Hearty Winter Grain Bowl (Printable)

Warm grains, roasted roots, and greens with creamy tahini

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 sea salt

→ Dressing

14 - 1/4 cup tahini
15 - 2 tablespoons fresh 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 fresh chopped parsley

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
02 - In a large bowl, toss carrots, parsnips, and sweet potato with olive oil, dried 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 vegetable 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 minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add chopped greens and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring frequently, 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. Add additional water as needed to achieve desired consistency.
06 - Divide warm cooked grains evenly between four serving bowls. Top each portion with roasted vegetables and sautéed greens. Drizzle generously with prepared tahini dressing.
07 - Top each bowl with toasted pumpkin seeds, crumbled feta cheese if desired, and fresh chopped parsley. Serve immediately while components are warm.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It transforms humble pantry staples and winter vegetables into something deeply satisfying and complete.
  • The tahini dressing is so good you will want to make extra just to drizzle on everything else in your fridge.
  • It reheats beautifully for lunch the next day, tasting even better as the flavors meld overnight.
02 -
  • Do not skip stirring the vegetables halfway through roasting or they will burn on one side and stay pale on the other.
  • Add the garlic to the greens for only 30 seconds before the greens go in, any longer and it turns bitter and sharp.
  • Whisk the dressing with warm water, not cold, or the tahini will seize up and turn gritty instead of creamy.
03 -
  • Roast extra vegetables and use them throughout the week on toast, in salads, or stirred into scrambled eggs.
  • Make a double batch of the tahini dressing and keep it in a jar in the fridge, it is incredible on roasted vegetables, grain bowls, or as a dip for raw veggies.
  • Toast your pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet for a few minutes before adding them to the bowl, it brings out their flavor and makes them extra crunchy.
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