As a college student, I know the struggle of trying to constantly figure out what to eat for each meal. I want to have a healthy meal that tastes good (most importantly!), is inexpensive and easy to make. I’ve found it difficult to keep healthy meals interesting while also keeping costs down. While I do have my favorite meals on rotation, I eventually become bored with the food that I’m making. In response to that, I saw a healthy meal idea that inspired this recipe. After trying it out for the first time, I instantly had to incorporate it into my rotation! I love the ability to customize it which helps keep it interesting, and I like that it can easily be meal prepped. I will say, this recipe requires a good amount of prep time, so if you have some time (about 30 min-1 hour) to assemble it, it is a delicious option! Without further ado, here is my guide to the Sweet Potato Chickpea and Kale Bowl!
Ingredients:
Bowl
1 sweet potato
1 15.5 oz can of chickpeas
a handful of kale
olive oil (drizzled)
1 chicken sausage link (optional)
1 tomato (optional)
1/2 avocado (optional)
1 bell pepper (optional)
Seasonings (measure with your heart)
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Salt
Cayenne pepper
Dressing
1 large spoonful of plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1/2 spoonful of basil pesto
juice of 1/4 lemon
Step 1:
Preheat the oven to 425°. Cut off the ends of the sweet potato and cut it in half. Try to cut off the sides to make it into a square (My end goal is to make the pieces close to cubes, but it’s ok if they aren’t perfectly chopped – I’m not the best at dicing). Make slices through the potato, about 1/2 inches thick. Continue to slice until you end up with cubes.
Step 2:
Put the sweet potato cubes into a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne. Toss and place on a baking sheet. Set aside.
Step 3:
Open the can of chickpeas, wash and drain. Pat dry with a paper towel. Put the chickpeas into the same bowl used for the sweet potatoes and season with the olive oil, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne. Toss and transfer to the same baking sheet. If you want to add the bell pepper, then cut it in half, remove the top and seeds and place on the baking sheet.
Step 4:
Put the sheet in the oven and let potatoes, chickpeas and peppers (if added) roast for 25-30 min. Make sure to flip/stir them every 10 min. While they roast, slice up the sausage link and fry in a small pan with a little olive oil over medium-high heat until each side is golden brown. Set aside.
Step 5:
Once the potatoes and chickpeas are golden brown and the pepper (if added) is soft and charred on each side, take out of the oven. *If you want to roast the kale a little, you can choose to put your portion into a bowl and the leftovers in an air-tight container and then toss the kale with olive oil and place on the same baking sheet. Roast for around 10 min or until the kale is crispy.*
Step 6:
Cut the avocado into slices and dice up the tomato. Slice up the pepper halves as well.
Step 7:
Make the dressing by mixing the yogurt, pesto and lemon juice together. Consistency should be relatively thin.
Step 8:
Assemble the bowl. Put the kale, potatoes, chickpeas, sausage, and other toppings together in a large bowl. Finally drizzle the dressing on top and enjoy!
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Notes:
- Since this recipe is highly customizable, you are free to use any toppings that you want! This time, I used a tomato, avocado, and pepper; however, I’ve seen people use red onion, broccoli, quinoa, etc. too! Add your favorites!
- You don’t have to use chicken sausage specifically here. You can use whatever your preference of protein is, whether it’s chicken, tofu, or other. If you prefer to not have meat or a protein source, it’s totally okay to leave it out!
- Seasonings can be your seasonings of choice. I’ve seen different variations of this recipe use different ones (like cumin, chili powder, and oregano), so use what you like.
- Leftover potatoes, chickpeas and kale should last up to 3 days in the fridge