Sweet Potato Kale Bowl with Maple Tahini
I woke up this morning and felt a tinge of disappointment when I thought about lunch and realized I would not be having Sweet Potato Kale Bowl with Maple Tahini. My job as an administrator in a K12 system is not without challenges and yesterday this kale vegan buddha bowl picked up my spirit. Eating this delightfully sweet, savory, hint of nuttiness, protein-packed, vegan buddha bowl is a mood lifter.
A few Olive Sunshine readers are asking for quick and easy recipes. I love a good hearty salad bowl for just that reason. Prepare a few delicious ingredients and toss them into a bowl and you have a delicious meal that is almost impossible to mess up. This Sweet Potato Kale Bowl is easy, hearty and healthy with a few simple ingredients.
The Bowl Ingredients
- Sweet potato
- Kale
- Tahini
- Black beans
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Kosher salt
- Real maple syrup
- Avocado
- Optional: Sumac
Knowing I wanted to make a kale vegan buddha bowl recipe, my inspiration was having two large, sweet potatoes I did not use as planned. I also had a couple of avocados that were saying eat me now (and would be bad by morning). Before I create any recipe, I always Google my recipe title before writing. I want to see if someone already created my concoction. Interestingly, no matter how unique I think some combination of ingredients are…there it is on the web.
In this instance, Sweet Potato Kale Bowl recipes on the internet are plentiful. Each recipe may have a different tweak or two on the ingredients, but clearly the internet world is onto something with the combination of Kale and Sweet Potato. Sometimes I shy away from a recipe that I feel has been overdone. But this is too good not to share just in case Olive Sunshine readers have not made this before either. This was my first time making Sweet Potato Kale Bowl with Maple Tahini, but I will be making it again (and again I suspect).
A Prep Ahead Vegan Bowl to Last Through the Week?
I believe this buddha bowl could be a food prep meal and can hold up for several days. Beacause it is too good to last long in my house, I cannot be one hundred percent sure. I made this Sweet Potato Buddha Bowl two nights ago for dinner. The next day at lunch it may have been better than it was the night before. Because the bed of the bowl is Kale, nothing wilted. Kale is a cruciferous vegetable.It is in the same family as cabbage and Brussels sprouts, but Kale is leafier and greener. Not quite as biting as arugula and more hearty, but still with a hint of bitterness. Kale is the perfect green to hold such a hardy salad. Be sure to buy the triple washed Kale as getting grainy bits into your salad bowl is no fun!
Why Maple Syrup and Tahini Work
When you get to the directions of this recipe you will see that it really is about how the ingredients are layered into the bowl. Maple syrup is the perfect complement to warm sweet potatoes. Tahini with a bit of kosher salt wakes kale up in an unexpected way. If you are not familiar with Tahini, it is a butter of roasted sesame seeds. Less sweet than peanut butter, it is nutty and savory but subtle. Tahini is known to warm the body as it spikes your metabolism and digestion as it is high in fiber. Combining that smooth goodness with the sweetness of real maple syrup and you are in for a delight.
Topping the Sweet Potato and Kale Buddha Bowl
Topping these perfectly complimentary ingredients, sweet potatoes tossed lightly in maple syrup and tahini coated kale, is easy to do. Almost anything you have in your refrigerator will work on this combination. Black beans lend a creamy texture and density that is a perfect match and adds protein to salad bowl. Adding sumac to the top of the avocado adds a beautiful pop of color and a acidity to the dish. Almost like adding lime or lemon to the avocado, but not as pungent. If you do not have sumac, you could replace it with lemon pepper or Za’atar. Za’atar usually contains salt, so if using, cut the Kosher salt in the recipe.
If this is your first time making a kale vegan buddha bowl, I encourage you to take liberty with this recipe. Start with the base of the Sweet Potato and Kale with Maple and Tahini and add or subtract what you want. Honestly, just the first four ingredients are delicious. Hopefully it will give your day a lift like it does with mine!
Ingredients
Instructions
Wash the sweet potatoes. Pierce both potatoes several times and place them on a paper towel in the microwave. Heat on high for 5-8 minutes, until soft but not mushy. They need to be firmer enough to cut into large cubes.
While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the kale. Assemble the kale in a large serving bowl or on a platter. Toss with the extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle the salt around the kale. Add one teaspoon of maple syrup to the tahini. Drizzle the tahini onto the dressed kale and toss.
Peel and core the avocados and slice them into bite-sized pieces. Set it aside
Once to the desired softness, remove the sweet potatoes. Cut them in half and allow them to cool. Drain the liquid from the black beans and place in a microwave safe dish. Heat the black beans in the microwave for 1-2 minutes while the potatoes are cooling.
Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, flip the potato leaving the flesh side on a work surface. Carefully peel the skin from the potatoes. Cut each of the four potato halves into cubes. Add to a bowl and toss with the maple syrup.
Layer the ingredients on the kale salad. Add the dressed maple potatoes, then the black beans, the avocados and sprinkle with sumac if desired. May be eaten warm or cold. Will keep for 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
