Roasted Kale + Sweet Potato Bowl

Healthy comfort food does exist, people. And you’ll find it right here in this recipe today. 

This fall-inspired bowl of balsamic-infused roasted sweet potatoes, crispy kale and caramelized red onions over a bed of warm quinoa is just what you need as the nights get colder. I’ve had sweet potatoes cooked in numerous ways (steamed, mashed, etc.), and roasting them in the oven with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar remains my favourite way to eat them. I’m always amazed at how many servings I can get from one giant sweet potato. When I make this dish, I usually have leftovers for days! Plus we all know that the meals that give you leftovers are the best kinds of meals. 😉 

Not only are sweet potatoes readily available, incredibly versatile, inexpensive, and absolutely delicious, they are very beneficial for your health.

Here are 7 health reasons why sweet potatoes are my fav and should be yours too:

• They are high in vitamin B6 and are a great source of vitamin C to maintain proper immune system functioning
• They contain iron which plays an important role in red and white blood cell production, resistance to stress, proper im­mune functioning, and the metabolizing of protein
• They are also high in vitamin D, which we (Canadians) are normally deficient of during these cold, dark winters
• Sweet potatoes can reduce stress due to their high magnesium content, which is necessary for healthy artery, blood, bone, heart, muscle, and nerve functioning
• Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of potassium AKA one of the important electrolytes that helps regulate heartbeat and nerve signals
• They are sweet, but don’t cause blood sugar spikes: sweet potatoes contain natural sugars which are slowly released into the bloodstream, ensuring a balanced source of energy
• Sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene (note their bright, orange colour) which strengthens our eyesight and boosts our immunity to diseases

Well there ya have it, folks. If you weren’t into sweet potatoes before, you should be having some serious cravings right about now. 

Before I leave you with the recipe, I’d just like to add that the best part about this savoury bowl is that it tastes great hot and cold! I prefer to eat it while it’s still hot from the oven to obtain all of its glorious comfort food potential, but this dish also does amazingly well as a leftover salad for lunch the next day. 🙂 Enjoy! 

Roasted Kale + Sweet Potato Bowl

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Serves: 4 Prep Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 1 Hour

Ingredients

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
4 bunches of kale
1/2 red onion
1 cup quinoa
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp. sea salt
Pinch of pepper

 

Roasted Kale + Sweet Potato Bowl was last modified: November 11th, 2017 by themindfulstrawberry

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F.
2. Peel the sweet potato and chop into 1 inch pieces. Toss in a bowl with 1 tbsp. olive oil and 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.
3. Place sweet potatoes in a casserole dish or on a baking sheet; cook in oven for 30 minutes.
4. While sweet potatoes are baking (I do this at the 15 minute mark), cook 1 cup quinoa in a pot with 2 cups of water. Bring quinoa to a boil and reduce to low heat; simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Check sweet potatoes and stir to make sure they cook evenly while in the oven.
6. Wash kale thoroughly and tear leaves off stems; place kale into a small bowl and hand massage to tenderize with 1 tbsp. olive oil and 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar, adding a dash of salt and pepper.
7. Chop half a red onion and place into the same bowl. Mix well.
8. After 15 minutes has passed, take pot of quinoa off heat and puff with a fork. Set aside. Remove sweet potatoes from oven and place kale and onion mixture on top. Place back into oven for 15 more minutes.
9. Remove sweet potatoes, kale and onion from oven and place into a bowl filled with quinoa. Drizzle with balsamic glaze (optional) or balsamic vinegar to taste.

Roasted Kale + Sweet Potato Bowl was last modified: November 11th, 2017 by themindfulstrawberry