Superfood Bowl with Avocado Vinaigrette {vegan, gluten-free}
Bowls are all the rave right now. Actually, they’ve been popular for a while and I can understand why. Who doesn’t love throwing a bunch of clean, whole foods into a bowl and calling it a meal?! Talk about simple!
I meal prep weekly, and bowls are a staple for me. Rather than making complete dishes, I prep individual foods that can be combined into a variety of different bowls. You’d be surprised at some of the concoctions I’ve come up with. My kids sometimes look at my bowl and say, “Mom, what IS that?” My answer is always the same, “Don’t knock it til you try it!” And if they don’t want to try it, well… hey… more for me!
Ingredients
for the super food bowl
- ¾ cup cooked quinoa
- 1 large sweet potato, diced into ½ inch cubes
- ½ cup edamame, frozen
- ½ cup water
- 3 cups of kale leaves, chopped into 1 inch pieces and massaged
- 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- Juice from half of a lemon
- salt and pepper
for the avocado vinaigrette
- ½ large avocado
- 3-4 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- Juice from half of a lemon
- 4-5 basil leaves, chopped
- pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss cubed sweet potato in 1 tbsp of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Place sweet potatoes on a nonstick pan and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until they are tender when poked with a fork. Make sure you flip them half way through so they crisp up evenly.
In ½ cup of water, boil the edamame for 3-5 minutes, or until cooked. Drain and set aside.
In a large bowl, drizzle 3 cups of water with 1 Tbsp of olive oil, the juice of half a lemon, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Use both hands to massage the kale for at least 5 minutes. Yes, you read that right… massage the kale. Pretend you’re actually giving someone a massage. This helps reduce the bitterness of the kale as well as soften its texture.
In a food processor or blender, add half an avocado, juice of half a lemon, 3-4 Tbsp of olive oil, 1 tsp apple cider vinegar, basil leaves, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Blend completely until smooth. The dressing will be thicker than normal. If you want your dressing a little thinner, add another Tbsp or two of olive oil.
Divide cooked quinoa, kale, edamame, sweet potatoes (in that order) evenly among two bowls.
Drizzle the avocado vinaigrette evenly over each of the bowls and mix it all up. ENJOY!!
Recipe Notes
- I prep the quinoa, sweet potatoes, and edamame ahead of time (during my meal prep day). This allows me to have a healthy meal in a matter of minutes during those weeknights when I’m pressed for time. I enjoy this bowl cold or at room temperature. If you prefer a warm bowl, simply warm up the quinoa, sweet potatoes, and edamame.
