This post is part of a partnership with Maille. All opinions are my own. You can learn more about my favorite brand of mustard here.

It’s a brand new year and that means two things: setting new goals and getting back on track with old ones! One of my goals this year is to return to the healthy eating habits I strayed from during my pregnancy (morning sickness put me on a carb heavy diet). After my daughter was born, it was just too easy to continue eating quick and less than nutritious meals on a regular basis. After a long day, and especially with a new baby, easy wins. Now that Isla is a toddler, easy is still winning on most nights. So that’s why my New Year’s eating plan is made up of delicious, fresh, and very healthy meals that are also super quick and easy!

I really enjoy eating and drinking seasonally, so this time of year I’m all about hearty root vegetables, savory, roasted flavors, and sweet-tart fruits like pomegranates and perfectly ripe citrus. This Winter Buddha Bowl with Honey Dijon Dressing is all of those things, and packs a ton of nutrition into a quick, easy, and also very easy-to-enjoy weeknight dinner. The perfect pair for this feast of winter flavors is my light, crisp Grapefruit & Pomegranate Sour, a great lunch or dinner time cocktail with vodka, grapefruit, lemon, and a honey pomegranate syrup.

I used oil to roast the chickpeas and veggies, but it’s also possible to make this recipe without it if you’re avoiding oil. Simply steam the potatoes and carrots for a few minutes (just until tender) and then toss with seasonings before popping them in the oven. You’ll want to shorten the cook time a bit, as they will only take 20-30 minutes once steamed.

I went with some beautiful organic tender young carrots for this recipe, but you can certainly substitute bagged baby carrots for convenience. Cut them in half lengthwise to ensure they cook quickly. For the seasoning, I chose a simple combination of rosemary and garlic which I associate with cozy winter evenings and pairs wonderfully with the Maille Honey Dijon in the dressing. However, this meal is still pretty delicious even if seasoned only with salt and pepper, thanks to the dressing.

The dressing is the key to a fabulous Buddha Bowl, and this one is my favorite for winter bowls. A common issue with the usual tahini-heavy Buddha Bowl dressings is that they tend to be kind bland and one note. That is not the case with this blend of honey mustard, tahini, and lemon, which is savory, nutty, earthy, tangy, and a tiny bit sweet (in my opinion – perfection!) I used Maille Honey Dijon for this, and I don’t recommend substituting other much sweeter and less flavorful mustards for this sauce. Quality is key, and trust me, if you pick up a jar of this stuff you won’t want another mustard ever again.

Winter Buddha Bowl with Honey Dijon Dressing

Author: Amy Traynor / MoodyMixologist.com

Yield: 2-3 bowls

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35-45 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Bowl:

• 1 can (15.5 oz) chickpeas

• 1 lb tender young carrots

• 1 large sweet potato

• 1 ½ tsp dried rosemary

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• Salt and pepper

• 2+ cups baby spinach

• 2+ cups arugula

• 1 pink grapefruit

• ½ pomegranate

For the Dressing:

• 2 tbsp Maille Honey Dijon

• 2 tbsp tahini

• Juice of ½ a lemon

• 1 tbsp water

• 1 clove of garlic, minced

Instructions:

1. Preheat to 400°.

2. Drain, rinse and pat the chickpeas dry. Peel and trim the carrots. Peel the sweet potato and cut into cubes, about 1”.

3. In a medium sized mixing bowl, toss chickpeas, carrots, and sweet potatoes with oil, garlic, and rosemary. Transfer to a large sheet pan and spread out evenly in a single layer. Season with a pinch each of salt and pepper.

4. Roast for 35-45 minutes until carrots and potato are tender, and chickpeas are crispy and slightly browned.

5. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients and set aside.

6. Cut the grapefruit into thin slices and trim the peel. Gently squeeze the pomegranate half over a small bowl to catch the arils. Remove any pieces of rind.

7. Once the chickpeas and vegetables are cooked, fill the bottom of 2 large dinner bowls with a handful each of baby spinach and arugula. Top each bowl with roasted chickpeas and vegetables and a few slices of grapefruit. Sprinkle on pomegranate arils and drizzle with dressing. Serve immediately.

Grapefruit & Pomegranate Sour

Yield: 1 cocktail

Prep Time: <5 minutes

Ingredients:

For the cocktail:

• 1.5 oz vodka

• 1 oz freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice

• .5 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice

• .5 oz honey pomegranate syrup*

For the honey pomegranate syrup:

• ½ cup hot water

• ½ cup honey

• ½ cup pomegranate juice

For the garnish:

• Grapefruit slice

• Sprig of fresh rosemary

Instructions:

1. To make the syrup, add the water and honey to a mason jar and stir until honey dissolves. Add pomegranate juice and stir to combine.

2. Add all cocktail ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake until chilled. Strain into a double rocks glass filled with with a grapefruit slice and pebble ice (or you can crack regular ice cubes into smaller chunks for the same effect). Garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary.

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