You know how smoothie bowls hit the food scene over the past year or so? Well, I have yet to try one myself.

Grain bowls are also a thing. And that I’ve decided to make and put my spin on. Although, technically, quinoa isn’t a grain, it’s a seed, making this protein packed bowl gluten free. You could leave the chicken out to make a vegetarian option. Heck, you could even cook in coconut oil instead of butter and go vegan with it!

Possibilities are really endless when you stop and think about making a quinoa bowl. Quinoa itself doesn’t have too strong of a flavor of its own, much like oats or rice, and can lend itself to many preparations – savory or sweet.

What I loved about this meal was that it was a perfect dinner to serve to my entire family. Everything was both adult and kid friendly. My picky two year old ate around all of the vegetables and chicken and solely ate the quinoa – but hey, there are good nutrients in that little seed and a fair amount of protein. Treat enjoyed all of it.

To present the quinoa bowl. I simply topped the dressed quinoa with the fruit, vegetables, and protein in concentric circles to showcase the incredible colors and flavors of fall. Arranging them in lines would be beautiful, too.

Fall Quinoa Bowl

Ingredients:

• 1 C quinoa
• 2-3 tbsp butter
• 1-2 pears, cubed
• 1/2 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
• 1-2 small red beets, peeled and cubed
• 1 large cooked chicken breast, cubed
• 3 tbsp Meyer lemon olive oil
• 1 tbsp raspberry balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• scallion, for garnish

Steps:

1. Cook quinoa according to package directions.
2. In a non-stick skillet melt a little bit of butter. Saute pears over medium heat until tender. Remove and set aside.
3. Add the sweet potatoes and cook until fork tender and lightly golden. Add butter as needed. Remove and set aside.
4. Cook the beets in the same skillet, adding more butter if needed, until fork tender.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, and mustard. Season to taste with S+P. Toss cooked quinoa in as much dressing as desired.
6. Top quinoa with the pears, potatoes, beets, and chicken. Top with a little extra dressing and garnish with sliced scallions.