Hi Guys- how was your weekend? We laid very, very low. After being pretty sick here for 10 days, we headed out on Saturday for an hour to get a bite at our local Greek festival (we were no longer contagious- I swear!!) and it was like I had to adjust my eye’s to the bright light! I honestly have only left the house to go to the dr or pick sick kids up at school. Good Times. SO happy to be feeling normal- it makes me realize how much I take good health for granted.

So it was nice to get out on this beautiful Sunday afternoon and get fresh air and enjoy the Autumnal Sun which is setting much earlier all of the sudden.

Spiced Apple Cider and Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowl

 

And then of course I settled in to make Sunday dinner and binge watch Anthony Bourdain all evening. I made Pomegranate Laquered Chicken and then on the side I made this Spiced Apple Cider and Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowl. It was a gorgeous complementary dish but this is so much more than a just a side dish. It is also a Meatless-Monday-perfect-for-lunch-or-dinner Quinoa Salad bowl. I would easily eat this as meatless meal for dinner- but also think it would be awesome to bring to work for lunch. Spiced Apple Cider and Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowl

What I love about this dish is that the quinoa is actually cooked in the Spiced Apple Cider, so the grain is completely infused with the apple and spices flavors. When it is tossed with the red onion and the parsley it takes on sweet and savory notes that I really like.

Spiced Apple Cider and Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowl

The roasted sweet potatoes have that same quality and the sweet and tart cranberries and apples and toasty walnuts add so much texture and flavor! A nest of baby kale (we are still producing in our garden!) is a grassy wonderful addition and then the Apple Cider Dijon Vinaigrette is what I like to drizzle over the top for an extra explosion of flavor. Enjoy!

Spiced Apple Cider and Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowl- GF and Vegan
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 2-4
 
Ingredients
  • FOR THE QUINOA:
  • 1 ¼ cups apple cider
  • 1 cup white quinoa
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • FOR THE SALAD:
  • 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • kosher salt
  • 2 cups baby kale
  • 1 cup fresh apple, diced or thinly sliced
  • ¼ red onion, small diced
  • ¼ cup dried cranberries
  • ½ cup toasted walnuts
  • ¼ cup minced fresh flat leaf parsley
  • FOR THE Apple Cider Dijon Vinaigrette:
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider
  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • kosher salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  2. In a small pot, add the apple cider and the quinoa and kosher salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and add the lid. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
  3. Toss the sweet potatoes with 3 tablespoons of oil and kosher salt and roast on a bare sheetpan for 17 minutes until golden brown and tender.
  4. To make the dressing, combine the garlic, Dijon, apple cider, apple cider vinegar and olive oil and puree until smooth. Season to taste with kosher salt.
  5. When the quinoa is finished, fluff with a fork and let cool slightly. Toss the quinoa with the red onion, dried cranberries and parsley along with a few tablespoons of the dressing. Season to taste with kosher salt.
  6. On a bed of baby kale pile the quinoa and then arrange the roasted sweet potatoes, apples and walnuts on top and drizzle with the dressing.

 

Print Recipe  

Hi Guys- how was your weekend? We laid very, very low. After being pretty sick here for 10 days, we headed out on Saturday for an hour to get a bite at our local Greek festival (we were no longer contagious- I swear!!) and it was like I had to adjust my eye’s to the bright light! I honestly have only left the house to go to the dr or pick sick kids up at school. Good Times. SO happy to be feeling normal- it makes me realize how much I take good health for granted.

So it was nice to get out on this beautiful Sunday afternoon and get fresh air and enjoy the Autumnal Sun which is setting much earlier all of the sudden.

Spiced Apple Cider and Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowl

 

And then of course I settled in to make Sunday dinner and binge watch Anthony Bourdain all evening. I made Pomegranate Laquered Chicken and then on the side I made this Spiced Apple Cider and Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowl. It was a gorgeous complementary dish but this is so much more than a just a side dish. It is also a Meatless-Monday-perfect-for-lunch-or-dinner Quinoa Salad bowl. I would easily eat this as meatless meal for dinner- but also think it would be awesome to bring to work for lunch. Spiced Apple Cider and Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowl

What I love about this dish is that the quinoa is actually cooked in the Spiced Apple Cider, so the grain is completely infused with the apple and spices flavors. When it is tossed with the red onion and the parsley it takes on sweet and savory notes that I really like.

Spiced Apple Cider and Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowl

The roasted sweet potatoes have that same quality and the sweet and tart cranberries and apples and toasty walnuts add so much texture and flavor! A nest of baby kale (we are still producing in our garden!) is a grassy wonderful addition and then the Apple Cider Dijon Vinaigrette is what I like to drizzle over the top for an extra explosion of flavor. Enjoy!

Spiced Apple Cider and Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowl- GF and Vegan
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 2-4
 
Ingredients
  • FOR THE QUINOA:
  • 1 ¼ cups apple cider
  • 1 cup white quinoa
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • FOR THE SALAD:
  • 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • kosher salt
  • 2 cups baby kale
  • 1 cup fresh apple, diced or thinly sliced
  • ¼ red onion, small diced
  • ¼ cup dried cranberries
  • ½ cup toasted walnuts
  • ¼ cup minced fresh flat leaf parsley
  • FOR THE Apple Cider Dijon Vinaigrette:
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider
  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • kosher salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  2. In a small pot, add the apple cider and the quinoa and kosher salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and add the lid. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
  3. Toss the sweet potatoes with 3 tablespoons of oil and kosher salt and roast on a bare sheetpan for 17 minutes until golden brown and tender.
  4. To make the dressing, combine the garlic, Dijon, apple cider, apple cider vinegar and olive oil and puree until smooth. Season to taste with kosher salt.
  5. When the quinoa is finished, fluff with a fork and let cool slightly. Toss the quinoa with the red onion, dried cranberries and parsley along with a few tablespoons of the dressing. Season to taste with kosher salt.
  6. On a bed of baby kale pile the quinoa and then arrange the roasted sweet potatoes, apples and walnuts on top and drizzle with the dressing.