About once a week or so, I roast all the veggies I can fit in my oven at one time, cook a grain and a green, top it with something garlicky, and throw it all together in a bowl to eat. If we’re being honest, I’m pretending I’m at CAVA (best lunch out ever!) Fall is in full swing, and beets and sweet potatoes are the star of this bowl! Bonus: all the ingredients are great leftovers, cold or reheated, so you can cook this once and eat it for a few days.
When prepping the veggie and grain bowls of your dreams, here are a few notes:
- Roasting veggies: Everything can be roasted at 400 degrees with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Keep an eye on the vegetables and turn after 20 minutes. If the veggies have different textures (like onions or peppers) or they are cut in different sizes, you may need to pull some things from the tray earlier so they don’t get too crispy.
- Greens: I love lacinato (smooth leaf) kale, but it can be pretty tough when raw. To soften, strip the leaves away from stems (great toddler activity), tear or chop the leaves into small pieces and wash the greens in a salad spinner (another great toddler activity). Then, add 1 tsp or more of kosher salt and rub it into the kale with your fingers until it visibly breaks down, about 1 minute. Spin the kale again to remove some of the salt. Alternatively, look for pre-washed baby kale (or spinach or other green) you can use straight from the package!
- Grains: Quinoa is often my pick because it’s naturally higher in protein than other grains (well it’s technically a seed) and it cooks in just 15 minutes. You MUST rinse quinoa before cooking to remove a naturally occurring bitter coating on the seeds. Brown, wild, or white rice, farro, orzo, or pearled cous cous are delicious in a bowl, too! If you want a short cut, frozen cooked grains or instant rice are superfast options to save you time.
- Optional- add protein: Shredded chicken, lentils, or really any protein of your liking are a great add!
Now, turn on your oven and start cooking those beets and sweets!
Beets and Sweets Quinoa Bowls with Tahini Dressing
Roasted veggies, greens and grains are a perfect meal in a bowl.
Equipment
- 2 half-sheet roasting pans
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 4 beets, peeled and cubed
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
- Olive oil
- Salt and freshly cracked pepper
- 1 cup dry quinoa (or 3 cups cooked)
- 3 cups kale leaves, torn (stems discarded) or baby kale
- 4 oz feta, crumbled
- Mint leaves, torn
- 1/2 cup pistachios, chopped
Lemon Tahini Dressing
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- Salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
- 2 tsp red wine vinegar
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
- 2-4 tbsp water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400. Line each half-sheet pan with parchment paper. Place cubed sweet potatoes on one tray, and beets and cauliflower on the other. Drizzle 1-2 tbsp olive oil on each tray and toss veggies to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 40 minutes total, turning halfway through cooking, until soft and nicely browned.
- While the vegetables roast, cook the quinoa: In a small pot on the stove, bring 2 cups water to a simmer. Rinse 1 cup quinoa in a fine mesh sieve until water runs clear, then stir it into boiling water with 1/2 tsp of salt. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork or spoon, and lid the pot until ready to serve.
- Prepare tahini dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients plus 2 tbsp water. Continue whisking until water is absorbed and mixture stiffens (due to a reaction between water and starch), then add more water 1-2 tbsp at a time until it reaches a smooth, pourable consistency.
- If using mature kale, rub the leaves with a little salt for 1 minute to soften. Or, use baby kale and add it right to serving bowls.
- To assemble: Divide quinoa and kale greens among bowls. Top with roasted vegetables, feta, pistachios, fresh mint, and dressing.
Notes
Recipe shortcuts: use pre-cooked grains and pre-washed kale or other green to save time.