Hearty Winter Grain Bowl (Printable)

Warm grains with roasted root vegetables and creamy tahini dressing

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup farro or quinoa
02 - 2 cups vegetable broth or water

→ Roasted Root Vegetables

03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 2 parsnips, peeled and diced
05 - 1 small sweet potato, peeled and cubed
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
08 - 0.5 teaspoon sea salt
09 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper

→ Greens

10 - 4 cups kale or Swiss chard, stems removed and chopped
11 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
12 - 1 clove garlic, minced
13 - Pinch of salt

→ Dressing

14 - 0.25 cup tahini
15 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
16 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup
17 - 2 tablespoons warm water, or more as needed
18 - 0.5 teaspoon Dijon mustard
19 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Toppings

20 - 0.25 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
21 - 0.25 cup crumbled feta cheese, optional
22 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# How-To Steps:

01 - Set oven to 400°F (200°C).
02 - In a large bowl, toss diced carrots, parsnips, and sweet potato with olive oil, dried thyme, sea salt, and black pepper. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until golden and tender.
03 - Rinse grains thoroughly. In a medium saucepan, combine grains and vegetable broth or water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until tender, approximately 20 minutes for quinoa or 30 minutes for farro. Drain any excess liquid.
04 - In a large skillet over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add chopped greens with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently, until wilted, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
05 - Whisk together tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, warm water, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy. Add additional water as needed to achieve desired consistency.
06 - Divide warm cooked grains evenly between serving bowls. Top each bowl with roasted vegetables and sautéed greens. Drizzle generously with prepared dressing.
07 - Garnish each bowl with toasted pumpkin seeds, crumbled feta cheese if desired, and fresh chopped parsley. Serve while warm.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd expect, with most of the time spent roasting vegetables while you handle other things.
  • The tahini dressing is creamy enough to feel indulgent but actually good for you, which is a rare combination.
  • It adapts beautifully to whatever you have on hand—no strict rules, just warm comfort in a bowl.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing your grains; it removes the bitter coating and makes a real difference in how they taste.
  • The dressing seems thin when you first make it, but it thickens as it sits, so add water gradually and trust the process.
  • Temperature matters—serving this bowl warm is what makes it feel like winter comfort; it's less magical when everything cools down.
03 -
  • Make your dressing while the vegetables roast so everything is warm and comes together at the same time.
  • Keep extra dressing on the side because everyone wants more than you'd expect, and it tastes even better drizzled fresh.
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