Quinoa and kale topped with roasted maple chipotle brussels, smoky butternut squash and avocado, finished off with a drizzle of honey dijon vinaigrette. An incredibly delicious bowl of goods that is equally loaded with flavor as it is nutrition.
If you’re still bouncing back from a romantic weekend filled with chocolate and wine (guilty), then this bowl is here to save your soul. And don’t be fooled by the long title, because it is super simple to throw together and can be prepared in roughly 30 minutes!
This bowl is basically the result of my Trader Joe’s grocery haul over the weekend. You can totally customize the ingredients to include any produce or grain you have on hand, but the two MUSTS include the maple chipotle brussels sprouts and smoky butternut squash. They are out of this WORLD delicious! And when eaten together, it is just a total flavor fiesta in your mouth.
Random bowls have become my favorite kind of meals to throw together. They’re great to clean out the produce drawer and to use up any leftovers you may have on hand – chicken, brown rice, steak, turkey burgers, etc.
As far as the sauces, I like to keep it simple. This honey dijon vinaigrette is a staple (only 3 ingredients!), but I also love adding a dollop of hummus and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. It creates the consistency of a creamy dressing, yet is typically much lower in fat.
The quinoa provides a substantial amount of plant-based protein, but if you’re feeling meaty (or feeding a boyfriend or husband that doesn’t consider a meatless meal an actual meal… ahem, honey), both chicken and steak are fantastic compliments to these bowls. Or if you’re still opting for the vegetarian route, add a soft boiled or scrambled egg on top! We actually used the leftover veggies the next morning in a breakfast hash with eggs and chicken sausage which was super delicious.
As far as toppings, I encourage you to get WILD ;). I added avocado, a chipotle pepper (from the can I used for the adobe sauce), pine nuts and hemp seeds. I actually ended up adding a little honey goat cheese too (not pictured) which balanced out the heat from the chipotle pepper perfectly.
These bowls are super filling (10 grams of fiber per serving!!) and are great to take to work or school for weekday lunches. Especially since you can eat them hot, cold or at room temp.
I’m tellin’ ya, this bowl life has me hooked!
- 1 lb brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
- 3 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed (~1 small squash)
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 2 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth if not making vegetarian)
- 2 cups chopped kale
- 1 tbsp adobe sauce (from a can of chipotle peppers)
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 3 tsp coconut oil, divided
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- Optional toppings: chipotle pepper, avocado, hemp seeds, pine nuts, goat cheese
- **Honey Dijon Vinaigrette**
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp honey
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Prepare two baking sheets.
- Toss brussels in adobe sauce, maple syrup and 1 tsp coconut oil. Spread evenly on one baking sheet.
- Toss butternut squash in smoked paprika, garlic powder and 2 tsp coconut oil. Spread evenly on separate baking sheet. Place both baking sheets in the oven and roast for ~20-25 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
- In the meantime, prepare quinoa by combining quinoa and vegetable (or chicken) broth in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook ~15 minutes, or until all broth is absorbed. Mix in chopped kale (kale will wilt once it is mixed with hot quinoa).
- Prepare vinaigrette by combining ingredients in a small bowl and whisking until well-combined.
- Prepare bowls by adding quinoa/kale mix and roasted vegetables in a bowl or on a plate. Drizzle contents with vinaigrette and add additional toppings if desired. Great served hot or cold!
I'm Jamie - A Registered Dietitian, recipe developer, and full-fledged foodie inspiring you to live deliciously. 
If my husband is allergic to coconut oil, can I use another oil like olive oil? Or would there be a better substitute?
This came out amazing, I highly recommend.
Yay, so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for the review, Jessica!
After reading this recipe I want to try, because it looks very tasty …
Hi Stella! I hope you give it a try! Super tasty and great for make-ahead lunches.
Would this work with spinach instead of kale?
Yes, it will absolutely work with spinach!
Made this tonight and it was delicious! Maybe my oven runs hot but I found that the brussel sprouts only needed about 15 minutes max. I was checking them so it turned out fine! Very delicious meal that I will likely make again!
Hi Abby! So thrilled to hear that! Thanks for the info about the brussels — ovens can vary quite a bit, but I should probably add a baking range to adjust for that. Cheers!
I want to dive face first into this!
Adding ingredients to my shopping list now! This look amazing! I’ve been looking for nutritionally dense meals that I can prepare ahead of time for lunch.
Jam packed with great ingredients! I love maple with Brussels sprouts. YUM!
Me too, Emily! The maple + adobe is definitely my new fav way of preparing them now. So hooked!
Such a creative recipe! And the pictures are gorgeous!!! 🙂
Thank you so much, Kalee!! I appreciate it! 🙂