Y’all. This harvest bowl grain salad has been on repeat the past two months at my house. I can’t get enough of it! Not only that, but my husband loves it too, so you know it has to be good.
It’s also really simple to put together and (surprise, surprise) totally customizable. If you like spinach instead of kale, use spinach! If you like brown rice instead of quinoa, use brown rice! I will say, though, that you will want to stick to a similar ratio of the various types of foods. That combo is what makes this dish!
The first thing I do is roast the sweet potatoes because that takes the longest amount of time. Plus, while they are cooking, I can prep everything else and be ready to eat when they are done. Cube your sweet potato and season with olive oil and whatever spice you like on them. My current fave is the Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel Seasoning (so good!!). Put them into the oven at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.
While that’s cooking, wash and chop your kale. You want the pieces of kale to be pretty small, so either rip them off the stem into little pieces or roll up the leaves and thinly slice. Put in a bowl, lightly drizzle with olive oil and massage the oil into the kale to break down the toughness. Set aside.
Now it’s time for your grain. I’ve been using an amazing new find from Whole Foods – 365 brand spelt, green lentil and long grain brown rice mix. It has a super mild flavor and you pop into the microwave for 3 minutes, so it’s been a staple for me in this salad. Once done, pour on top of the kale so the warmth slightly wilts it. Next, chop up an apple into little cubes. I’ve been using Honey Crisp because they are sweet and juicy!
On top of that in the bowl, throw in a handful or two of slivered almonds and cubes from half an avocado. Finish it with the roasted sweet potatoes and a crumbly cheese. The best one I’ve found for this is a cheddar goat cheese – perfection! Finally, I lightly pour a balsamic vinaigrette dressing over it all and toss the mixture together. Now it’s ready to eat!
If you try this grain salad, let me know how it goes! And make sure to share if you customized anything because I’m always looking for delicious variations.
Harvest Bowl Grain Salad
This delicious and easy harvest bowl grain salad is the perfect thing to make when you want a healthy meal but don't have a lot of time. Plus, you can totally customize it to your liking!
Ingredients
- 1 Sweet Potato cubed
- 1 Bunch of kale
- 1 Apple cubed
- 1/2 Avocado cubed
- 1/2 Cup Almonds slivered
- 1 Package Grain (your choice) I have a note below of the kind I use
- 1 Cheese (your choice) I have a note below of the kind I use
- 1 tbsp Seasoning (your choice) I have a note below of the kind I use
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 2-3 tbsp Balsamic vinaigrette
Instructions
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First, you will peel and cube the sweet potato. Toss in olive oil and your favorite seasoning. My current fave is the Trader Joe's Everything but the Bagel Seasoning (so good!!). Put them into the oven at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.
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While the sweet potatoes are cooking, wash and chop your kale. Put in a bowl, lightly drizzle with olive oil and massage the oil into the kale to break down the toughness. Set aside.
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Next, cook your grain according to its package. This can be quinoa, brown rice, lentils or some combination of grains. I've been using an amazing new find from Whole Foods - 365 brand spelt, green lentil and long grain brown rice mix. It has a super mild flavor and it cooks in the microwave for just 3 minutes. Once done, pour on top of the kale so the warmth slightly wilts it.
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Then, chop up an apple into little cubes. I've been using Honey Crisp because they are sweet and juicy! Add to the bowl on top of the mixture.
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Do the same thing with 1/2 the avocado.
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Then, throw in the slivered almonds and cheese of your choice. The best one I've found for this is a cheddar goat cheese, but any slightly crumbly cheese will work.
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Finally, lightly pour the balsamic vinaigrette dressing over it all and toss the mixture together. Now it's ready to eat!
