salad, it’s not an entree really. So what the heck is it?!

IT’S A BOWL!

Cauliflower and Lentil Butternut Squash Noodle Bowl with Maple Tahini Recipe

I’m a big fan of these bowls, because I’m always in the mood for 32 different meals. For example, when I went to make this recipe, I wanted something hearty, but I also wanted a lot of veggies and a savory sauce.

So, I roasted some veggies, made butternut squash noodles and whipped together a quick maple tahini. But what about protein? I tossed in some lentils and voila, a complete meal that would look odd all spread out on a plate… but in a bowl, wowza.

Make sure you’re following this Pinterest board so future healthy bowl recipes are at your fingertips:

Inspiralized Pinterest

 

Nutritional Information & Recipe

Weight Watchers PointsPlus*: 7 points

*These points were calculated using the official Weight Watchers PointsPlus® calculator. We are in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers, we are providing this information based on popular demand.

Inspiralized

Cauliflower and Lentil Butternut Squash Noodle Bowl with Maple Tahini

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • For the cauliflower and butternut squash:
  • 3 cups cauliflower florets about 1/2 a small head of cauliflower
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 small butternut squash peeled, Blade D, noodles trimmed
  • For the lentils:
  • 1/4 cup dry lentils of choice
  • 1 cup water
  • For the dressing:
  • 1.5 tablespoons tahini
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon water + more if needed to thin

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lay out the cauliflower on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast for 35 minutes or until fork-tender.
  • Line another baking sheet with parchment paper and lay out the butternut squash noodles. Season with salt and pepper and 10 minutes before the cauliflower is done, add it to the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes or until cooked to your preference.
  • Meanwhile, bring the water and lentils to a boil in a small pot over high heat. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes or until lentils are soft but not mushy. Add water if needed. When done, drain into a colander.
  • Place all of the ingredients for the dressing into a food processor and blend until creamy. Set aside.
  • When cauliflower and butternut squash is done, divide into two bowls and top with lentils. Drizzle with tahini sauce.

Cauliflower and Lentil Butternut Squash Noodle Bowl with Maple Tahini Recipe

 

with love, Ali

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Recipe Rating




comments

  • Doesn't seem like enough to serve 45 there Ali! ;) LOL - might want to change that! Also, would be bowls be here as well? I'm not a Pinterest user. Thanks!! Will be making this next week!! Looks wonderful!!
    • That's a four, haha! And yes, we will be adding the category to the Recipes page. You can find it here: Inspiralized.com/category/bowls
      • Perfect! Thanks!!
  • This looks nice and I'd like to try it but I can't have tahini due to a medically restricted diet, and unfortunately, I can't stand it either. Is there an alternate sauce that you'd recommend? Maybe replacing the tahini with sunflower seed butter? I can have that, and pistachios, but I can't have peanuts or cashews, or other nuts,, so those are also not options. Thanks.
    • That would be yummy, with sunflower seed butter, yes!
      • Thanks!
  • I love bowls, too, Ali! This one looks delish. I live alone, so I'm wondering about the butternut squash noodles. If I spiralize the whole thing, will the uncooked extra noodles keep in the fridge for a few days? That seems smarter than cooking them all and storing cooked noodles. Or might you recommend spiralizing only part of the squash, and wrapping the rest in plastic to continue spiralizing later? Thanks for another brilliant recipe!
    • Yes, they will keep in the fridge and their crispness will wilt, so they'll be easier to cook (quicker) a few days later. I'd recommend up to 5 days in the fridge, no more! This page may be helpful to you: http://www.inspiralized.com/meal-planning-with-spiralized-vegetables/
  • Bowl meals are the BEST - and so easy! Pretty sure 99% of my meals are a bunch of random things thrown together in a bowl #college
    • !!!
  • Just a note to Kathy who can't have tahini. Tahini is made from ground Sesame Seeds. She could substitute a nut butter (e.g. almond, cashew) for a similar texture.
  • Awesome, I love eating everything in bowls, mainly because I love every last drop of dressing, sauce etc. (minor glutton)...bowls allow you to scoop it up without having to use your fingers on the edge of the plate. Thanks again for the inspiration (and using Cauliflower...gets my attention every time!).
  • Is there a way to soften the butternut squash before spiralizing? It's always so difficult to even cut in to it! Thanks!
  • Hello to the yes on more bowls. I'm a mom of a 7 month old. I love bowls...delicious, nutritious, minimal dishes and so many options.
  • Made this tonight - amazing! Can't wait to have it again - it was delicious :)
  • Out.Standing! We enjoyed it tremendously! I love the little zing to the sauce! I might try using something other than lentils - something with a bit more substance (suggestions?). But overall this is a 5 star meal for sure. Can't wait to see the rest of the bowls you have!!
  • This sounds wonderful, but I'm allergic to sesame. Any ideas what I could substitute in the dressing?
  • A very satisfying meal-in-a-bowl. By using increasing the oven temp up to 425 and using lentils that I pre-cook and store in the freezer I was able to cut cooking time to just 25 minutes. Butternut squash is surprisingly easy to spiralize considering what a tough vegetable it is; just make sure to choose a smaller squash and use a good quality peeler to get that tough skin off. If you don't remember when you bought your veggie peeler it's probably dull!
  • Cannot wait to make this!!! Yes! Everything taste better in a bowl!