Warm Salad Bowl with Grains (Printable)

Hearty bowl with roasted vegetables, warm grains, wilted greens, and vibrant vinaigrette for wholesome nourishment.

# What You Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa or brown rice, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water or vegetable broth

→ Roasted Vegetables

03 - 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed
04 - 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
05 - 1 small red onion, sliced
06 - 1 small zucchini, sliced
07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Greens

10 - 4 cups baby spinach or kale, stems removed

→ Warm Vinaigrette

11 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
12 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
13 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
14 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
15 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
16 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Toppings

17 - 1/4 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese, optional
18 - 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds, optional
19 - Fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped, optional

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Toss sweet potato, bell pepper, onion, and zucchini with 2 tablespoons olive oil, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Spread evenly on the baking sheet and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until tender and golden.
03 - While vegetables roast, combine quinoa or brown rice with water or broth in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cover. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes for quinoa or according to package directions for rice, until grains are tender and liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.
04 - In a small pan over low heat, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until just warm, approximately 1 to 2 minutes.
05 - In a large bowl, toss spinach or kale with half the warm vinaigrette, allowing the greens to wilt slightly.
06 - Divide cooked grains among four bowls. Top with wilted greens, roasted vegetables, and optional toppings. Drizzle with remaining warm vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd think, and most of it can happen simultaneously so you're not tied to the stove.
  • The warm vinaigrette wilts the greens just enough to make them tender without cooking away their nutrition, which feels like a small kitchen magic trick.
  • You can build it differently every time depending on what's in your fridge, so it never gets boring.
02 -
  • Don't skip the stirring halfway through roasting; it's the difference between caramelized vegetables and one side burnt while the other stays pale.
  • The warm vinaigrette is not hot enough to cook the greens into submission, so you'll still get that fresh element even though they're wilted and tender.
  • If you make the vinaigrette too hot, the mustard can separate; keep it just warm enough to be pleasant to touch.
03 -
  • If you're making this for meal prep, roast the vegetables and cook the grains the night before, but warm the vinaigrette fresh and wilt the greens just before eating so they don't turn into mush.
  • The vinaigrette is also incredible on roasted root vegetables or drizzled over crispy tofu, so make extra and keep it in the fridge for quick meals throughout the week.
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