While Lori was in college in Northern California, we often went to visit. The food scene there had a big influence on all of us. Even those many years ago, we were into fresh, locally grown vegetables and whole grains. Our dog-eared cookbooks were The Moosewood Cookbook and Laurel’s Kitchen. One of our favorite things to make in those days is a bowl like this, composed of four elements: a grain, vegetables, a protein, and a sauce. They're so simple, nutrient-dense, and very pretty to serve.
Ingredients
For the poblano tahini sauce:
For the bowls:
For the poblano tahini sauce:
Step 1
In a blender or food processor, combine the poblano, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, and 1/4 cup water and blend until smooth. (If the sauce is too thick, add water as needed to reach the desired consistency.) Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Set aside. (The dressing can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.)
For the bowls:
Step 2
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Step 3
In a medium saucepan, cook the quinoa, rice, or farro according to the directions on the package.
Step 4
In a medium bowl, combine the sweet potatoes, melted coconut oil, maple syrup, orange zest, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix well until the potatoes are evenly coated.
Step 5
Spread the sweet potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes. Flip them with a spatula and roast until the potatoes are tender and beginning to brown, an additional 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 6
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the chickpeas, 2 teaspoons of the olive oil, the paprika, cumin, cayenne, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Mix well until the chickpeas are thoroughly coated.
Step 7
Spread the chickpeas on a rimmed baking sheet and roast with the sweet potatoes until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring them once halfway through.
Step 8
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of the olive oil until shimmering. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chard, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chard begins to wilt, 2 to 3 minutes. Uncover, add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until the chard is completely wilted and cooked through, an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Discard the garlic cloves.
Step 9
Put 1/2 cup of the cooked grain in the bottom of each of four serving bowls. Top each bowl with equal portions of the roasted sweet potatoes, roasted chickpeas, and sautéed chard. Drizzle with the poblano tahini sauce and serve with extra sauce passed separately.
How would you rate Grain Bowl With Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Spiced Chickpeas, and Chard?
Leave a Review
Reviews (26)
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Anonymous
10/28/2022
Subbed cauliflower rice in for the rice and it was absolutely amazing
Sarawinkler
Stanley, NC
3/31/2021
This wasn’t a hit for us. The flavors got sort of muddled, it was missing a “pop” of some kind. We eat mostly vegetarian and vegan so nonissue there. Healthy, but too much work for too little reward. We’ll stick with other bowls.
Anonymous
3/12/2021
I made this for a vegan and gluten-free visitor but we all enjoyed the meal. I would call it a comfort meal, good and wholesome. I prepared the dressing a few days ahead and the rest came together quickly. I can imagine that if you are preparing the dressing and washing and chopping veg all on the same evening it would be labor and time intensive. Don't be shy on the spices, it's overall very mildly spiced. I used black rice that contrasted beautifully with the orange potatoes and greens--a feast for the eyes! I did add a few drops of orange oil to punch up the flavor with the sweet potatoes but otherwise followed the recipe. I had some leftover Kale with Walnuts from this site and when the chard ran out we used that which added a nice garlicky green and nutty crunch--so good. We decided to add to the rotation! Will definitely make again.
ksadamson
Idaho
11/29/2020
Wonderful. I never knew roasted chick peas and sweet potatoes was so good. I sliced the garlic thin before cooking it. I'm not sure I would have liked a whole clove. I also swapped kale for chard, as that's what I had.
MattR
Colorado
5/3/2020
Excellent recipe!! I made it as printed with the exception of the chard. Due to quarantine, all I had available for a leafy green was canned spinach so I made an easy Indian creamed spinach. I also had to substitute olive oil for coconut oil. It was fantastic and fun to prepare.
mollycjones
4/22/2020
I loved the sauce and the combination of the chickpeas, sweet potatoes and chard. The sauce alone is a great complement to cooked vegetables, so I think I'll be making this dish and variations of it again. I didn't really think the coconut oil and maple syrup were necessary for the potatoes, though. They are sweet enough on their own, and there are plenty of different flavors in this dish. I gave this 4 forks because, although it isn't the most fabulous dish on earth, it is simple, tasty, and gives you exactly what it promises.
goldenapple1
11/2/2019
Delicious! I don't really get the comments that this is labor-intensive--it's not like it took hours. I put the sweet potatoes in, made the sauce and prepared the chickpeas, put the chickpeas in, sautéed the chard, and we were good to go in 45 minutes. But no way is this 12 servings! Maybe 4 at best.
azalais
9/22/2019
Takes a lot of prep work, but tasted great and I love how healthy it feels! Would recommend doubling the recipe to meal prep for a week. I made the mistake of buying the wrong kind of pepper (a non-spicy one), but I'm sure it would be great with poblanos. The one thing I didn't love was that the chickpeas didn't get crispy in that amount of time for me. But they tasted great and were a nice protein add.
cirish
Colorado
7/10/2019
The roasted chickpeas are absolutely superb. The flavour and texture amaze me every time. I will typically make a double batch each week to have in the fridge to have with any rice bowl, salads or as a side dish. Outstanding.
greindar3890
Vancouver, BC
4/25/2019
Is this labor intensive? Yes. Is it worth it? OMG YES. The dressing is the real star here and super versatile so if you want the flavor sans the work just make that and drizzle over whatever. I charred the poblanos over the burner for more depth and had to resist chugging it while everything else cooked. Will definitely be returning to this sauce frequently when grilling season starts.
paweldroz
Chicago
4/10/2019
Yep. Heavy on the prep but oh so good. I roasted the poblanos peppers first which made the dressing delicious. Because of the prep, I too would double the recipe. Definitely keep this on rotation. Add a fried or soft boiled egg and you have a delightful brunch!
mjh7311595
Bay Area
4/8/2019
The dish was delicious. However, it took forever to make and I think I used half my cookware making it. I would suggest doubling it to feed four hungry adults. I made it for two adults and a toddler and there wasn't enough for seconds. My poor husband is probably still hungry.
megsual
Maplewood, NJ
4/5/2019
I loved this recipe! Would definitely make again. Very tasty and healthy!
rf7260
New York
3/29/2019
Fantastic dish! Everyone agreed it's a definite keeper!
schafzuly7644
New York, NY
3/28/2019
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