Black Bean, Kale, Quinoa Bowl
cozy and delicious — difficulty: level 2
so good you might even cry
I love the cozy wholesomeness of a big bowl of Beans, Greens, and Grains. You really can't go wrong with this combo.
As mentioned at the end of the Herby Tahini Dressing recipe, this was one of the first meals I made for friends visiting from out of town. It's both a crowd pleaser and a weeknight fav.
The recipe here is pretty straightforward, doesn't require any fancy techniques, and is made with mostly pantry staples. It’s great!
The main instructions are for a reasonable, typical cooking method. In the notes, you can find my mildly-chaotic technique* for reducing the number of pots I have to wash.
[Makes: Several Black Bean, Kale, Quinoa Bowls]
Ingredients
1 batch Herby Tahini Dressing
1-2 cans Black Beans
(# of cans up to you)
1 bunch Kale
1 cup Quinoa
Salt, to taste
Equipment
1-2 x Medium Pots with Lids*
Stovetop
Collander/ Steaming Basket
Can Opener
Measuring Cups
Instructions
Gather your ingredients!
First, make a batch of the Herby Tahini Dressing. Let it sit in the fridge while you prepare the rest.
Rinse your Quinoa till the water runs clear.
Add Quinoa to a pot and cook according to package instructions (~20 minutes).
While the Quinoa cooks, drain and rinse both cans of Black Beans in your colander or steaming basket.
Rinse your Kale, tear into bite-size pieces, and add to the colander on top of the Beans.
Add a few pinches of Salt over the Kale.
In a separate pot* add about a finger depth of Water and place the colander with the lid on top to steam.
Bring the steaming pot to a boil over medium-high heat and steam Beans and Greens for ~5-7 minutes.
When Kale is wilted and tender, remove the steaming pot from heat.
Grab a bowl for serving up this goodness.
Fluff the Quinoa with a fork, then add a scoop to the bottom of the bowl. Then, add some Beans and Greens and top with a generous amount of Tahini Dressing.
And that's it! Sprinkle some extra Salt over the top, if desired, and enjoy this cozy bowl of goodness.
Notes
* If you only have one stovetop pot or want to dirty less dishes, steam your Kale and Beans in the Microwave. Add to a microwavable bowl, sprinkle with some water, and cover with a lid or wet paper towel. Microwave for ~2-3 minutes or till Kale is wilted
* You can also embrace the chaos, like me, and rig up a double-boiler situation. Steam the Black Beans and Kale above the Quinoa as it cooks. Remove the Kale with tongs after ~7 minutes. I usually keep the Beans in there until the Quinoa is done cooking. Before serving and after the Quinoa is cooked, add the Kale back into the colander to warm up for a few minutes.
it’s not perfect, but it works
Sometimes I'll double this recipe (or at least the Quinoa) and keep it in the fridge for meals throughout the week. I store things separately, as I do when Meal Building, so I can switch things up as I want to.
more beans, greens, and grains to come!
I've recently gotten back into my weeknight Bean, Green, Grain Bowls. They're the perfect Meal Building meals, and excellent for when brainpower is low but you need to eat a big bowl of something delicious.
A big ol roundup full of these Bowl ideas is on the way.
In the meantime, do you have any fav combos for easy Bowl meals? Any favorite Sauces you always keep around?
Lemme know in the comments and I'll do some experimenting for new recipe posts!
P.S. If you enjoy these posts and would like to help financially support this project, click on the “Buy me a Coffee” button or access my Tip Jar on Ko-fi ↗
Any and all donations are sincerely appreciated.