This is the holiday balance for me. Between pies and cookies and candies, I start to crave vegetables before going into full sugar overload. I came across a recipe recently, well not so much a recipe but a deconstruction of Harlow’s Betty Bowl. It looked so good I just had to make it. And it’s really fun to make because you can change and swap out so many types of vegetables, grains, toppings and dressings. I didn’t have kimchi for this particular salad but I’m looking forward to adding that next time.

I hope you are having a wonderful holiday season filled with delicious and healthy foods. And cookies too :) Wishing all of you a happy new year and colorful whole foods for 2014!

Black Quinoa + Roasted Vegetable Bowl

With sautéed kale, cilantro chick peas and avocado

Roasted Vegetables

1 small cauliflower, chopped
2 cups butternut squash, cubed
1 red pepper, chopped
1 cup small potatoes, halved
3 tablespoons olive oil
Pinch of Ancho chili powder
Salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 400°.

Combine vegetables in large mixing bowl, add olive oil, chili powder, salt and pepper. Toss until well combined. Spread on baking sheet in single layer and bake for 30-40 minutes until vegetables are tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.

Sautéed Kale

1 bunch of kale
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt & pepper

Cut kale stem from leaves (folding leaf in half and cut away stem works well) and separate stems from leaves, roughly chop both stems and leaves. In a large sauté pan heat olive oil, add garlic and cook for a minute or so, add stems and cook for a few minutes until almost tender, add the chopped kale leaves and cook for 1-2 minutes until just tender. Set aside.

Cilantro Chick Peas

2 cups cooked chick peas
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Cayenne pepper

In a bowl toss chick peas in olive oil together, add cilantro and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve, the longer it sits the more flavorful it will be.

Garlic Ginger Dressing