Hearty Winter Grain Bowl (Print Version)

Warm grains with roasted vegetables and creamy tahini dressing

# Components:

→ 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, or 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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
02 - In a large bowl, toss carrots, parsnips, and sweet potato with olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until golden and tender.
03 - Rinse grains thoroughly. In a medium saucepan, combine grains and broth or water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until tender, approximately 20 minutes for quinoa or 30 minutes for farro. Drain any excess liquid.
04 - In a large skillet over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add chopped greens with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring continuously, until wilted, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
05 - Whisk together tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, warm water, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy. Adjust water content to achieve desired consistency.
06 - Divide warm grains evenly between four bowls. Top each with roasted vegetables and sautéed greens. Drizzle generously with prepared dressing.
07 - Garnish each bowl with pumpkin seeds, feta cheese if desired, and fresh parsley. Serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It uses up all those winter vegetables sitting in your crisper drawer without feeling like leftovers.
  • The warm grains and roasted roots make you feel genuinely cozy from the inside out.
  • Everything can be prepped ahead and assembled in minutes when you need a real meal fast.
  • The tahini dressing is so good you will start putting it on everything else too.
02 -
  • If you crowd the vegetables on the baking sheet they will steam instead of roast, so use two sheets if you need to and keep them in a single layer.
  • The tahini dressing will seize up and get thick as it sits, so whisk in a little more warm water right before serving to bring it back to life.
  • Taste your grains before draining them because undercooked farro is unpleasantly chewy and needs those extra few minutes.
03 -
  • Roast your vegetables on the lowest rack in the oven so the bottom gets extra caramelization and the tops stay tender.
  • If your tahini dressing tastes too bitter, add another teaspoon of maple syrup to balance it out.
  • Toast your pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet for a few minutes before adding them to the bowl for even more flavor and crunch.
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