It becomes such a challenge to eat well between Thanksgiving and Christmas. By well, I don’t mean copiously; that seems to be no problem at all. I mean eating nutritionally. The weather turns colder and our bodies ask for heavier food, and more of it. And the holidays provide it, in the form of fatty meats, dense white-flour based carbohydrates and sugar. Sugar, sugar, sugar.
My solution? A warm salad for the winter months. Kale is the perfect antidote to too many empty carbs, and sweet potato is naturally sweet. Especially when roasted. Miso adds a salty depth that is an absolute pleasure to the taste buds, laced with bright lime juice.
Sweet potatoes…
Luscious, green kale…
Fluffy cooked quinoa…
This dish also comes together really quickly, so it makes a satisfying lunch or light dinner. I like to serve it over a cooked grain such as quinoa, to add some heft to an otherwise all-vegetable meal. Quinoa especially is a rich source of amino acids and plant-based protein. And it doesn’t spike blood sugar levels quite as much as rice.
Miso Roasted Sweet Potato and Kale over Quinoa
1 bunch of kale, washed
1 sweet potato, cut into 1/2″ chunks
1/4 of an onion, sliced
olive oil
3/4 c. cooked quinoa
Dressing:
1 t. miso
1 t. fresh ginger, grated
1/4 c. olive oil
juice of 1 lime
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss the sweet potato and onion with olive oil and roast for 20-25 min, until golden and tender. Add the kale and cook another 5 min more. remove the baking sheet from the oven.
Spoon the cooked quinoa into a bowl. Top with the roasted vegetables.
Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk well. Pour the dressing over the salad and serve warm.
The Wisdom Ranch 