Simple vegan bowls filled with roasted sweet potato, marinated chickpeas, avocado, kale, hemp seeds, tahini & lemon make a healthy, filling lunch or dinner!
Most people say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but I personally get most excited about lunch. People who say “I was too busy, I forgot to eat lunch”… I don’t get you. But maybe I’m the only weirdo who eats breakfast and then immediately starts counting down the hours ’til lunch?
This bowl was inspired by one ordinary day last week when I made a quick lunch for myself with kale, sweet potatoes, some other things I had on hand, and these Yves Kale & Quinoa Bites. It’s definitely an “I work from home” kind of lunch, but the whole thing came together within the 20 or so minutes that it took to roast the sweet potato cubes. I usually have most of these ingredients on hand, so this sort of bowl is a go-to formula for me.
What kicks this bowl up a notch are these tasty Kale & Quinoa Bites. I think they taste like mini falafels, plus they add some good veggie protein to your bowl. They’re a yummy little addition, especially if you’re not someone who has time during your lunch break to make homemade falafel.
I marinated my chickpeas in a zippy lemon-dijon dressing and then basically smothered everything in olive oil, lemon juice, and tahini. Done and done. Now I’m off to start thinking about what’s for dinner…
Easy Power Lunch Bowls
- 1 small sweet potato, cubed
- 8 Yves Kale & Quinoa Bites
- ¾ cup cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 lemon
- ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 8 to 10 lacinato kale leaves, chopped
- 6 paper-thin slices from 1 Chioggia beet or watermelon radish
- ½ avocado, diced (optional)
- 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 tablespoons runny tahini (thin with warm water if necessary)**
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the sweet potatoes with a drizzle of olive oil and pinches of salt and pepper and roast for 25 minutes. Halfway through add the Yves Kale & Quinoa Bites to the baking sheet.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the chickpeas, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, Dijon mustard and pinches of salt and pepper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, massage the kale with a drizzle of olive oil, ½ tablespoon lemon juice and a pinch of salt and pepper. We’re seasoning every layer here to make sure all of the vegetables are flavorful.
- Assemble two large individual serving bowls with the kale, chickpeas, sweet potatoes, Yves Kale & Quinoa Bites, beet or radish slices and avocado, if using. Sprinkle with the hemp seeds and red pepper flakes, if using. Drizzle with the tahini sauce and another big squeeze of lemon, if desired. Serve with lemon wedges.
2 tablespoons tahini
½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
½ teaspoon maple syrup
1 to 2 tablespoons warm water, as needed
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
This post is in partnership with Yves Veggie Cuisine. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that keep us cooking!
I cannot find those Yves balls anywhere!!!!!! I have looked at every single grocery/specialty/healthfood store in my area. I even asked if it can be ordered. Any suggestions for a sub??? Thanks!
Ditto. I know your comment is old but I’m thinking of trying regular meatballs or falafel.
This was great! I prepped a couple of bowls for weekday lunches and it hits the spot! I did substitute turkey meatballs for the quinoa bites because those looked a little expensive for me but still tastes great! Thanks for a step by step on the ever trendy “power bowls”. I have been wanting to make these for lunches but could never get the flavor right. Love your blog!
So I have called two stores and been to a third looking for these kale and quinoa bites. Can you tell me if they are refrigerated or frozen or what aisle I might look in at the store? Even Whole Foods gave me no help, and the Yves website is frustratingly vague. Thanks in advance!
nice blog
That sure is a power lunch. I am concerned about the kale and quinoa bites
since they are made with canola oil which is GMO. What are your thoughts?
Well, you know how much I love food in bowls! I’m totally giddy over this round-up. Is that weird?
yeah that looks so yummy
i had to laugh over …counting down the hours to lunch…
so is me – and i’m thinking over preparing in front for taking this bowl to work
maybe there are no quinoa bites here in germany
but maybe falafel will work
lg birgit
I just started to eat more vegetables and making bowl meals, and this recipe is perfect to add it to this week menu. Love it!
These look so yummy!
Beautiful photos! x
Izzy -https://pinchofdelight.wordpress.com
Thanks Izzy!
Beautiful pictures and I love the design of your site! Also..Yves makes such delicious little snacks. I am obsessed!
Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
A great combo of ingredients that can make a healthy meal. I can grab this for lunch and dinner. Will try this out
Let me know if you give it a go!
love the sweet potato base here, thank you for this, very healthy inspiration! And really like the protein boost!
I’m so obsessed with sweet potatoes 🙂
This looks amazing! Perfect lunch for long days!
You are not alone! I’m pretty much thinking about what time I’m going to eat lunch (& trying not to eat before 12:30pm – otherwise the afternoon lasts way too long!) from the moment I get into the office.
Those bites look delish! I thought they were falafel at first, so happy to know you think they taste similar too 😉
xo, Brooke
http://www.BKCsquared.com
Ha, yes, I try to hold out until about 12:30 too, so hard!
Jeanine today we’re getting ready to go out of town for a few days and I just threw together some roasted sweet potatoes, avocado, etc.for lunch, you get the idea, that were going to go bad before we return so this post was spot on for us today. I normally eschew any meat replacement stuff except for occasionally soyrizo and homemade tempeh bacon but I was fascinated with these Yves bites and was super delighted when I found out they are HAIN products which I’ve always thought since their inception in the 70’s I think are GREAT. Funny the things you miss as a vegetarian, turkey at Thanksgiving NOT but pepperoni YES. Have you tried their vegetarian pepperoni? I’m drooling right now.
Ha, I haven’t tried the pepperoni. I’m so glad you were inspired to use up your extra veggies!
Lunch is my favorite meal of the day, too! In the Ayurvedic practice it’s encouraged to eat your biggest meal of the day at lunch, because it’s when your digestive fire is at its highest 🙂
Yeah, you’re definitely an at home worker 🙂 This would have to be dinner for me. There’s no way I could pull together in the morning for my lunch. Grab and go is how I survive.
Hi Jeannine! It makes a great dinner as well 🙂
I’ve never heard of those kale-quinoa bits, will have to look for them on my next shopping trip. Thanks for the recipe!
My first thought was, I kinda hate rolling food into balls. Takes so much time. I was happy to learn they were pre-made. They sound delicious. Also, that lemon-Dijon-tahini combo sounds amazing!
Thanks Stacy! Ha yea, little balls can be really time consuming 🙂