Sweet Potato & Blueberry Forest Bowl

I can hear my father-in-law laughing right now. Fanciful titles aren’t his thing. Dishes should have one word really (spaghetti), two if need be (jelly sandwiches), and only in extreme cases do they ever need three (chicken noodle soup). But definitely not five.

However, I like descriptive recipe titles. 

Whimsical descriptives inject wonder into dishes. I could have titled this dish, Sweet Potato, Blueberry & Kale Bowl…erm…not as fun (and still long). There’s greens, nuts, seeds, berries…sounds like a forest forage to me! And so it is. The playful titles stay.

This is such a refreshing and wholesome meal. I had whipped up a blueberry vinaigrette in a frenzy several days ago for a surprise dinner and I knew I needed to make something to use it up. Our fridge is practically empty, no greens to speak of except for a few stalks of kale so a green salad was out to the question. That’s when my idea for this forest bowl popped into my mind! Perfect!

print recipeSweet Potato & Blueberry Forest Bowlby Katie @ Produce on Parade August-29-2014An easy and incredibly healthy dinner. Nuts, seeds, and dried berries adorn sweet potato, quinoa, and kale that’s drizzled with a homemade blueberry vinaigrette. NOTES: Feel free to use your favorite greens, nuts, and berries for this. If you don’t feel like making the dressing, any fruity vinaigrette will do. Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa, dry
• 2 cups water
• 2 large sweet potatoes, diced
• 4 large kale leaves, de-stemmed and torn
• ¼ cup dried blueberries
• 2 Tbsp. hazelnuts, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. pumpkin seeds
• drizzle of homemade (recipe below) or store-bought blueberry vinaigrette
• dash of kosher salt
• dash of ground black pepper

InstructionsIn a medium saucepan, bring the quinoa and water to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes. Drain any excess water with the lid and continue to heat over low until all the water has been absorbed. Meanwhile, steam the diced sweet potatoes for about 15 minutes, until fork tender.In a microwave safe bowl, microwave the torn kale for about 1-3 minutes. It should be wilted, but develop a bright green color and still have a bit of chew to it. To serve, divide the warm ingredients evenly into four bowls. Start with a serving of quinoa into a shallow bowl and add a side of a sweet potatoes and kale. Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. dried blueberries, and 1/2 Tbsp. hazelnuts and pumpkin seeds. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and sprinkle with a dash of salt and pepper. DetailsPrep time: 10 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 30 mins Yield: 4

print recipeWild Blueberry Vinaigrette by Katie @ Produce on Parade August-29-2014A sweet and tart wild blueberry vinaigrette, the perfect compliment to a big green salad. Ingredients

• ½ cup fresh or frozen wild blueberries
• ½ lemon, juiced
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. agave nectar or maple syrup
• pinch of kosher salt

InstructionsCombine everything in a blender and blend on high for several minutes. Serve over green salad and store in fridgeDetailsPrep time: 5 mins Cook time: Total time: 5 mins Yield: about 3/4 cup

German Word of The Day

Forest –> Wald (vald)

Good Deed of The Day

Read this article from The Huffington Post, Grilling For Labor Day? Don’t Burn The Planet.