Start here if you’re new to grain bowls:

• Learn the basic formula
• Jump to easy recipe ideas

I know it’s going to be an excellent week when I’ve got all of my grain bowl components prepped and in the fridge for fast, easy, and healthy meals all week long.

If Grain Bowls look intimidating to you or you’re just not sure how to build one, or if you’re looking for new buddha bowl ideas, this is the article for you! My aim is to include loads of options and inspiration – I want to bowl you over with grain bowl ideas! I know, I know, that was a stretch. Carrying on …

What is a Grain Bowl?

Grain bowls aren’t actually new – they’re more like a modern name for a very classic way of eating: building a meal around a grain, then adding vegetables, protein, and sauce.

Across many food cultures, this “base + toppings” structure has existed for centuries. In Asia, it shows up in rice bowls like bibimbap. In the Mediterranean and Middle East, it appears in grain-and-legume-based meals paired with vegetables, herbs, and yogurt or tahini sauces. Worldwide, people have long combined starches, vegetables, and proteins in a single bowl.

What is on the newer is the Western “grain bowl” trend, which grew popular in the 2010s along with interest in meal prep, plant-based eating, and customizable “build-your-own” meals. The appeal is simple: grain bowls are flexible, balanced, and endlessly adaptable.

What is a Buddha Bowl?

A Buddha Bowl is essentially a grain bowl but vegetarian or vegan. It’s more veggie-forward and often served cold or room temp, which makes it even easier to prep ahead (no reheating when serving!)

But why is it called a Buddha Bowl? Apparently because a full bowl resembles the rounded “belly-like” appearance of Buddha. It could also be because it’s connected loosely to Buddhist-inspired vegetarian eating traditions.

Why You’ll Love Grain Bowls

• Perfect for meal prep – I’ll often prepare a grain, roast a vegetable, clean some greens, and make a sauce, then keep the components in the fridge. Then it’s just a matter of opening a can of beans, chopping up an avocado or another veg, and assembling the bowl.
• Solves the lunch conundrum – I don’t know if it’s just me, but lunch is the most difficult meal of the day! It’s so hard to come up with healthy vegetarian options that come together quickly (it’s the time of day when I have the smallest amount of time). So when I’ve got grain bowl ingredients prepped and ready, lunch is a breeze.
• SO easy – Once you have the components prepped, it’s super easy to assemble grain bowls for quick nutritious meals.
• Endlessly customizable – Hate kale? Swap in some arugula! Not a fan of tofu? There are plenty of other protein options available! It’s super easy to create your very own “house” grain bowl that is fine-tuned to your tastes.

How to Make A Grain Bowl

1. First, add your grain base.
2. Next, arrange the main veggie(s) to the side.
3. Add the protein.
4. Pile on the greens.
5. Add toppings and garnishes.
6. Drizzle with sauce.
7. Devour!

Easy Grain Bowl Recipe Ideas

With all of the ingredient options available to you, the combos are pretty much endless. But here are some of my favorites:

Sweet Potato & Chickpea Grain Bowl

Quinoa with roasted sweet potatoes, chickpeas, shredded kale, and a delicious green goddess dressing, lots of pickled red onions, pepitas, creamy avocado, and micro-greens.

Black Bean & Sweet Potato Grain Bowl

Brown rice topped with crisp lettuce, black beans, roasted sweet potatoes, avocado, and cilantro lime dressing. Pepitas are a great addition too!

Mediterranean Grain Bowl

Rice, farro, or bulgur with roasted or fresh red bell peppers, cucumber, spinach, and chickpeas with crumbled feta and Kalamata olives. Drizzle with Greek salad dressing or Tzatziki sauce, or add a generous dollop of hummus.

Peanut Thai Veggie Grain Bowl

On a base of brown rice, add crispy pan-fried tofu, fresh spinach, steamed broccoli, and sliced bell peppers. Drizzle with peanut sauce and garnish with salted peanuts.

Veggie Sushi Grain Bowl

Seasoned rice with carrots, cucumbers, avocado, edamame, sesame seeds, and sesame-wasabi dressing. Yum!

Meal Prepping Grain Bowls

One of the best things about buddha bowls? They’re perfect for meal prep.

I pick a protein and a grain, and start with prepping those. Place them in an airtight container and place them in the fridge, then prep your veggies. Store those in the fridge, and whip up some sauce. Place that in a jar or container. Now you have a whole grain bowl meal prep kit on your refrigerator shelf for super easy lunches and dinner all week long!

I hope that having more information about how to make a grain bowl is inspiring to you! I just love that they’re so great for meal prep and are so easy to customize to match any craving I might have. Here’s to beautiful Buddha bowls in your future!

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Grain Bowl Formula (How to Build a Perfect Buddha Bowl)

Grain bowls (also known as Buddha Bowls) are my favorite way to make sure I'm getting a good amount of veggies and fiber in my diet. They're full of nutrients, ridiculously satisfying, perfect for prepping ahead of time, and endlessly customizable!

Course dinner, lunch

Diet Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword buddha bowl, grain bowl

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 1 bowl

Author Kare

Ingredients

1/2 cup grain base (choose one)

• rice white or brown
• farro
• quinoa not a grain but a seed that acts like a grain
• bulgur
• couscous a pasta, but behaves like a grain
• buckwheat

3/4 cup protein (choose one)

• tofu baked tofu, pan-fried tofu, or air-fryer tofu
• edamame
• chickpeas
• black beans
• white beans like navy beans or cannellini beans
• cooked lentils
• peas
• chopped hard-boiled eggs

1 cup veggies (1/2 cup roasted or fresh veg + 1/2 cup greens)

• roasted sweet potatoes
• roasted butternut squash
• roasted cauliflower
• roasted broccoli
• roasted carrots
• sliced cucumbers
• shredded raw carrots
• cherry tomatoes
• sliced bell peppers
• baby arugula
• baby spinach
• shredded kale
• shredded cabbage
• shredded romaine lettuce
• mixed spring greens

1/4 cup garnish/toppings (choose one or more)

• avocado
• pickled red onions
• fresh herbs
• cheese if dairy is ok
• micro-greens
• pumpkin seeds
• sunflower seeds
• sesame seeds
• hemp seeds
• chopped nuts
• olives

3 tablespoons sauce/dressing (choose one)

• lemon tahini sauce
• green goddess dressing
• cilantro lime sauce
• pesto
• peanut sauce
• vinaigrette

Instructions

• Place the grains in a medium-size serving bowl. Arrange the protein, veggies, greens, and garnish/toppings over the grains. Drizzle with dressing and serve.

Notes

Cooking time is basically just for assembly, not for cooking individual components. 

The post Grain Bowl Formula (How to Build a Perfect Buddha Bowl) appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Kale Pesto is an amazing-tasting, nutritious alternative to traditional pesto that’s perfect on pasta, stirred into soup, served up with eggs, on sandwiches … this versatile kale and walnut pesto is a fave in our house!

I love to make this kale and walnut pesto all winter long, when the fresh basil for more traditional pesto isn’t as available.

The Story Behind the Recipe

I originally shared the recipe for this Kale Walnut Pesto all the back in 2012, when I tossed it with bow-tie pasta and cherry tomatoes for an easy pasta dish.

But I love this kale pesto recipe so much, I thought I should share it all on its own! I love to add a dollop to vegetarian minestron soup or pasta e fagiole to add even more flavor, or toss it with pasta or gnocchi. It’s great on pizza, avocado toast, grilled cheese, grilled veggie sandwiches, and so much more.

Basically, this is a super versatile pesto to keep in your fridge to level up just about everything!

So it deserved a little limelight of its own.

Why You’ll Love Walnut & Kale Pesto

• Superfood nutrition! With all the vitamins that kale brings to the table (source) + omega-3s and more nutrients thanks to the walnuts (source), this kale walnut pesto is as healthy as it is delicious.
• Versatile! Put it on pasta, gnocchi, stir it into soup, add it to sandwiches, top scrambled eggs, drizzle over roasted veggies … just keep a jar of this walnut kale pesto in your fridge to elevate savory dishes any time you want.
• Economical – Kale is less expensive than basil, so it can save you a buck or two too.

Kale Pesto Recipe Ingredients

• Walnuts – Plain walnuts that you’ll toast up for optimal flavor.
• Garlic – Fresh garlic cloves
• Kale – Any kind works! Curly, tuscan, you name it.
• Parmesan cheese – For that classic pesto flavor.
• Olive oil – Grab your favorite extra virgin olive oil.
• Salt & pepper

Adaptations/Variations

• Add a squeeze of lemon for a punch of zippy bright flavor.
• If you have it, throw in some fresh herbs for more flavor. A little bit of basil, some parsley, a few thyme leaves … all delicious!
• Vegan Option: Omit the parm and add a couple of tablespoons of nutritional yeast or more, to taste. You’ll probably need a bit more salt and a squeeze of lemon goes a long way!

How to Make Kale Walnut Pesto

1. First, toast your walnuts. In a saute pan over medium heat, stir the walnuts until just lightly toasted, about two minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
2. Pulse the garlic in a food processor or high speed blender until it’s finely chopped, then add the kale, walnuts, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Pulse until chopped, turning it off periodically and removing the top/scraping down to press the kale down toward the blade if necessary.
3. With the food processor or blender running on low, stream in the olive oil in in a steady stream until it forms a sauce.
4. Taste and add more salt and pepper if you like. That’s it!

Jump to recipe for the full, printable instructions & directions

Tip for Success

• When roasting nuts, you want to stop RIGHT before they get browned and toasty. Why? Because even off heat, they’ll continue toasting for a bit. So err on the side of less toasting vs. more.

I hope you love this Kale Walnut Pesto as much as we do! It’s versatile, easy, and a nutritional flavor powerhouse!

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Kale Walnut Pesto

Kale is a surprisingly delicious swap for basil in this pesto recipe! The addition of walnuts brings rich flavor and another punch of nutrients. This versatile pesto is so good in pasta, soups, stews, on roasted veggies … the possibilities are endless!

Keyword kale and walnut pesto, kale pesto, kale walnut pesto, walnut kale pesto

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 8 tablespoons

Calories 237kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup walnuts raw; whole is fine but chopped work too
• 2 medium garlic cloves chopped
• 3 cups kale any kind; roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper + more to taste

Instructions

• In a medium saute pan over medium heat, stir the walnuts until just lightly toasted, about two minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
• Pulse the garlic in a food processor or high-speed blender until finely chopped, then add the kale, walnuts, Parmesan cheese, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Pulse until chopped, turning it off periodically and removing the top to press/scrape the kale down toward the blade if necessary.
• With the food processor running on low, pour the olive oil in in a steady stream until it forms a sauce.
• Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.
• Store in an airtight bowl or jar in the fridge for up to 7 days. You can also freeze this pesto for up to 3 months.

Notes

Vegan Option:

Omit the parm and add a couple of tablespoons of nutritional yeast or more, to taste. You’ll probably need a bit more salt and a squeeze of lemon goes a long way!

Nutrition

Serving: 2tablespoons | Calories: 237kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 187mg | Potassium: 75mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 842IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 0.5mg

More Pesto & Sauce Recipes

• Dairy-Free Vegan Basil Pesto
• Romesco Sauce
• Italian Tomato Sauce
• Magic 3-Ingredient Pasta Sauce

The post Kale Walnut Pesto appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

My version of Ribollita Toscana is made with lots of veggies, white beans, sometimes chickpeas (which are not traditional but a nice addition), broth, tomatoes, and kale. Lots of Tuscan kale. The soup simmers with a parmesan rind, which adds so much flavor, then, it’s all thickened up with toasty sourdough cubes and topped with a bunch more.

Get your spoons ready. You’re going to want to dig in to a bowl of this vegetarian ribollita immediately!

Table of Contents

• What Is Ribollita?
• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Ingredients
• Adaptations/Variations
• How to Make Ribollita
• Tip for Success
• More Hearty Italian Soup Recipes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

What Is Ribollita?

Ribollita, also known as Ribollita Toscana (or Tuscan Ribollita) is a thick and rustic Italian soup made with beans and veggies, and thickened with leftover bread. It’s cozy, highly flavored, and hearty. And, if you hadn’t guessed, I’m a huge fan.

The word “ribollita,” pronounced “REE-boh-LEE-tah,” literally translates to “reboiled.” Traditionally, it’s made with leftover soup (like minestrone), boiled together with day-old bread to transform it into a new, hearty, nourishing dish. (source)

Tuscan Ribollita is so delicious that in the U.S., it’s often created as the star dish, not an afterthought of leftovers. And that’s what we have here! Whenever I have a half a loaf of sourdough sitting on the counter, on the verge of being neglected, I turn to this ribollita recipe.

The Story Behind the Recipe

I’ve been working on this particular ribollita recipe for years! It’s not that it was overly complicated (quite the contrary), it was just that I would never quite get around to finishing the recipe and photographing it.

Every few months, I’d pull out the draft recipe, dust it off, make a batch, enjoy multiple bowls of coziness, and take notes. And every few months, I’d fall more and more in love with this Tuscan treasure.

The last time I made this Ribollita Toscana recipe, I decided it was finally time already to get this wonderful rustic soup out there into the world.

Ingredients

• Sourdough bread – Any rustic bread will work, but I’m partial to sourdough. You’ll want about half a loaf, around 8 cups of bread cubes.
• Olive oil – For toasting the bread cubes, sautéing the veggies, and I also like to drizzle it over the top, too.
• Onion, carrots, and celery – The classic mirepoix base is the first building block for the backbone of flavor in this Ribollita Toscana.
• Garlic – A must!
• Thyme & rosemary – You can use fresh or dried herbs. This time of year, in the heart of winter, I used dried.
• Vegetable broth – I prefer low-sodium vegetable broth. Make your own homemade vegetable broth using your slow cooker (it’s so easy!) or grab a box from the store.
• Tomatoes – One can crushed tomatoes.
• Beans – For this recipe, I suggest one can of cannellini beans and one can of chickpeas. If you want a more traditional ribollita, leave out the chickpeas and use two cans of cannellinis.
• Kale – Traditionally, Tuscan kale is the type of kale you’ll find in ribollita. This deep blue-green kale is also known as dinosaur kale or lacinato kale. It’s totally fine to swap in another type of kale if you want, though.
• Parmesan cheese – Just as in my minestrone recipe, I like to simmer the soup with a Parmesan rind for max flavor. For a vegan version, you can leave out the Parmesan and the soup still has plenty of flavor without it (or stir in a bit of nutritional yeast to get that lovely added bit of umami flavor!)
• Salt & pepper – Adjust as needed.
• Crushed red pepper flakes – Just a pinch adds a welcome touch of heat.
• Red wine vinegar – I like to finish my ribollita with a splash of red wine vinegar which really brightens and brings out the varied flavors. If you don’t have vinegar or don’t want to use it, it’s okay – the soup will still be great!

Adaptations/Variations

• Vegan option: The only non-vegan ingredient in this Ribollita is Parmesan. Just leave it out or use a dairy-free parm substitute.
• Sub in spinach instead of kale: If you don’t love kale or just don’t have any on hand, spinach makes a nice substitute. It’s not as traditional as Tuscan kale, but just as lovely!

How to Make Ribollita

First, you’ll want to toast your bread. Add the bread to a large baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to distribute the oil, then sprinkle the salt over the top. Bake until golden and crisp.

While the bread bakes, assemble your soup. You’ll start with sauteeing your onion, carrots, and celery, then you’ll add the garlic and herbs.

Stir in the broth, tomatoes, beans, chickpeas, Parmesan rind, some salt and pepper, and the crushed red pepper, then simmer for about 20 minutes to allow the flavors to develop and mingle together gloriously.

After it has simmered, dig out the parmesan rind and discard it; it’s done its job! Stir in the kale just until wilted, then remove the ribollita from the heat.

Stir in the red wine vinegar and a couple of cups of the bread, then let the soup sit for a few minutes, stirring every once in awhile. This helps the bread soften and become one with the soup! Taste your ribollita soup – does it need more salt and pepper? Now’s the time to add it!

Now, it’s time to serve! Scoop ribollita into bowls and top generously with more breadcrumbs. I like to add lots of Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil, and sometimes a bit of parsley for added color.

Tip for Success

• Let the soup “rest” – I find the off-heat time, when you allow it to cool a bit and let the bread hunks soften in the soup, really helps develop the flavors. Plus, the soup isn’t so piping hot when you serve it that you forget to taste it!

I hope Ribollita Toscana becomes a new vegetarian staple for you and your family! We absolutely love ribollita – it’s so cozy, nourishing, and hearty on a cold winter’s night.

More Hearty Italian Soup Recipes

• Vegetarian Minestrone
• Creamy White Bean Soup
• Hearty Tuscan White Bean Stew
• Pasta e Fagiole

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Tuscan Ribollita

Ribollita is a hearty, rustic Tuscan vegetarian soup traditionally made with leftover soup added to a big pot and thickened with leftover bread. This version is elevated from leftover status, made from the start with veggies, kale, lots of beans, and sourdough bread for a thick, full-of-flavor soup that is rib(ollita)-stickingly good! (Don't be intimidated by the long list of ingredients – it's actually quite simple and easy to make!)

Keyword ribollita, ribollita toscana, tuscan ribollita

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 298kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

For the bread chunks:

• 7-8 cups sourdough bread chunks about 1/2 loaf, cut or torn into approx. 3/4-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

For the ribollita:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 medium yellow onion diced, about 1 cup
• 2 medium carrots peeled and diced, about 1/2 cup
• 1 stalk celery diced, 1/4 cup
• 3 medium cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 teaspoons fresh
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary or 1 teaspoon fresh
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 15 ounces crushed tomatoes
• 15 ounces cannellini beans 1 can; 1 1/2 cups; drained and rinsed
• 15 ounces chickpeas 1 can; 1/2 cups; drained and rinsed [or substitute another can of cannellini beans]
• 1 Parmesan rind
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper + more to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 bunch Tuscan kale ribs removed, torn or cut into 1-2 inch pieces, 3-4 cups packed
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

For serving:

• drizzle of olive oil
• grated parmesan
• minced parsley

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper (not required, but makes for easy clean-up). Add the bread in a single layer. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and toss with your hands to help distribute. Sprinkle on 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Place in oven and bake until bread just begins to crisp and turn golden, 20-25 minutes.
• While the bread chunks bake, make the soup. Place a medium dutch oven or soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the 2 tablespoons olive oil. When hot, add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, and rosemary and cook, stirring frequently, for one minute. Add the broth, tomatoes, beans, chickpeas, Parmesan rind, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low to simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and the flavors have had a chance to develop, about 20 minutes.
• Remove the parmesan rind and stir in the kale. Cook until wilted, 1-2 minutes.
• Remove the soup from heat and stir in the red wine vinegar and 2 cups of the bread chunks. Let the soup sit for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to help the bread distribute and thicken the soup. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.
• Top individual servings with more bread hunks, lots of grated Parmesan, minced parsley if desired, and a generous drizzle of good olive oil.

Notes

Storage notes:

Keep leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep the bread cubes in an airtight container at room temp. Warm individual servings on the stovetop or in the microwave, then top with bread cubes, cheese, and a drizzle of olive oil. The leftovers are even tastier!

Vegan option:

The only non-vegan ingredient in this Ribollita is Parmesan. Just leave it out or use a dairy-free parm substitute.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 298kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 558mg | Potassium: 505mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 3591IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 117mg | Iron: 5mg

The post Tuscan Ribollita Recipe appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Quick, put down the green food coloring! With all the amazing naturally green foodstuffs out there, there’s no need for that stuff, nuh uh. If you’re looking for pasta in green sauce, this Creamy Avocado Pesto Pasta is about as green as green can get.

About This Green Pasta Recipe

Have you heard of avocado pasta? Basically, you puree avocado with a few other tasty morsels and bam! The most luxuriously creamy pasta sauce. It’s brilliant and I wish I’d been the first to think of it, but I wasn’t … it’s been around for awhile.

This creamy avocado pesto pasta includes lots of kale and some pine nuts for a nutrient-dense, pesto-like situation.

The result is an utterly emerald pasta dish that I definitely do not reserve just for St. Patrick’s Day. It’s an all-the-time thing around here.

(Oh, and bonus: This recipe is totally a sneaky way to usher kale into kale-haters’ diets without them even knowing. If, you know, you are into that sort of thing!)

Avocado Pesto Pasta Ingredients

I love that all you need is a super simple list of ingredients to make this swoon-worthy pasta.

• Pasta – I love whole wheat pasta with this one, but use whichever you’d like (brown rice pasta is great, too, if you’re eating gluten-free)
• Pine nuts – I like to give these a quick toast in a skillet for more flavor.
• Avocado – you’ll know it’s ripe if, when you lightly press it, it feels like the skin on your palm just below your thumb. This is a tip I picked up from What’s Gaby Cooking somewhere along the way, and it’s my fave way to check them!
• Kale – I love to use kale in my pesto; it’s a great way to sneak in those dark leafy greens. Feel free to sub in fresh basil for a more traditional twist. Spinach is great for a milder option, and parsley is fab because it’s parsley and parsley is always fab!
• Garlic – two fresh cloves.
• Lemon juice – helps brighten and balance the flavors of the creamy pesto.
• Crushed red pepper flakes – I love a touch of heat in this green pasta.
• Salt – To taste.

How to Adapt This Green Pasta Recipe to Make it Your Own

Dietary Adaptations

Creamy Avocado Pesto Pasta is vegetarian, dairy-free, and vegan as-is.

• To make it gluten-free, just swap in GF pasta.
• For the carnivores, you can add meat – such as grilled chicken – to the carnivores’ portions really easily.
• For a lower glycemic load, everyone’s different, but I’ve found using whole wheat pasta helps keep my blood sugar more balanced as compared to white pasta, due to the higher protein and fiber content in whole wheat pasta. More information here

Ingredient Adaptations

• Use your favorite pasta shape. Tubes and pastas with nooks and crannies are great for grabbing all the sauce, but I’m a huge fan of spaghetti for this one.
• Brown rice pasta, whole wheat pasta, pasta pasta – all great. Use whichever kind you like.
• For the pine nuts, feel free to swap in another seed or nut. Cashews, pecans, walnuts, and pepitas are all wonderful. Pepitas even have the added bonus of being green if you’re going full-on emerald with your green pasta!
• For the green pasta sauce, I recommend keeping the avocado no matter what because it’s key to the creamy sauce. But feel free to swap in different greens and/or herbs. Basil, parsley, arugula, spinach … all delicious.

Scaling this Recipe

• This pasta in green sauce recipe is easily doubled or halved; just double or half the ingredients. Use a large pot to cook the pasta if you’re doubling it; you’ll want lots of room!

How to Make It

This avocado pesto pasta recipe is SO VERY easy to make.

1. First, you cook your pasta, and reserve a cup of the pasta water. This is very important, because it is a key component of your green pasta sauce.
2. Then, give the pine nuts a quick toast in a skillet and set them aside.
3. Next, add some of the pine nuts and the remaining ingredients to the blender and puree until smooth, adding pasta water until it’s the perfect creamy consistency.
4. Finally, place the cooked pasta in a serving bowl, toss until coated with the luxurious green sauce, and top with the remaining pine nuts. Feel free to add a green garnish, too – I just kept it super simple for the photos.

How to Store

This recipe does NOT keep well, due to the avocado, so I recommend you eat it as soon as you make it. There is not enough lemon juice to keep the green pasta sauce from turning brown after awhile in the fridge.

Make-Ahead Notes

For the most part, you’ll want to make this pasta in green sauce right before you’re going to eat it. One step that you can do in advance to cut down on prep time is to toast the pine nuts. Allow them to cool then place in an airtight storage container and keep at room temperature until you’re ready to make your avocado pesto pasta.

If you try and love this recipe for green pasta, please leave a review! Even if you don’t absolutely love it, I welcome any and all feedback and I share all legit reviews. I test my recipes multiple times in my home kitchen, but I really appreciate knowing how they’re working for others; your reviews help me make tweaks until my recipes are just right! And they’re so valuable for other readers, too. Thank you! ❤️

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Creamy Avocado Pesto Pasta

A fast and easy pasta dish with penne pasta (or another fave pasta shape) in a ridiculously creamy and flavorful avocado pesto sauce. Only 20 minutes to make and a super short list of ingredients!

Course entree

Keyword avocado pesto pasta, green pasta, pasta in green sauce

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 355kcal

Author Kare

Equipment

• High-speed blender such as Vitamix, for making the sauce
• Large pot for cooking the pasta
• Skillet for toasting the pine nuts

Ingredients

• 8 ounces penne pasta or another favorite pasta; we also like this with spaghetti
• 1/4 cup pine nuts divided
• 1 ripe avocado pitted and peeled
• 2 cups kale leaves ribs removed and torn into medium pieces
• 2 medium cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes more or less to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste

Instructions

• Cook pasta according to package instructions. RESERVE 1 CUP OF THE WATER YOU COOKED THE PASTA IN.
• While the pasta cooks, toast the pine nuts. Place in a skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until just beginning to brown, about 3 minutes.
• Add 2 tablespoons of the toasted pine nuts to a pitcher of a high-powered blender along with the avocado, kale, garlic, lemon juice, crushed red pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Puree until completely smooth, adding more water, about 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed to keep it moving.
• Add cooked and drained pasta to your serving bowl. Pour the avocado-kale sauce over the top. Toss to combine. Top with remaining pine nuts. Serve immediately.

Notes

We have found that this recipe does NOT keep well – so be sure to eat it all when you make it! I know – tough job, but somebody has to do it.

Meat option:

Top carnivores’ portions with a few slices of grilled chicken breast.

Gluten-free option:

Swap in your favorite gluten-free pasta. I love brown rice pasta.

More adaptations/substitutions:

Pasta: Use your favorite pasta shape. Keep it to 8 ounces of whichever pasta you use. Brown rice pasta, whole wheat pasta, white pasta are all great, just use whichever you like.

Pine nuts: Feel free to swap in another seed or nut. Cashews, pecans, walnuts, and pepitas are all wonderful. Pepitas even have the added bonus of being green, too!

Sauce: I recommend keeping the avocado no matter what because it’s key to the creamy sauce. But feel free to swap in different greens and/or herbs. Basil, parsley, arugula, spinach … all delicious.

Dietary Adaptations

This green pasta is vegetarian, dairy-free, and vegan as-is.

To make it gluten-free, just swap in GF pasta.

For the carnivores, you can add meat – such as grilled chicken – to the carnivores’ portions really easily.

For a lower glycemic load, everyone’s different, but I’ve found using whole wheat pasta helps keep my blood sugar more balanced as compared to white pasta, due to the higher protein and fiber content in whole wheat pasta. More information here

Scaling this Recipe

This pasta in green sauce recipe is easily doubled or halved; just double or half the ingredients. Use a large pot to cook the pasta if you’re doubling it; you’ll want lots of room!

Adapted from Oh She Glows

Update notes:

This recipe was first posted on Kitchen Treaty on 3/6/2017 and was updated on 2/29/2024 with nutrition info and more adaptation/substitution information.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 355kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 305mg | Potassium: 472mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1144IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Creamy Avocado Pesto Pasta (with Kale & Pine Nuts) appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

With tender baby kale, sweet roasted butternut squash, tart dried cranberries, and creamy avocado, this is a winter salad idea I can get firmly behind.

I love this winter kale salad recipe so much because, well, one, it’s absolutely freaking delicious! But it’s also super flexible and can be made vegan, vegetarian, or meaty – and every variation is so tasty.

So if you’re looking for green salad recipes for winter, start here! You’ll love this one.

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind The Recipe
• Winter Kale Salad Ingredients
• How to Make It
• Variations/Additions
• Tips for Avoiding a Soggy Salad
• More Winter Salad Ideas

The Story Behind The Recipe

This recipe came to Kitchen Treaty during a time when I was feeling frustrated by my limitations – I was having to eat dairy-free and wasn’t yet comfortable creating 100% plant-based recipes.

So I asked around, and by a mad stroke of luck, two incredible food bloggers agreed to share recipes here on Kitchen Treaty every month or so – Gina, and, for this recipe, Brandy from Nutmeg Nanny created some serious salad deliciousness.

Every time I make this salad, I have to force myself to stop eating it – it’s that good!

Winter Kale Salad Ingredients

• Baby kale: This plate of deliciousness is made with baby kale because I personally find it to be a bit easier to eat for salads. If you wanted to you use regular curly kale it’s still totally doable, but you might want to give it a little massage first.
• Roasted butternut squash
• Dried cranberries
• Avocado
• Hard boiled eggs
• Apples
• Blue cheese

And for the dressing, we have:

• Olive oil: Because every good vinaigrette starts with olive oil!
• Red wine vinegar
• Meyer lemon juice: Meyer lemons bring the wintertime vibes and are a little sweeter than traditional lemons. But you can use regular lemon juice too!
• Dijon mustard
• Garlic
• Salt and pepper

How to Make It

First, roast the butternut squash. While it’s cooking, you can work on chopping your other winter salad ingredients.

Then, mix your vinaigrette dressing right in your big salad-mixing bowl.

Add the veggies to the salad bowl and top with the butternut squash. Toss well to incorporate the dressing, then top with hard-boiled eggs, chicken, tofu, and/or any other protein you like!

Variations/Additions

Amp up the protein. If you prefer a little more protein with your salads you can also add more eggs or dice up some marinated baked tofu. Or, if you’re a carnivore, some crispy fried bacon pieces and some grilled chicken.

Go flexitarian! This winter kale salad can be made One Dish, Two Ways style by separating it into individual servings and topping the carnivores’ portions with sliced chicken.

Try a different winter squash. So many winter squashes lend themselves to roasting and would be amazing in this salad. Kabocha, buttercup, or delicata would be great, especially because they’re small and roasting one would be just about perfect for the quantities in this salad. Pumpkin would be excellent too! I’m partial to Long Island Cheese Pumpkin.

Cook the eggs differently. This winter salad would be so excellent with soft-boiled or even poached eggs in lieu of the hard-boiled eggs.

Tips for Avoiding a Soggy Salad

Now I know in the pictures the salad is perfectly dressed and everything is perfectly placed BUT in real life I do not make a salad like this. In real life it all gets tossed together so every single bite is sure to have some sort of deliciousness hanging out in it. So here is my little tip just to make sure you don’t get a soggy overdressed salad:

1. Make your dressing right in your large salad bowl
2. Throw in your greens and then top with all your other ingredients as they cook and cool.
3. When you’re finally ready to eat the salad, THEN toss quickly and serve.

That way you don’t try dress the salad too early and make it soggy OR make the salads and try to toss the dressing on the plate. (This method is also great for dinner parties!)

More Winter Salad Ideas

I love these green salad recipes for winter:

• Lemon-Garlic Kale Salad with Almonds
• Rainbow Kale Salad brings all the colors!
• This simple fall salad is marketed for autumn but a great fit for winter too
• This Massaged Kale Salad with Chickpeas is another one of my faves.

Print

Winter Kale Salad

Roasted butternut squash, avocado, baby kale, and cranberries join together for a hearty winter salad that can be customized in so many different ways.

Course Main Course, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword kale

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 574kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

For the roasted butternut squash:

• 1 1/2 cups butternut squash, cubed cut into 1/2-inch chunks; from about 1/4 of a medium butternut squash
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For the salad dressing:

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed Meyer lemon juice can substitute plain lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 small clove garlic, minced about 1/2 teaspoon
• Pinch kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper plus more to taste
• 1/2 cup olive oil

For the salad:

• 5 ounces baby kale washed and dried
• Prepared roasted butternut squash
• 1 avocado cubed
• 1 apple cored and cubed (Fuji is great in this salad)
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 4 hard-boiled eggs peeled and halved

Optional toppings:

• Grilled chicken sliced
• Crispy bacon crumbled
• Marinated tofu cubed

Instructions

Roast the butternut squash

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Add butternut squash to the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper. Toss to evenly coat the squash. Roast until soft and slightly golden in color, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature before putting on the salad.

Make the salad dressing

• In a large salad bowl (the one you will use for serving) add vinegar, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, garlic, kosher salt and pepper. Whisk together until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the mixture is smooth and combined. Taste the dressing and add more kosher salt and pepper if desired.

Assemble the salad

• Top the dressing with the baby kale, butternut squash, avocado, apple, blue cheese, and cranberries. Toss to combine and make sure all ingredients are evenly coated. Top with eggs and serve.

Notes

Meat option:

Add slices of grilled chicken or cooked crumbled bacon. Or both.

Dairy-free option:

Omit the blue cheese.

Vegan option:

Omit the blue cheese and eggs. Add cubed marinated tofu and/or vegan feta. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 574kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 30g | Cholesterol: 199mg | Sodium: 442mg | Potassium: 726mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 9609IU | Vitamin C: 53mg | Calcium: 243mg | Iron: 2mg

Originally published Feb. 29, 2016.

The post Winter Kale Salad appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Reasons I’m in love with this kale salad recipe

Why do I love it? Well, for a few reasons, but in a nutshell:

1) It tastes SO good. It’s crunchy and tangy and a little salty and a little garlicky and hard to stop eating.

2) With the almonds lending protein and hearty fats, a bowlful of this kale salad makes the perfect lunch (it’s even better with some sliced avocado over the top!) and

3) You can make it ahead of time – it just hangs out in the fridge, getting better every day. Seriously – isn’t half the barrier to eating salad all the prep that’s involved? With this kale salad recipe, you make it once and it’s just there ready for days, waiting for you to grab a little every time a salad craving strikes.

This recipe is from the New York Times, lightly adapted, plus I’ve added a vegan option that, I think, is an extra delicious way to enjoy this salad. 

The simple yet flavorful garlic-infused olive oil and lemon juice dressing is so sublime, perfect tossed with kale leaves thinly sliced into an almost slaw-like situation. Between the thinly sliced kale and the acid-wielding power of the lemon, there’s no need to massage this one!

Then we have the copious amount of both Parmesan cheese and sliced almonds, the cheese adding umami for days and the almonds giving a satisfying crunch with every bite. But if you’re not about the cheese, just try nutritional yeast. It’s delicious!

I’ve always wondered why the New York Times doesn’t include almonds in the title of the recipe because truly this kale salad recipe is all about the almonds. It’s almost as much an almond salad as a kale salad!

Why share this kale salad recipe now? Because it’s the perfect make-ahead salad for the holidays, that’s why!

We’ve been enjoying this kale salad for years now, and I thought that there could not be a better time to share it with you. Because while you’re planning your Thanksgiving menu or the dish you’re bringing along with you, this salad could not be more perfect for Thanksgiving. Why? Because you can make it ahead of time – even a day, or two, or more! In fact, the longer this salad sits (within reason of course!), the more tender the kale leaves get.

More Salad Goodness

How to Make Vinaigrette Dressing – Ratio, Variations, & More (make any salad magic with this easy homemade hack)
Homemade Thousand Island Dressing
Massaged Kale Salad with Avocado & Chickpeas
Epic Winter Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash, Baby Kale, & Avocado
Kale Caesar Salad with Tofu Croutons & Kalamata Caesar Dressing

Print

Lemon Garlic Kale Salad with Almonds Recipe

Ribbons of leafy kale, dressed with lemony, garlic-infused olive oil then tossed with a mountain of crunchy toasted almonds and, if you like, loads of parmesan cheese. Make ahead of time for an easy holiday side or meal-prep situation!

Course Side Dish

Keyword kale, salad

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 10 servings

Calories 369kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 2 cups sliced almonds 6 ounces
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice from 2-3 medium lemons
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
• 1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil
• 4 each cloves garlic medium in size, crushed with a knife, peeled, and used whole
• 10-12 ounces kale leaves stems discarded; weighed after stemmed; about 2 big bunches*
• 1 1/2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese optional; can leave the cheese out or substitute 1/4 cup nutritional yeast for vegan version**

Instructions

Toast the almonds

• Place a skillet over medium heat and add the almonds. Cook, stirring frequently to avoid burning, until fragrant and beginning to turn golden. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Make the dressing

• Combine lemon juice and salt (NYT calls for a heaping teaspoon of salt but I feel that's a bit too much so I add a solid teaspoon then add a bit more at the end if I think it's needed). Drizzle in olive oil in a small stream while whisking to help dressing emulsify. Plop in the garlic cloves and set aside. The garlic will steep, adding some nice garlicky flavor, then you'll remove the cloves before dressing the salad.

Prepare the kale

• Cut the kale into thin ribbons and add to a very large bowl.

Assemble the salad

• Top with cooled almonds and parmesan cheese (if using). Remove garlic cloves from dressing, give the dressing another stir to make sure it's all mixed evenly, and pour half of the dressing over the salad. Toss well. I like to use my hands and give the kale a bit of a massage while mixing but with the kale being sliced into thin ribbons I find massaging is not expressly needed. Add more dressing if needed along with salt if desired. Save remainder of dressing in the fridge for another time. Serve; but this salad keeps wonderfully in the fridge for 3-4 which is one reason why it is a fave around here!

Notes

* I’m a big fan of using a mix of lacinato (Tuscan) kale and curly kale. But you can use whichever kale you prefer.

 

**Vegan version – omit the Parmesan cheese. The salad is plenty good without, but I like adding in 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast instead for a nice hit of umami flavor. 

 

Lightly adapted from the New York Times

 

Nutrition

Calories: 369kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 23g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 489mg | Potassium: 259mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2951IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 302mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Lemon-Garlic Kale Salad with Almonds Recipe appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

It’s super simple, with frozen tropical fruits, an orange (one of those Cuties, peeled and thrown on in, is perfect), almond milk, banana, and spinach or kale (or a bit of both).

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Tropical Green Smoothie Ingredients
• How to Make It
• More Green Smoothie Recipes

The Story Behind the Recipe

I know smoothie recipes – and especially green smoothie recipes – are super commonplace and easy these days. So does the world really need another?

Good point, self. The truth is, sometimes you (I) happen across a particularly delicious combination and you (I) know you (I) won’t remember the combo. So you (I) decide you’d better publish it on your (okay I’ll stop now) food blog so that you can keep the recipe forevermore.

And here is why, in 2019, you’re seeing another recipe for a dadgum green smoothie: The Tropical Green Smoothie!

This one is entirely drinkable – so drinkable, my smoothie-averse kiddo declared it yummy! That’s saying something (those of you who know my daughter and me know that’s really, really something).

Tropical Green Smoothie Ingredients

It’s super easy to have all the ingredients on hand, because the pineapple and mango just hang in your freezer, and if you’re like me, at least in the wintertime you always have those easy-peel, super sweet oranges on hand (but it’s always nice to have oranges hanging out anytime of the year).

Add in a banana, almond milk, and some greens and viola!

• Kale or spinach – both are great! I like baby kale in smoothies.
• Frozen pineapple & frozen mango – both easy to find in the freezer section at both grocery stores., chunked and ready to add to your blender! Perfect.
• Orange – peel it and drop it in whole!
• Banana – no need to freeze it first because your pineapple and mango were frozen. Perfect!
• Almond milk – but any plant based milk will work.

Another green smoothie recipe! (I promise, this tropical green smoothie is worth a try.

How to Make It

Add all of the ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend until pureed. That’s it! If you need a little more milk to get everything moving, feel free to add more a bit at a time until perfect.

More Green Smoothie Recipes

• 4-Ingredient Mango Green Smoothie
• Mango Coconut Green Smoothie
• Ginger Peach Green Smoothie
• Toasted Coconut Green Smoothie
• Chocolate Raspberry Sneaky Green Smoothie (hint: it’s not actually green in color!)
• Healthy Shamrock Shake Smoothie
• Green Lime Smoothie
• Pumpkin Pie Green Smoothie

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Tropical Green Smoothie

Our absolute favorite green smoothie. This one's sweet and so tropical tasting its nickname is "Green Sunshine Smoothie!" It's only green in looks though – you can't taste the kale or spinach at all!

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1 large or 2 small smoothies

Calories 279kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup kale leaves baby kale, or baby spinach (packed)
• 1/2 cup frozen mango chunks
• 1/2 cup frozen pineapple chunks
• 1 whole small orange or 1/2 large orange, peeled
• 1 medium banana peeled
• 1/2 – 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk or milk of your choice

Instructions

• Add all ingredients, starting with 1/2 cup milk, to a high-powered blender and blend until smooth. If your smoothie is too thick, add a bit more milk until it blends smoothly.
• Divide between one or two glasses and serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 171mg | Potassium: 925mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 46g | Vitamin A: 2360IU | Vitamin C: 159mg | Calcium: 255mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Tropical Green Smoothie appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Yes, it’s glorious to start out the week with a fridge brimming with gloriously healthy meals in perfect glass containers. But to be honest, in my opinion, getting to that point is such a chore!

I’ve spent entire Sundays meal-prepping for the week and wondered afterwards where half my weekend went. Sunday evening, I flop on the sofa in a heap, feeling like I’ve just prepared a Thanksgiving meal. No one wants to feel like they’ve prepared a Thanksgiving meal every single weekend! Well, at least not me.

A sneaky, much easier way to prep for me is to make a meal bigger than I need, then save the rest in the fridge or freezer. Another, less fancy word for this, I suppose, is “leftovers.” Leftovers are the best!

Also, I just like to make the meals I do make easy. This hearty, savory Sheet Pan Black Bean, Sweet Potato, & Kale Breakfast Hash works perfectly on both fronts.

It cooks up one sheet pan and also – if I’m the only one partaking – gives me three mornings’ worth of breakfasts. The first, hot out of the oven, and the next two days worth in the form of leftovers. No lost Sundays, just 30 minutes or so one morning – most of it hands off. Win!

I’ve found that for me, the most satisfying breakfasts with the most staying power involve lots of protein and fiber. Lentils or beans are perfect for that. Sweet potatoes – tossed in a few spices then roasted – lend a nice dose of carbs and vitamins. Lastly, some kale. Because kale!

I kind of feel like some avocado on the side is mandatory, not only because it adds some nice healthy fat to the equation, but also because it’s delicious. I also like a smattering of scallions, maybe some salted pepitas, and – if I really want a rib-sticking situation (vegans, avert your eyes) – perhaps a poached egg on top.

Go ahead, turn on your oven and give this one a try one morning. It’s worth it! Or make it on a Sunday for breakfasts during the week, because if you’re into it, this really is a great meal prep breakfast situation. And if you are into it, please know I envy your meal-prepping dedication and stamina and I wish I was you. 🙂

More Sheet Pan Recipes

• Sheet Pan Tofu & Veggies
• American Flag Sheet Cake
• Crispy Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Veggies & Sausage

More Breakfast Recipes with Avocado

• Avocado Toast with Poached Eggs
• Cucumber Hummus Avocado Toast
• Black Bean & Avocado Breakfast Scramble
• High Protein Vegan Breakfast Bowl
• Crunchy Vegetarian Breakfast Tacos

Print

Sheet Pan Black Bean, Sweet Potato, & Kale Breakfast Hash

An easy, hearty breakfast that cooks up on a sheet pan (and makes perfect leftovers for later in the week)!

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 medium sweet potato about 3/4 pound or 12 ounces, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch dice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt + more to taste
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups shredded curly kale
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Suggested accompaniments:

• Sliced avocado
• Poached egg
• Salsa

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and pull out a large rimmed sheet pan.
• Place the cubed sweet potato on the sheet pan and drizzle the olive oil over the top. Sprinkle the onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon salt over the top. Toss with a wooden spoon or (easier) your hands to distribute the oil and spices. Try to give each piece of sweet potato as much space as possible.
• Bake until tender and beginning to brown, 15-20 minutes, tossing once halfway through. Remove from oven and add the beans and kale to the pan. Toss with a wooden spoon to mix everything together. Place in oven for another 5 minutes until the beans are warmed through and the kale has wilted.
• Remove from oven. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired. Serve with avocado, salsa, and/or a poached egg if desired.

Notes

Vegetarian option (if you’re a vegetarian who eats eggs):

Add a poached egg if desired.

The post Sheet Pan Vegetarian Breakfast Hash appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why Massage Kale?
• Massaged Kale & Chickpea Salad Ingredients
• How to Make Kale Chickpea Salad
  • First, Massage the Kale
  • Toss the Chickpeas in Dressing
  • Assemble the Salad
• More Kale Salad Recipes

• Jump to the full, printable recipe
• Read reviews and comments

The Story Behind the Recipe

See, I used to be unsure about the whole massaged kale thing – I mean, I’ve always liked unmassaged kale just fine.

But I’m doing this culinary certificate thing and one of the early assignments was to try kale three different ways: unmassaged, massaged with lemon juice and olive oil, and massaged with avocado.

Lo and behold, I had to admit that I really, really adore massaged kale salad – especially massaged kale salad with avocado.

Why Massage Kale?

Massaging kale takes care of a couple of things:

1. It breaks down the fibers, making it easier to chew and digest.
2. It takes away some of that bitter “green” taste that some kale-haters dislike.

A side benefit to massaging your kale salad is that you’re seasoning/dressing your salad at the same time you are massaging it. Win-win!

When you massage kale for salad, you add de-ribbed leaves to a large bowl along with a fat, an acid, and salt.

• Fat: Helps tenderize and coat the kale leaves
• Salt: Aids the tenderizing process
• Acid: Really helps break down those fibers.

Then, you squeeze, massage, and toss around the kale until tender and perfect!

Massaged Kale & Chickpea Salad Ingredients

This chickpea kale salad massages the kale with avocado, tops it with a simply dressed chickpea salad, and then it’s plopped with a few slices of avocado for good measure. Plus, I like a few sunflower seeds for crunch.

• Kale – I like curly kale for this kale chickpea salad, but any kale will do.
• Avocado – use half for massaging the kale, and the other half sliced on the salad.
• Lemon juice – some for massaging, some for dressing the chickpeas
• Salt & freshly ground pepper – some salt for massaging, plus, of course, loads of flavor!
• Chickpeas – One can or about 1 1/2 cups cooked
• Olive oil, dijon mustard, and pure maple syrup – To finish out the chickpea dressing. So good!
• Red onion – for a little pizzazz and color
• Sunflower seeds – I love a sprinkling of salty roasted sunflower seeds for crunch.

How to Make Kale Chickpea Salad

First, Massage the Kale

To massage your kale, strip out the ribs and tear your kale into bite-size pieces. Add to a large bowl along with the avocado, lemon juice, and a bit of salt.

And then, with clean hands, squeeze and rub and manhandle the kale until it’s reduced in size and tender. This process usually takes just a couple of minutes. 

Unmassaged (left); massaged (right)

Your kale enjoyed a nice little trip to the spa before you chomp it down. Massaging for the win!

Toss the Chickpeas in Dressing

Mix the chickpeas with the onion, olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon, pure maple syrup, and salt and pepper.

Assemble the Salad

Divide the kale between plates, top with chickpeas, and arrange the remaining avocado over the salads. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds and serve!

More Kale Salad Recipes

I love kale salad! Here are a few more kale salad recipes on Kitchen Treaty:

• Lemon Garlic Kale Salad with Almonds – a wonderful salad with a make-ahead option
• Winter Kale Salad – super hearty, cobb-ish salad.
• Rainbow Kale Salad – so colorful!
• Kale Caesar Salad with Kalamata Caesar Dressing – love this one so much.

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Massaged Kale & Chickpea Salad

The 10-minute meal I can't stop making: Kale massaged with avocado then topped with a simple chickpea salad and more avocado. (More avocado is always a good thing, am I right?)

Course Salad

Keyword salad

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Calories 482kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 medium ripe avocado halved, divided) (you'll massage half with the kale, the other half will be sliced for the salad
• 1 medium bunch curly kale rinsed, dried, and stems removed) (about 8 cups loosely packed
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice from approx. 1 medium lemon, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt divided
• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (about 1 1/2 cups cooked)
• 1/4 cup diced red onion about 1/4 medium onion
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons roasted salted sunflower seeds

Instructions

• Squeeze half the avocado out of its shell and into a large bowl. Mash with a fork. Add the kale, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. And, with clean hands, dig in! Squeeze and rub the kale until it's reduced in size and tender, 1-2 minutes. Set aside.
• To a medium bowl, add the chickpeas, onion, olive oil, the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, Dijon mustard, pure maple syrup, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir until well-combined.
• Divide kale between three plates. Top with chickpeas. Slice remaining avocado and arrange on top of the salads. Sprinkle sunflower seeds over the top. Serve immediately.

Notes

You can make the chickpea salad ahead of time, but due to the avocado and the fact that it usually does not keep well, I recommend doing the massaged kale and avocado right before serving.

Meat option:

Top meat-eaters’ portions with some cooked, cubed chicken.

Vegetarian (dairy) option:

Top individual portions with 2 tablespoons each crumbled feta.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 482kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 541mg | Potassium: 1275mg | Fiber: 22g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 13526IU | Vitamin C: 139mg | Calcium: 432mg | Iron: 7mg

The post Massaged Kale & Chickpea Salad appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

This bean stew comes together in just over a half hour (most of it hands-off), and it’s not only vegetarian, but it’s vegan and gluten-free – but even my hardcore carnivorous (and non-kale-loving) guy is a fan.

Tuscan Bean Stew Ingredients

• Olive oil – for sauteeing and, of course, flavor.
• Onion, carrot, and celery – this bean stew begins with a classic mirepoix, a crucial building block for maximum flavor.
• Garlic – fresh, minced garlic, please, and lots of it! This soup is all about the garlic.
• Thyme, rosemary, and a bay leaf – these herbs lend an earthy, savory vibe that is perfect for this rustic stew.
• Crushed red pepper flakes – just a few for a little touch of heat. You can add more if you like more heat, or leave them out completely for milder palates.
• Veggie broth – just a couple of cups of broth really helps add a few more notes of flavor. If you’re not worried about making a strictly vegetarian bean stew, you can always use chicken broth.
• Cannellini beans, red kidney beans, and butter (lima) beans: I like this combo of hearty beans but you can use any combo of beans you like or swap out the red kidney beans for navy beans for an white bean stew.
• Tuscan kale – I love the heartiness and structure of this sturdy blue-green kale, but other types of kale work great too!

How to Make It

This stew comes together like a soup. First, you saute your veggies, then add the garlic, beans, broth, and herbs. Cook until tender and flavorful, and stir in the kale until wilted. That’s it!

What to Serve with Tuscan Bean Stew

We love this bean stew with a side of toasted crusty bread, but it would also be excellent served over polenta or quinoa. I love serving a crisp green salad alongside dressed with a simple vinaigrette.

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Hearty Tuscan Bean Stew

With three types of beans and a generous dose of rosemary and garlic, this is a seriously satisfying stew. And it’s vegan too!

Course Main Course, Soup

Keyword beans, soup

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 232kcal

Author Kare

Equipment

• 1 Dutch oven or large pot

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup diced yellow onion about 1/2 medum onion
• 1/2 cup diced carrots about 2 medium carrots
• 1/4 cup diced celery about 1 stalk
• 4 medium cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 15 ounces cannellini beans drained; also known as white kidney beans; one can; about 1 1/2 cups
• 15 ounces red kidney beans drained; one can; about 1 1/2 cups
• 15 ounces butter beans drained; also known as lima beans; one can; about 1 1/2 cups
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 2 sprigs rosemary about 5 inches each
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 bunch lacinato kale also known as dinosaur kale or Tuscan kale, cut into 1-inch pieces) (about 4 cups
• Additional salt and pepper to taste
• Additional olive oil for serving if desired

Instructions

• Add the olive oil to a large, heavy pan over medium heat. When hot, add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for one more minute. Stir in the thyme, salt, and black pepper. Add the beans, broth, rosemary, and bay leaf. Stir to combine. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, reduce heat to low to maintain a simmer until the stew is thickened, 20-25 minutes.
• Add the kale and cook until wilted, 3-4 minutes.
• Remove the rosemary sprigs and bay leaf. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired.
• Serve as-is or over polenta, brown rice, or quinoa. Drizzle individual servings with a little olive oil, if desired.

Notes

Pantry recipe note: Leave out the kale if you don’t have any on hand.

Meat option:

If meat-eaters would really like to amp it up, some cooked, chopped chicken added at the end of the process or to individual carnivorous servings would do nicely.

Nutrition

Calories: 232kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 234mg | Potassium: 899mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 6330IU | Vitamin C: 46mg | Calcium: 165mg | Iron: 5mg

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