To so many of you, thank you for your prayers for my mom and your kind and encouraging words regarding the blog. There was a time when I didn’t understand what a “blog” was, or why one would write one. But aside from the wealth of information people share through blogs, whether the subject appeals to a wide audience or is tailored to a more unique niche, it’s not only amazing, but also beautiful the way they allow people all over the states and even world, to identify with one another. Be it in the Southeast, the Midwest, or even another country…we all share in similar struggles and challenges. Sometimes those things include the typical day-to-day grind, and others the more difficult things, but its remarkable to feel support, encourage, even friendship from people I’ve never met.
So, thank you. Thank you for making this a safe place and for your acceptance. Thank you for identifying in my situation. Thank you for hearing my story and sharing your own. Thank you for offering your friendship.
Now, let’s talk about this Kale and Quinoa Veggie Bowl. I wanted to create a superfood veggie bowl full of all my favorites that offered protein, fiber and healthy fats. This bowl does exactly that. As with all veggie bowls, it also offers an array of color, to satisfy the interior designer in me!
When preparing these veggie bowls, I opted to bake the kale, as opposed to sautéing it, in hopes of creating seasoned crispy kale chips to add a bit of texture to the dish. And they did just that! The slightly cooked carrots added a touch of sweetness, while the goat cheese added a lovely creaminess that paired perfectly with the soft inside of the boiled egg and the nutty crunch of the pumpkin seeds. The flavors of this veggie bowl complemented each other well, but the best thing about a veggie bowl, is you can add in whatever best suites your taste buds.
In doing a bit of research, so I could better inform {and convince} you of the benefits this tasty veggie bowl has to offer, I came across a great post on Skinny Ms., the post is titled “50 Superfoods – The Ultimate Shopping List” and of these 50 items listed, it included avocados, carrots, eggs, kale and quinoa. All of which are in this easy-to-make veggie bowl!
If you’re not exactly sure what qualifies a food as a superfood, according to Wikipedia among a few other sources, essentially a superfood is a food that not only offers a vast source of nutrients, but can also offer preventative or even healing properties against disease. Seems like a pretty good reason to add these ingredients to your daily diet, right?
To give you a better idea of what this superfood veggie bowl has to offer, outside of yumminess-in-your-belly, take a quick look at the benefits listed below.
Kale and Quinoa Veggie Bowl Benefits:
- Avocados: Avocados are an excellent source of potassium, fiber, and other vitamins. They are loaded with healthy fats to improve overall body function and can help fight diabetes, reduce high cholesterol and prevent cancer.
- Carrots: Raw carrots are low in saturated fat and cholesterol, while being high in dietary fiber. They are also a good source of Thiamin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate and Manganese, and a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Potassium.
- Eggs: Despite being low in calories, eggs are one of the most nutrient dense foods available. They are an excellent source of protein and also provide quite a dose of vitamin D, vitamin B-12, selenium, and choline. Research has also shown that egg eaters have a higher intake of nearly all nutrients compared with those who don’t eat eggs.
- Kale: Kale is rich in fiber and beta-carotene. It is also an excellent source of calcium, iron, and vitamins A, C, and K. Part of what makes kale so healthy is its great quantity of phytochemicals, which have been shown to fight against a number of diseases, like cancer and cardiovascular disease. Kale also contains antioxidants to fight inflammation and detoxify the body and rid it of carcinogenic substances.
- Quinoa: Quinoa is high in magnesium, a migraine-fighting nutrient that also helps battle cardiovascular disease and diabetes. It is also a quality protein with the nine essential amino acids and is high in iron and phosphorus. It is a complex carbohydrate so it won’t spike blood sugar, and contains fiber and healthy fats.
I hope I’ve either enticed you with these pictures or convinced you with these nutrition facts to give this Kale and Quinoa Veggie Bowl a try!
Kale and Quinoa Veggie Bowl
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup red quinoa or whatever color you have on hand
- 3-4 cups Tuscan Kale
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/8 tsp cayenne optional
- 3 small medium carrots
- 1/2 cup garbanzo beans rinsed and drained, room temperature
- half avocado sliced
- 1 oz goat cheese
- 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
- 2 eggs soft-boiled
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Rinse and cook quinoa according to directions on package.
- Wash kale, then spread into single layer on baking sheet, lightly spray the kale with coconut oil cooking spray, then sprinkle with the smoked paprika, turmeric, garlic powder, black pepper and cayenne, toss to coat. Bake 10 minutes, remove from oven and toss to flip. Now that the kale has begun to crisp, move it to one side of the pan and add the shaved carrots to the other side. Spray lightly with coconut oil cooking spray and sprinkle lightly with smoked paprika and black pepper (about 1/2 tsp each), toss to coat. Put kale and carrots back in oven and bake additional five minutes.
- While veggies and quinoa cook, boil a couple of eggs on stove top according to your liking. I went for more of a soft-boiled egg so you'll notice the center is still a little runny.
- In two bowls, add cooked quinoa, baked kale chips, garbanzo beans (1/4 cup each bowl), shaved carrots, avocado, goat cheese and pumpkin seeds, then top with soft boiled egg and sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired.
Nutrition
Health benefits taken from Skinny Ms.
