Description
This Autumn Harvest Grain Bowl combines fluffy quinoa with cinnamon-roasted sweet potatoes, massaged kale, and seasonal fruits, all tied together with a tangy apple cider vinaigrette. It’s a nourishing, colorful meal that perfectly captures the flavors of fall.
Ingredients
Scale
-
- 1½ cups quinoa (or farro, if you like a chewier bite)
- 3 cups water or low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 4 cups chopped kale (stems removed)
- 1 small apple (Honeycrisp or Fuji), cored and diced
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- ¼ cup crumbled goat cheese or feta (optional, but highly recommended!)
Apple Cider Vinaigrette:
-
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Rinse your quinoa (or farro) under cold water. In a medium saucepan, combine the grain and water (or broth). Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer, cover, and cook until tender—about 15 min for quinoa, 25 min for farro. Fluff with a fork and set aside, keeping it warm.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss the sweet-potato cubes with olive oil, cinnamon, cumin, salt, and pepper on a baking sheet. Roast until golden and tender, about 20–25 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- While sweet potatoes roast, place chopped kale in a large bowl. Drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil and a pinch of salt, then massage with clean hands until the leaves soften and darken (about 1–2 min).
- Whisk together apple cider vinegar, olive oil, Dijon, maple syrup, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl for the vinaigrette.
- Divide your warm grains among four bowls. Top each with a generous handful of massaged kale. Arrange roasted sweet potatoes, diced apple, and dried cranberries in pretty little clusters.
- Sprinkle pumpkin seeds and crumbled goat cheese or feta over each bowl.
- Drizzle the apple cider vinaigrette over each bowl just before serving. Give everything a gentle toss, or let everybody mix at the table.
Notes
- For meal prep: Cook the quinoa and sweet potatoes up to 3 days ahead and store refrigerated. Massage kale up to 1 day ahead.
- To make vegan: Omit the cheese or substitute with diced avocado.
- For added protein: Add roasted chickpeas or grilled chicken.
- Dressing can be made up to 2 weeks ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 310mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 65g
- Fiber: 9g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 5mg
Keywords: autumn harvest grain bowl, quinoa bowl, sweet potato bowl, fall grain bowl, healthy grain bowl, seasonal grain bowl, vegetarian grain bowl, kale quinoa bowl