Meal prep this Winter Butternut Squash and Kale Grain Bowls and have a wholesome meal throughout the week. Roasted squash and mushrooms are tossed with baby kale before being layered with a mixture of grains, fresh vegetables and drizzled with a Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette.
January is healthy eating month amiright?
So maybe just ignore the brownies I posted last Friday, that was a momentary relapse. Since the holidays are over and I’m back on my track with my healthy living diet, I’ve been thinking about meal prepping a lot. Remember these roasted veggie rice bowls? I wanted to do something similar but involving butternut squash, kale and a combination of grains like quinoa and wild rice.
These butternut and kale grain bowls are the outcome.
Now I have healthy lunch (but could be dinner!) in my fridge for the next few days and I couldn’t be happier about it.
To Make These Winter Butternut Butternut and Kale Grains Bowls You Will Need:
- butternut squash
- olive oil
- paprika
- onion powder
- garlic powder
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- mushrooms
- baby kale
- cooked wild rice
- cooked quinoa
- red bell pepper
- red onion
- pepitas
- chipotle honey vinaigrette
Start by sliding a large rimmed metal baking sheet onto the middle rack of your (cold) oven before preheating your oven to 400℉ (or 200℃).
In a mixing bowl, toss butternut squash with 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon onion powder. Once the oven and pan are preheated, dump the squash and spread in an even layer. Roast for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in the same bowl, toss the mushrooms with 1 teaspoon olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon both garlic and onion powder, a pinch of kosher salt and some freshly ground black pepper.
When the 10 minutes are up on the squash, scatter the mushrooms and pop back into the oven for 10 to 15 more minutes or until the squash is fork tender.
While that’s in the oven, add 5 ounces of baby kale into a large bowl.
As soon as the squash and mushrooms are cooked, immediately remove them and add them into the bowl with the kale and sprinkle with a few pinches kosher salt.
Gently toss to combine. The heat from the veggies will subtly wilt the baby kale making it even more tender.
We’re in the home stretch now!
Measure and add a heaping 1/4 cup of cooked wild rice and 1/2 cup cooked quinoa into four 4-cup storage containers (that have lids).
Next, divide the butternut kale mixture among each bowl.
Top with diced red pepper, red onions and pepitas.
Pour 2 tablespoons (more or less to your preference) into small plastic cups – also with lids.
Nestle 1 dressing per bowl.
Of course this was going to be my lunch for the day, so I cracked open a dressing and drizzled it over top along with extra black pepper.
Dig in! And enjoy this light, healthy winter grain bowl!
Enjoy! And if you give these Winter Butternut and Kale Grain Bowls a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
Winter Butternut Squash and Kale Grain Bowls (Meal Prep!)
Ingredients
- 20 ounces butternut squash, diced
- 8 ounces mushrooms, halved and quartered if large
- olive oil, extra light
- 1½ teaspoons paprika, divided
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, divided
- kosher salt, to taste
- black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
- 5 ounces baby kale
- 2 cups quinoa, cooked
- 1 (generous) cup wild rice, cooked
- 1/2 red pepper, diced
- 1/2 small red onion, diced
- 1/4 cup pepitas
- 1 recipe chipotle honey vinaigrette
Instructions
- Slide a large, rimmed metal baking sheet into your oven and preheat to 400℉ (or 200℃)
- Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, toss the butternut squash with 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 a teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 onion powder a generous pinch of kosher salt and some freshly ground black pepper.
- Once the oven (and pan) have preheated, use oven mits to remove the pan and immediately spray with olive oil and toss the seasoned butternut squash onto the pan. Shake the pan so the squash is in a single layer. Slide the pan back into the oven on the middle rack for 10 minutes.
- While roasting, in the same bowl, add the mushrooms with 1 teaspoon olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon paprkia, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/4 teaspoon onion powder. Toss to combine. After the 10 minutes are up, add it to the pan with the squash and roast for 10 to 15 minutes or until the squash is tender.
- In a large bowl, add the baby kale. When the squash is done roasting, immediately add it to the kale with a pinch or two of salt and gently toss to combine. The hot vegetables should soften the kale a bit.
- Divide the wild rice and quinoa among 4 bowls - 1 heaping 1/4 cup wild rice and 1/2 cup quinoa per bowl. Next, divide the butternut/kale mixture among the bowls as well. Top each bowl with diced pepper, red onion and sprinkle with pepitas.
- In 4 small cups (that have lids) pour 2 tablespoons of the dressing. Secure the lids and nestle the cups into the bowls and cover with their lids.
- Enjoy within 1 week.
- Warm bowl up in microwaver or enjoy cold with a drizzle of the dressing over top.
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THANK YOU in advance for your support!
Can I divide this into 1 cup containers to meal prep for 3 people?