Winter Abundance Bowl #2

Since spring is fast approaching, I figure I'd better post a couple of winter veggie bowls that we enjoyed during our freezing cold winter! Although in some ways a snowy winter screams heavy pasta and beef dishes, it can be good to lighten things up and enjoy veggie-focused meals as well -- this one is even vegan, but is still hearty and warm enough for a chilly night.  Protein-rich quinoa forms the base of the bowl, and then hot roasted potatoes and green beans are piled on a top.  A generous handful of toothsome-but-tender marinated kale adds an important hit of freshness, and sliced almonds give each bite a little crunch.  A super simple Dijon mustard dressing punched up with roasted garlic pulls everything together.  You won't even miss the meat!  Bonus: leftovers are great at room temperature for lunch the next day.

Winter Abundance Bowl #2 (adapted from Oh She Glows, original recipe here)

Serves 3-4

3/4 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

3 large garlic cloves (peel left on)

Olive oil

Kosher salt

1 cup quinoa, rinsed

1 bunch kale, stemmed and thinly sliced

Juice of 1/2 lemon

2 green onions, minced

Sliced almonds, to serve

For the dressing:

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tsp Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper

1. Preheat the oven and line a large baking sheet with foil.  Spray lightly with oil.

2. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes, green beans, and garlic cloves with a generous drizzle of olive oil and a big pinch of kosher salt.  Lay out on the baking sheet in a single layer.  Roast about 30-35 minutes total, stirring every 10 minutes, until the veggies are tender.

3. Meanwhile, prepare the quinoa.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and season with a generous pinch of salt.  Add the quinoa, and simmer until tender, 12-15 minutes or so.  Drain in a fine mesh strainer, and then set the strainer over the pot, cover with a lid, and let sit until ready to use (this will keep the quinoa warm and keep it from getting soggy).  

4. Prepare the kale.  Add the sliced kale leaves to a large bowl along with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of kosher salt.  Massage for a few minutes, until the kale breaks down and becomes tender.  Squeeze over the juice of half a lemon, and stir to combine.

5. Make the dressing.  Combine the vinegar, olive oil, and Dijon in a jar with a tightly fitting lid.  Season with salt and pepper.  When the garlic cloves are roasted, squeeze them out of their skins and mash into a paste with a fork.  Add to the jar with the oil and vinegar.  Screw on the lid tightly, and shake well until the dressing is nicely combined.

5. Assemble the bowls.  Start with a scoop of quinoa and drizzle on a bit of the dressing.  Then pile on the roasted veggies and kale salad, and add more dressing.  Finish with a sprinkle of green onions and sliced almonds.