Say hello to the grain bowl you’ll be making all winter. Aka this warm winter grain bowl.
Inspired by a kale and cabbage salad I used to make in college, this upgraded version boasts 10 unique plants, 35g of protein, crunchy and crispy textures, creamy dressing and oodles of flavor.
Are you drooling yet?
Not only that, this warm ancient grain bowl is packed with antioxidants and immune boosting veggies and grains to help fight off cold season (pun intended).
Navigation Menu
Click on each link to easily navigate this blog post.
- Jump to recipe
- Ingredients you’ll need
- How to make the dressing
- Tips, tricks, notes, etc.
- Questions and substitutions
Warm Winter Grain Bowl Ingredients
Here’s your grocery list — but you’ll most likely have many of these in your kitchen already!
- Dino kale – this variety tastes amazing and it’s not as bloating as regular kale
- Purple cabbage
- Extra firm tofu
- Ancient grain medley – I’ll link the one I buy here from Whole Foods, it’s a blend of red quinoa, white quinoa, buckwheat and millet. And yes it taste amazing!
- Cilantro
- Lemon
- Amino acids or Soy sauce
- Tahini
- Olive oil
- Honey or Maple syrup
- Spices – cumin, garlic, onion, red pepper and salt
Warm Grain Bowl Dressing
The best part of this warm grain bowl is the creamy lemon tahini dressing. And yes, it tastes just as good as it sounds.
Plus it couldn’t be simpler to make. Simply add all of the ingredients into a jar and give it a good whisk. As you mix the dressing you’ll notice that it starts to separate – this is totally normal.
Continue to whisk the dressing and you’ll watch it magically emulsify together and become super creamy!
At this point, you can leave it as is or add more water depending on how thin you like your dressing.
One additional note, if you want to make this dressing vegan, swap the honey out for maple syrup.
Oh and before I forget, make sure you adjust the seasonings to your liking!
Tips, Tricks and Notes…
- The proper way to cook this bowl: I’m going to outline the proper way to assemble this warm mediterranean grain bowl for ease and speed. Start by cooking the tofu, then move onto cooking the quinoa. While both the tofu and quinoa mix cook, you can chop the veggies and make the dressing. With this method, the quinoa should be done cooking at the same time as the tofu. Then all you have to do is assemble this autumn grain bowl. You’re welcome!
- Thinly slice both the cabbage and kale: Aim for super thin slices of kale and cabbage. The thinner each leaf is, the better it’ll taste in the bowl. Another tip, make sure to chop the leaves in half or quarters so they are a smaller square shape. I’ve been chopping up my lettuce and cabbage for years and it makes a huge difference in the overall taste of the salad bowl.
- Let that grain mixture sit in the pot: The key to getting any grain (whether that’s rice or quinoa) fluffy is to let it sit in the pot after cooking. I recommend letting the grains sit for 10 minutes undisturbed, with the LID ON, before fluffing it with a fork.
- If you can, use fresh garlic: Yeah, you might have a little stinky breath, but it’s so worth it haha. At the very least, try to use fresh garlic for the dressing – it tastes 20x times better.
- Use the spices, all of them: Trust me when I say that using all of the red pepper will make or break this grain bowl. Spices are integral to making food taste good, and this recipe is no exception. So don’t hold back on those spices — in fact, feel free to use more 😉
Questions and Substitutions
- But I hate quinoa and grain mixes, what can I use instead? Brown rice is a great sub here, although it will take longer to cook. Farro is another great option as well.
- What can I use instead of honey in the dressing? Maple syrup!
- Do I need to add olive oil into the dressing? Technically speaking, yes. The olive oil not only adds richness to the bowl. But it also helps break down the fibers in the kale so it’s easier for you to digest (ie. no more bloating).
- I don’t like cilantro, can I use parsley? Yep, parsley will work just as well. Just make sure to chop the parsley fine.
Even More Salad Bowl Recipes
Want even more warm grain bowl recipes, check out these MWM community favorite recipes below.
Made This Recipe?
Please leave a review below and don’t forget to snap and picture and tag me on Instagram or TikTok at @munchingwithmariyah — I love seeing your photos!
Warm Winter Grain Bowl
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 1 person 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American, Mediterranean
Description
Inspired by a kale and cabbage salad I used to make in college, this upgraded version boasts 10 unique plants, 35g of protein, crunchy and crispy textures, creamy dressing and oodles of flavor.
Ingredients
Crispy Garlic Tofu
- ½ block Extra firm tofu
- 1 tbsp Amino acids or Soy sauce
- 1 tsp Cumin powder
- 1 tsp Garlic powder
- 1 tsp Onion powder
- ½ tsp Cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp Salt
Grains
- ¼ cup Quinoa or Ancient Grain Mix
- ¾ cup Water
- Pinch of Salt
Salad
- 2 cups Dino Kale, finely chopped
- 1 cup Purple cabbage, finely chopped
- ½ cup Cilantro, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp Roasted Flaked Almonds, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp Golden raisins, roughly chopped
Creamy Lemon Tahini Dressing
- 1 tbsp Tahini
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice ((feel free to add more for extra flavor))
- 1 tsp Honey ((sub with maple syrup for a vegan version))
- 1 tsp Olive oil
- ½ tsp each Salt, Cumin and Cayenne pepper
- 2–3 tsp Water ((use only if you want the dressing thinner))
Instructions
- Begin by preheating your oven to 450°F and lining a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Next, chop the tofu into small cubes and dump them onto the prepared baking sheet. Pour over the amino acids and sprinkle the spices on. Toss the tofu together to coat thoroughly in the spices.
- Turn each piece of tofu on it's side so it's lying flat on the tray — this will help it get super crispy. Then bake the tofu in the oven for 30 minutes.
- Next, add the ancient grain mix or quinoa into a pot, along with the water and salt.
- Place on the stove and turn on high heat. Once the grains are boiling, turn the heat down to low and cover the pot partially with a lid. Let cook on low for 15 minutes. Make sure to check on the grains as they cook, as they might need extra water. Additionally, once the water has been absorbed, make sure to let the grains sit in the pot for 10 minutes so they get fluffy!
- While the tofu and quinoa cook, prep the salad and dressing.
- My main tip when cutting the kale and cabbage is to chop the leaves super small and thin. This will make the texture of the salad more like a grain bowl and less like a leafy salad.
- Once you've cut the kale and cabbage, it them into a large bowl, along with the cilantro, almonds and raisins. Set aside.
- Finally, make the dressing. Simply add all of the ingredients into a jar. As you mix the dressing you'll notice that it starts to separate – this is totally normal. Continue to whisk the dressing and you’ll watch it magically emulsify together and become super creamy! You can add more water if you want the dressing thinner.
- At this point, both the tofu and grains should be done. Add them into the bowl with the kale and cabbage and then drizzle over the dressing.
- Toss to combine and adjust seasonings (aka the salt) to taste. Enjoy!
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