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Ultimate Cozy Fall Buddha Bowl (Maple Sweet Potatoes, Sage Chickpeas & Apple-Tahini Drizzle)


All the sweater-weather vibes in one bowl: caramelized maple-roasted sweet potatoes, crispy sage chickpeas, garlicky lemon-kale, and a juicy apple cranberry slaw, all tied together with a creamy maple-tahini drizzle. It’s cozy without being heavy, brightly balanced (sweet + tangy + savory), and meal-prep friendly for the whole week.

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Ingredients (serves 4)

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

  • 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled & cubed (¾–1″)
  • 1½ Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp kosher salt, black pepper

Crispy Sage Chickpeas

  • 1 can (15 oz / 400 g) chickpeas, drained, rinsed, dried well
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp dried sage (or 6 fresh leaves, minced)
  • ½ tsp kosher salt, black pepper

Garlicky Lemon Kale

  • 6 cups chopped curly kale (stems removed)
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • Pinch of salt (to massage)

Apple–Cabbage Slaw

  • 1 small crisp apple, matchsticks
  • 1 cup finely shredded red cabbage
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • Pinch of salt
slaw

Maple-Tahini Dressing

  • ¼ cup tahini
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1–1½ Tbsp maple syrup (to taste)
  • 2–4 Tbsp warm water (to thin)
  • ¼ tsp salt, pinch cinnamon (optional), black pepper
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To finish

  • 2 cups cooked quinoa or farro (warm)
  • ¼ cup dried cranberries
  • ¼ cup toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Timings

  • Prep: 15 minutes
  • Cook: 25 minutes
  • Total: 40 minutes
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Instructions

  1. Roast potatoes (25 min): Heat oven to 425°F (220°C). Toss sweet potatoes with oil, maple, paprika, salt and pepper on a lined tray. Roast 20–25 min, turning once, until caramelized at the edges.
  2. Crisp chickpeas (12–15 min): Pat chickpeas very dry. Toss with oil, garlic powder, sage, salt and pepper on a second tray; roast 12–15 min, shaking halfway, until golden and crisp.
  3. Massage kale (2–3 min): In a bowl, toss kale with oil, lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Massage with hands until glossy and slightly softened.
  4. Quick slaw (2 min): Toss apple and cabbage with lemon juice and a pinch of salt; set aside.
  5. Dressing (1–2 min): Whisk tahini, lemon, maple, salt, pepper (and cinnamon if using). Whisk in warm water until pourable.
  6. Assemble: Divide warm grains between 4 bowls. Add kale, roasted sweet potatoes, chickpeas and slaw. Sprinkle cranberries and pepitas. Drizzle generously with maple-tahini.
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Tips & Swaps

  • Protein boost: Add roasted salmon, rotisserie chicken, baked tofu, or lentils.
  • Keep it crisp: Dry chickpeas thoroughly; space them out so they roast, not steam.
  • Make-ahead: Roast veg/chickpeas and cook grains up to 3 days ahead; store dressing separately.
  • Extra-bright: Add a splash more lemon to the slaw right before serving.
  • Grain swap: Brown rice, couscous, or wild rice blend all work.
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Approx. Nutrition (per serving, with quinoa)

~520 kcal • 18 g fat • 76 g carbs • 16 g protein (estimate)

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Ella Cooks

Ultimate Cozy Fall Buddha Bowl (Maple Sweet Potatoes, Sage Chickpeas & Apple-Tahini Drizzle)

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All the sweater-weather vibes in one bowl: caramelized maple-roasted sweet potatoes, crispy sage chickpeas, garlicky lemon-kale, and a juicy apple cranberry slaw, all tied together with a creamy maple-tahini drizzle. It’s cozy without being heavy, brightly balanced (sweet + tangy + savory), and meal-prep friendly for the whole week.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Calories: 520

Ingredients
  

Roasted Sweet Potatoes
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes peeled & cubed (¾–1″)
  • 1½ Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp kosher salt black pepper
Crispy Sage Chickpeas
  • 1 can 15 oz / 400 g chickpeas, drained, rinsed, dried well
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp dried sage or 6 fresh leaves, minced
  • ½ tsp kosher salt black pepper
Garlicky Lemon Kale
  • 6 cups chopped curly kale stems removed
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • Pinch of salt to massage
Apple–Cabbage Slaw
  • 1 small crisp apple matchsticks
  • 1 cup finely shredded red cabbage
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • Pinch of salt
Maple-Tahini Dressing
  • ¼ cup tahini
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 –1½ Tbsp maple syrup to taste
  • 2 –4 Tbsp warm water to thin
  • ¼ tsp salt pinch cinnamon (optional), black pepper
To finish
  • 2 cups cooked quinoa or farro warm
  • ¼ cup dried cranberries
  • ¼ cup toasted pepitas pumpkin seeds

Method
 

  1. Instructions
  2. Roast potatoes (25 min): Heat oven to 425°F (220°C). Toss sweet potatoes with oil, maple, paprika, salt and pepper on a lined tray. Roast 20–25 min, turning once, until caramelized at the edges.
  3. Crisp chickpeas (12–15 min): Pat chickpeas very dry. Toss with oil, garlic powder, sage, salt and pepper on a second tray; roast 12–15 min, shaking halfway, until golden and crisp.
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  4. Massage kale (2–3 min): In a bowl, toss kale with oil, lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Massage with hands until glossy and slightly softened.
  5. Quick slaw (2 min): Toss apple and cabbage with lemon juice and a pinch of salt; set aside.
    slaw
  6. Dressing (1–2 min): Whisk tahini, lemon, maple, salt, pepper (and cinnamon if using). Whisk in warm water until pourable.
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  7. Assemble: Divide warm grains between 4 bowls. Add kale, roasted sweet potatoes, chickpeas and slaw. Sprinkle cranberries and pepitas. Drizzle generously with maple-tahini.
    fall buddha bowl 13

Nutrition

Calories: 520kcalCarbohydrates: 76gProtein: 16gFat: 18g

Notes

Tips & Swaps

  • Protein boost: Add roasted salmon, rotisserie chicken, baked tofu, or lentils.
  • Keep it crisp: Dry chickpeas thoroughly; space them out so they roast, not steam.
  • Make-ahead: Roast veg/chickpeas and cook grains up to 3 days ahead; store dressing separately.
  • Extra-bright: Add a splash more lemon to the slaw right before serving.
    Grain swap: Brown rice, couscous, or wild rice blend all work.

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