Recipe Kale quinoa power bowl

[JAS_OH1]

When my husband was on the road working regularly, I found an easy, healthy option to keep already cut-up salad veggies in the refrigerator plus a few cooked-ahead items that could easily be warmed up to compile a complete and well-balanced meal in just minutes. There was a healthy eatery across town that I had frequented occasionally where the kale and quinoa power bowl was one of my favorites. I made it at home a few times with the kale and quinoa being a constant, though the other ingredients in the bowl often varied.

This version's combination of warm chicken, seared Brussels sprouts, and quinoa plays nicely off the cool, crisp raw salad vegetables, and the salty, sweet, savory Asian-inspired sesame vinaigrette makes a nice foil for the overall salad components. The veggies and other ingredients can easily be adapted to suit personal tastes. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Ingredients:
2 chopped kale leaves (ribs and stems removed)
1/4 cup chopped or shredded red cabbage
2 tbsp shredded carrot
1/2 ripe avocado, sliced
1 small ripe roma tomato cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup seared Brussels sprouts, warmed
3 tbsp cooked quinoa, warmed (I used red quinoa)
4 ounces of cooked sliced chicken breast, warmed
Several dried cranberries (optional)
Drizzled salad dressing or vinaigrette (I used this easy-to-make Recipe - Asian sesame vinaigrette)

To prepare the seared Brussels sprouts, quarter the desired amount of Brussels sprouts and cook them on high heat with a bit of butter and raw bacon until the bacon is cooked and the sprouts have a good amount of caramelization on them, then cover and set aside.

Build the salad, eat, and enjoy!

 

[Timenspace]

Oh I do really love this , of all the dishes I fell in love with the McD grilled chicken salad, but this is 100 steps further towards gourmet...I do remember loving quinoa from one of the previous challenges. The freshenss is what stands out, and it seems really easy to prepare, as you said, in minutes. Quinoa keeps well in the fridge, cooked, and the rest is just a phantasy of colours and tastes. Seared brussels and bacon seem to add something special. So any vinaigrette would do, and possibly some other seeds? As you mentioned too. And it looks picture beautiful!

 

[JAS_OH1]

Oh I do really love this , of all the dishes I fell in love with the McD grilled chicken salad, but this is 100 steps further towards gourmet...I do remember loving quinoa from one of the previous challenges. The freshenss is what stands out, and it seems really easy to prepare, as you said, in minutes. Quinoa keeps well in the fridge, cooked, and the rest is just a phantasy of colours and tastes. Seared brussels and bacon seem to add something special. So any vinaigrette would do, and possibly some other seeds? As you mentioned too. And it looks picture beautiful!

Thank you! Yes, I was thinking pomegranate balsamic vinaigrette or lemon garlic vinaigrette (poppyseeds), possibly pomegranate seeds with the Asian sesame vinaigrette (I think pomegranate seeds with the pomegranate balsamic would be too one note). I loved it as is, but so many possibilities!