Hearty Winter Grain Bowl (Printable)

Warm grains and roasted root vegetables with greens and tahini dressing

# What You’ll Use:

→ 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 fresh 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
22 - 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
02 - In a large bowl, toss diced carrots, parsnips, and sweet potato with olive oil, dried thyme, sea salt, and black pepper. Spread mixture evenly on a baking sheet and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until vegetables are golden brown and tender.
03 - Rinse grains thoroughly. In a medium saucepan, combine grains and vegetable 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 - In a large skillet over medium heat, warm olive oil. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add chopped kale or Swiss chard and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until greens are wilted, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
05 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together tahini, fresh 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 serving bowls. Top each portion with roasted vegetables and sautéed greens.
07 - Drizzle dressing generously over each bowl. Garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds, crumbled feta cheese, and fresh chopped parsley. Serve immediately while warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like comfort food but leaves you genuinely satisfied, not sluggish.
  • Everything cooks while you're doing something else, and comes together in less than an hour.
  • The tahini dressing is so creamy and tangy that you'll want to pour it over everything for weeks.
02 -
  • If your dressing breaks or looks grainy, you've added cold water or whisked too vigorously; start over with fresh tahini and warm water and take your time.
  • The vegetables finish cooking faster or slower depending on how small you cut them, so stay present and stir them halfway through.
  • Serve this warm, not room temperature or cold—the whole experience changes when the grains and greens are still giving off steam.
03 -
  • Toast your own pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet for 3 to 4 minutes—they'll taste fresher and more alive than anything pre-packaged.
  • Make the dressing the night before and store it in the fridge; it thickens slightly, so add a splash of water when you're ready to serve.
Go Back