Savor all of your favorite fall flavors with this nutrient dense Autumn Harvest Plant-Based Protein Power Bowl that will leave you feeling warm, full and satisfied. Made with the goodness of kale, cranberries, chickpeas, bulgur and squash, this sweet salad is packed with protein and flavor.
DISCLOSURE: This post is not sponsored by Ocean Spray, Inc, but I did recently go on a once-in-a-lifetime #SponsoredTrip with them to their breathtaking Cranberry Bogs in Carver, Masachuttets. All opinions are my own so be sure to keep reading to see me in my super cute waders in the bog 😉
Autumn Harvest Plant-Based Protein Power Bowl
I have held onto summer for long enough. It is time to officially embrace all things FALL!!
We have wrapped up the last of our garden harvest, brought in the last of the butternut squash and picked our favorite pumpkins to carve for Halloween. I have finally accepted that summer is long gone and have made the full transition to full fall mode. AKA – scarves, sweaters, pumpkin spice everything, candles, candles, candles and SQUASH ♥
I can't wait to try this Autumn Harvest Plant Based Protein Power Bowl!Click To TweetSo when I learned that the theme for The Recipe Redux challenge was highlighting Plant Protein Power Bowls I knew I wanted to highlight some of my favorite fall garden harvests that you could enjoy too! Packed with protein, fiber, and color, plant power bowls are trendy and delicious, not to mention easy to make. You can easily make everything you need for this power bowl on one sheet pan, so there’s no mess, and you’re ready to enjoy in just 30 minutes!
Grow Your Own
If we are friends on Instagram, you already know what an amazing garden harvest we had this year! We were blessed with an abundance of so many different crops, and thankfully the harvest continues into the fall months. We still have tons of broccoli, kale, celery and squash thriving in the cooler temperatures.
When creating this recipe, I focused on using as much garden produce as possible, because as I always say, there is nothing healthier than the food you grow yourself. BUT, if you don’t grow your own produce, don’t forget to check out your local farmers market! Many farmers markets continue throughout the fall and carry much of the fresh produce this is featured here.
KALE. If you want to get started gardening but don’t know where to start, I suggest kale – it’s pretty hard to mess up! Kale is hearty, it will continue to grow well even if you forget to water sometimes, and actually does better in cooler weather and develops a sweeter taste. You can use the big leaves in cooked dishes like by Greens & Beans Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms and save the smaller, more tender leaves for a dish like this.
Nutrition. Kale is known as a ‘superfood’ because of all the amazing health benefits that it offers us. Studies have shown that kale has the ability to provide the body with risk-lowering benefits for cancer, special cholesterol-lowering benefits, and help the natural detoxification system within the body. One cup of cooked kale provides over 1000% of your daily value of vitamin K and nearly 100% of your daily value of vitamin A & C!
ACORN SQUASH. Wow, we grew a lot of acorn squash this year! I am so thankful that my husband built a root cellar in our basement to store these throughout the winter. When properly stored, they should last up to 6 months! Not only are these babies perfect for roasting, but you can also roast the seeds, just like pumpkin seeds, for a hearty dose of heart-healthy fats and vitamin E.
Nutrition. This winter squash has been recognized as one of the Worlds Healthiest Foods for its high levels of carotenoids and beta-carotene, vitamin A & C, and dietary fiber. Acorn squash is rich in antioxidants and research continues to support the anti-inflammatory benefits provided by this squash has the potential to aid in cancer prevention and cancer treatment.
CRANBERRIES. I, unfortunately, cannot grow my own cranberries here in New York, which is why it was such an honor to be able to visit the Ocean Spray Cranberry Bogs while I was in Massachusetts last week! It was truly a once in a lifetime experience to visit the farmer-owned bogs and learn about the history of these plants (which are over 100 years old!). We also got to learn about how they are harvested, and even go in the bog and taste them right from the water!
Nutrition. I love craisins! The benefit is that a single serving pouch of dried cranberries can provide is equivalent to a 1/2 cup serving of fresh fruit! They also contain no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives but do provide 3 grams of dietary fiber per serving.
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- 1 small acorn squash, sliced in ½ inch thick spheres with seeds removed.
- 1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed.
- Spices: pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, paprika and dried thyme.
- 1 teaspoon of olive oil.
- Optional, a drizzle of honey.
- ¼ cup Ocean Spray Craisins
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
- 14 cup of dry bulgar (or any grain you love, like quinoa or freekeh!)
- 4 cups of kale, rinsed and chopped
- 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Place acorn slices and the rinsed chickpeas on a foil-lined baking sheet.
- Sprinkle with salt, pepper, spices & thyme and finish with a drizzle of olive oil, and if desired, honey. Put in the oven.
- While this is baking, add ¼ cup of dry bulgar and ¾ cup of water to a small saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, remove the sheet pan from the oven and add the dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds to baking sheet.
- Return the baking sheet to the oven and turn on the boiler for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, remove from the oven.
- Arrange the kale in a large bowl. Top with bulgar and warm ingredients from the baking pan.
- Drizzle with maple syrup and enjoy!
I hope you love this Autumn Harvest Plant-Based Power Bowl as much as I do! And I hope you are inspired to start thinking about growing your own garden come next spring! Do you already grow some of your own produce? Be sure to let me know in the comments section below 🙂
BEFORE YOU GO!
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