Recipe Time: Autumn (or anytime) Harvest Bowls
If you like Sweetgreen restaurant's scrumptious Autumn Harvest Bowl, you'll love this recipe, too. I've adapted it from several others and made a few of my own tweaks.
I also love how flexible bowl-type meals are. They typically feature a range of whole, nutritious foods, most of which can easily can be swapped out — based on what's already in your fridge.
Oftentimes when I’m menu planning, I’ll cue up a dinner of roasted chicken, Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes — and make extra of all three. A few days later, this harvest bowl comes together quickly using those leftovers.
Add or subtract ingredients based on what sounds good, or what you have on hand.
Photo credit: Get Healthy U
Ingredients
For the dressing:
1⁄3 C olive oil
2 T fresh lemon juice + 1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T honey
2 tsp. dijon mustard
sea salt & pepper, to taste
For the bowls:
1.5 lbs. chicken thighs or breasts, cooked and chopped
3 T coconut oil or ghee, melted
2-3 medium sweet potatoes (I get a mix of colors)
1 lb. Brussels sprouts, halved (or quartered if they're large)
1 T fresh rosemary, minced (or 1 tsp. dried)
1 T fresh thyme, minced (or 1 tsp. dried)
3 C chopped purple or green kale
3 C chopped romaine lettuce
2 medium apples, cored and chopped (ie. pink lady, honeycrisp or gala)
2⁄3 C slivered almonds, or pecans, walnuts, or sunflower seeds toasted
2⁄3 C crumbled feta or goat cheese
Instructions
For the dressing:
(Tip: Double or triple this easy delicious dressing, so you have it on hand for salads in the coming days.)
In a mixing bowl, whisk together 1/3 C olive oil, plus the lemon juice and zest, honey, and mustard. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Place the chopped kale in a medium-sized bowl. Drizzle on a bit of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. Massage the kale a few minutes, then set it aside as you prepare the rest of your ingredients. (The massage and acidity from the lemon make the kale easier to digest.)
Preheat your oven to 375° F. Cover two large baking sheets with non-bleached parchment paper.
Place the Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes each on their own sheet. Drizzle with melted coconut oil or ghee, then sprinkle with rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. I use a basting brush to evenly coat the veggies, or you can toss them with your hands.
Bake the veggies 15 min., then toss and continue baking until tender, about 20 min.
Mix the chopped romaine in with the kale, then place a handful in each into five large bowls. Add portions of sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, cooked chicken, and apples. Sprinkle on the nuts/seeds and cheese.
Whisk the dressing again then drizzle about 1 T (or more) to each bowl.
Serve!
Substitution ideas:
• Kale & romaine —> arugula, chard, red leaf lettuce, others
• Brussels sprouts —> broccoli or cauliflower
• Sweet potatoes —> butternut squash, delicata squash, quinoa, wild rice, parsnips, cauliflower rice
• Chicken —> ground turkey, pork tenderloin, chickpeas, black beans
• Feta or goat cheese —> chopped Jack or cheddar, or skip the cheese
• Lemon (in dressing) —> balsamic, apple cider or sherry vinegar
