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.

Produce On Parade - Sweet Potato & Blueberry Forest Bowl - An easy and incredibly healthy dinner. Nuts, seeds, and dried berries adorn sweet potato, quinoa, and kale that's drizzled with a homemade blueberry vinaigrette.
“A man’s mind stretched by a new idea can never go back to its original dimensions.”
— Oliver Wendell Holmes
Produce On Parade - Sweet Potato & Blueberry Forest Bowl - An easy and incredibly healthy dinner. Nuts, seeds, and dried berries adorn sweet potato, quinoa, and kale that's drizzled with a homemade blueberry vinaigrette.

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!

Produce On Parade - Sweet Potato & Blueberry Forest Bowl - An easy and incredibly healthy dinner. Nuts, seeds, and dried berries adorn sweet potato, quinoa, and kale that's drizzled with a homemade blueberry vinaigrette.
Produce On Parade - Sweet Potato & Blueberry Forest Bowl - An easy and incredibly healthy dinner. Nuts, seeds, and dried berries adorn sweet potato, quinoa, and kale that's drizzled with a homemade blueberry vinaigrette.
Produce On Parade - Sweet Potato & Blueberry Forest Bowl - An easy and incredibly healthy dinner. Nuts, seeds, and dried berries adorn sweet potato, quinoa, and kale that's drizzled with a homemade blueberry vinaigrette.
Produce On Parade - Sweet Potato & Blueberry Forest Bowl - An easy and incredibly healthy dinner. Nuts, seeds, and dried berries adorn sweet potato, quinoa, and kale that's drizzled with a homemade blueberry vinaigrette.
Produce On Parade - Sweet Potato & Blueberry Forest Bowl - An easy and incredibly healthy dinner. Nuts, seeds, and dried berries adorn sweet potato, quinoa, and kale that's drizzled with a homemade blueberry vinaigrette.
Produce On Parade - Sweet Potato & Blueberry Forest Bowl - An easy and incredibly healthy dinner. Nuts, seeds, and dried berries adorn sweet potato, quinoa, and kale that's drizzled with a homemade blueberry vinaigrette.
Produce On Parade - Sweet Potato & Blueberry Forest Bowl - An easy and incredibly healthy dinner. Nuts, seeds, and dried berries adorn sweet potato, quinoa, and kale that's drizzled with a homemade blueberry vinaigrette.
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Sweet Potato & Blueberry Forest Bowl
by August-29-2014
An 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
Instructions
In 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.
Details
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 4
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Wild Blueberry Vinaigrette
by August-29-2014
A 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
Instructions
Combine everything in a blender and blend on high for several minutes. Serve over green salad and store in fridge
Details
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: about 3/4 cup
Produce On Parade - Sweet Potato & Blueberry Forest Bowl - An easy and incredibly healthy dinner. Nuts, seeds, and dried berries adorn sweet potato, quinoa, and kale that's drizzled with a homemade blueberry vinaigrette.
Produce On Parade - Sweet Potato & Blueberry Forest Bowl - An easy and incredibly healthy dinner. Nuts, seeds, and dried berries adorn sweet potato, quinoa, and kale that's drizzled with a homemade blueberry vinaigrette.
Produce On Parade - Sweet Potato & Blueberry Forest Bowl - An easy and incredibly healthy dinner. Nuts, seeds, and dried berries adorn sweet potato, quinoa, and kale that's drizzled with a homemade blueberry vinaigrette.

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.