Hearty Winter Grain Bowl (Printable)

Warm farro or quinoa with roasted carrots, parsnips, and sweet potato, plus wilted kale in a creamy tahini dressing.

# Ingredient List:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup farro or quinoa
02 - 2 cups vegetable broth or water

→ Roasted Root Vegetables

03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 2 parsnips, peeled and diced
05 - 1 small sweet potato, peeled and cubed
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
08 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Greens

10 - 4 cups kale or Swiss chard, stems removed and chopped
11 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
12 - 1 clove garlic, minced
13 - Pinch of salt

→ Dressing

14 - 1/4 cup tahini
15 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
16 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup
17 - 2 tablespoons warm water, plus more as needed
18 - 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
19 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Toppings

20 - 1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
21 - 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, optional
22 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

# How to Make:

01 - Set oven to 400°F and allow to reach full temperature.
02 - In a large bowl, toss diced carrots, parsnips, and sweet potato with olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until golden and tender.
03 - Rinse grains thoroughly. In a medium saucepan, combine grains with broth or water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until tender, approximately 20 minutes for quinoa or 30 minutes for farro. Drain any excess liquid.
04 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add chopped greens with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently, until wilted, about 3-4 minutes.
05 - In a bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, warm water, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy. Add additional water gradually to achieve desired consistency.
06 - Divide warm cooked grains evenly between four bowls. Top each bowl with roasted vegetables and sautéed greens. Drizzle generously with tahini dressing.
07 - Top each bowl with pumpkin seeds, feta cheese if desired, and fresh parsley. Serve immediately while warm.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour and feels impressive enough to serve to people you actually want to impress.
  • Every component can be made ahead, so you're really just assembling warmth and nutrition when hunger hits.
  • The tahini dressing is so creamy and tangy it makes you wonder why you've been buying bottled versions.
02 -
  • The vegetables need space on that baking sheet or they'll release moisture and braise instead of roast; I learned this the hard way and ended up with steamed sad carrots instead of caramelized ones.
  • Make the dressing thinner than you think you need it to be, because it will thicken as it cools and sits; you can always add more water but you can't take it back.
  • Don't skip rinsing the grains or you might end up with a slightly bitter taste that you can't quite identify but definitely notice.
03 -
  • Make the dressing the night before and store it in the fridge; it actually tastes better the next day once the flavors have melded, and you'll thank yourself on a busy evening.
  • Roast extra vegetables beyond what you need so you can build quick bowls throughout the week—they keep for about 4 days and taste just as good cold or quickly reheated.
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