Kale Harvest Grain Bowl (Printable)

Nutrient-packed grain bowl featuring kale, quinoa, roasted sweet potatoes, apple, pomegranate, and pepitas.

# Ingredient List:

→ Grains & Greens

01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 1 large bunch kale (about 6 cups), stems removed, leaves finely chopped

→ Roasted Vegetables

03 - 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
05 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
06 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Fresh Toppings

07 - 1 medium apple, cored and diced
08 - 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
09 - 1/4 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

→ Dressing

10 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
12 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
13 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
14 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
15 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# How to Prepare:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss diced sweet potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, turning halfway, until golden and tender.
02 - In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa with 2 cups water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
03 - Place chopped kale in a large bowl. Drizzle with a tiny splash of olive oil and a pinch of salt, then massage kale with your hands for 1-2 minutes until softened and dark green.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until well combined.
05 - Divide massaged kale among four bowls. Top each with equal portions of quinoa, roasted sweet potatoes, diced apple, pomegranate seeds, and pepitas.
06 - Drizzle with dressing just before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour and actually tastes like you spent way more effort than you did.
  • Everything can be prepped the night before, so you're really just assembling breakfast or lunch when you're hungry.
  • The dressing hits that perfect sweet-tangy balance that makes you want to eat more vegetables than seems reasonable.
02 -
  • Don't dress the whole bowl in advance—the kale will continue to soften and the apple will oxidize, leaving you with something that tastes like cardboard by lunch.
  • Massaging the kale isn't optional or fancy; it actually breaks down the bitter compounds and makes it infinitely more pleasant to eat.
03 -
  • Toast your pepitas for just two minutes in a dry skillet before adding them—it wakes up their flavor and makes them taste like something instead of nothing.
  • Use a mason jar to shake the dressing ingredients together instead of whisking, which means one less thing to wash and a dressing that stays emulsified longer.
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