Jack’s Wife Freda's Grain Bowl

Maya’s Grain Bowl is by far one of our most popular lunch dishes here at Jack’s Wife Freda. We change the ingredients seasonally depending on what fresh local vegetables are available. The recipe below is based on our winter grain bowl and brings much needed color to the table in the dead of winter. There are many components to this dish, but don’t be overwhelmed by all the steps! They don’t require much prep time, we promise.The end result should be served at room temperature. This allows time to prepare all the other steps, pulling everything perfectly together in the end.| INGREDIENTS |2 Eggs2 Sweet Potatoes6 tablespoons Olive Oil1½ teaspoons Honey3 teaspoons Kosher Salt1 small Shallot½ cup Red Quinoa4 Garlic Cloves2 cups (roughly 1 pound) Brussels Sprouts1 large or 2 small Red Beets1 Bay Leaf¼ cup White Wine Vinegar2 teaspoons Sugar1 large head Kale¼ cup Tahini1 teaspoon Ground TurmericPinch of Cayenne| ASSEMBLY |For the SOFT-BOILED EGGS: 1 | In a saucepan, cover the eggs with water and bring the water to a boil. 2 | Turn off the heat and cover for 6 minutes. 3 | Immediately submerge the eggs into ice water, then peel.For the SWEET POTATOES:4 | Preheat the oven to 350°F. 5 | Wash the sweet potatoes and cut each in half. Cut each half into 6 to 8 wedges and place in a large bowl. 6 | Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the honey onto the potatoes and toss. 7 | Add ½ teaspoon of salt and toss again so that all the potatoes are evenly coated. 8 | Roast the potatoes on a baking sheet for 15 minutes. 9 | Turn each piece of sweet potato and continue roasting for an additional 15 minutes. Pierce a few pieces of sweet potato with the tip of a small knife; it should pierce the potato very easily. If you find the potatoes are still not soft, roast for an additional 5 to 10 minutes. 10 | Transfer the sweet potatoes to a plate and allow them to cool. Raise the oven temperature to 450°F.For the RED QUINOA: 11 | Peel and mince the shallot. 12 | In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil and add the minced shallot. 13 | Sauté the shallot until soft and translucent, roughly 5 minutes. 14 | Rinse the quinoa under cold water and add to the pan. 15 | Add 1 cup water and 1 teaspoon of salt, stirring and turning the heat up to high. 16 | Once the water begins to boil, lower the heat to maintain a simmer and cover the pot. Cook for roughly 15 minutes, or until all the water has evaporated. Leave the lid on for 5 minutes after cooking so the quinoa can steam.For the BRUSSELS SPROUTS:17 | Mince 2 garlic cloves and add to a large bowl with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil; stir to combine. 18 | Trim the bottoms of the Brussels sprouts and cut in half, discarding any leaves that fall off. 19 | Toss the sprouts in the bowl with the garlic and oil, making sure all of them have been coated evenly. 20 | Sprinkle in a few pinches of salt and toss once again. 21 | Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, turning once or twice during roasting. They should be crisp on the outside but soft on the inside and easily pierced with the tip of a knife.Now mix!*Yields 2 grain bowls.