Squash & Crispy Kale Bowls with Pomegranate and Miso-Ginger Dressing

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Ah bowl food, the trend of 2016 which, imo, is GREAT (I mean, if you looked at how many pasta bowls I have with me at uni, you’d see I’m not lying). The typical bowl food format is one I automatically turn to for dinner when I need something a) with lots of veg and b) easy to assemble from whatever I have in the fridge.

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Today though, this bowl themed recipe was made in honour of the fabulous & kind Cynthia of Two Red Bowls for her SURPRISE BABY SHOWER….even though we’re celebrating a tad late… so it’s more of a baby CELEBRATION! If you want to see all the magnificent bowl food recipes from this internet baby shower, head to the bottom of this post to find all the links (they all sound seriously delicious). Anyway, congratulations on your lil baby boy bowl, Cynthia!! He’s utterly adorable 🙂

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Now back to the food – lets break down this bowl for ya: chewy, nutty brown rice forms the base. Then I had to incorporate squash because I haven’t done a squash recipe this Winter yet and I have like 4 or 5 random squashes that I bought to decorate the windowsill. This one is a crown prince squash, with a beautiful greyish blue skin and dense, sweet flesh. I’m thinking kabocha or, of course, butternut squash would work equally well. Next a crispy crunch in the form of kale chips just cos I couldn’t resist the bags of midnight-purple kale being sold outside our university union. A pop of colour and zingy bite from pomegranate arils, toasty flavours from hazelnuts and a sweet-sour-umami dressing made with white miso and ginger.

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This kind of a combo is a staple for me and works really well with quinoa or roasted broccoli too. It’s the kind of recipe you can just remember for those days when you’ve not a clue what to cook!

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Squash & Crispy Kale Bowls with Pomegranate and Miso-Ginger Dressing

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Course: Dinner

Ingredients

  • 1/2 a medium butternut*/crown prince squash or 1 kabocha squash , (around 500g)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil or rapeseed oil
  • salt
  • 120 g long or short grain brown rice , , rinsed
  • 3 or 4 large leaves of curly kale
  • handful of pomegranate seeds
  • 20 g hazelnuts , , chopped

Dressing:

  • 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
  • 1 clove garlic , , crushed
  • 2 tbsp white , (shiro) miso
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1/2 tsp honey or maple syrup
  • 2 tsp mirin
  • juice of 1/2 a lime or lemon

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F).
  • Peel the squash and cut into 2 to 3cm wide pieces in the shape of a half moon (see notes if you're using a butternut squash). Place into a baking tray and drizzle with half the oil, flip the pieces over and drizzle the other side with oil. Season with a pinch of salt and roast in the oven for 45 minutes - flipping the squash pieces halfway through their baking time.
  • Meanwhile, cook the rice: place the rice into a small pot and cover well with cold water. Season with a pinch of salt and bring to the boil over a high heat. Once boiling, turn the heat down to the lowest heat possible and cover with a lid. Leave to cook for 20 minutes (for long grain brown rice) or 30 minutes (for short grain brown rice). Drain the rice then return it to the pot and cover with the lid again, off the heat. Leave for 5 minutes to absorb the excess water.
  • Once the squash has roasted, remove from the baking tray to the two bowls - leave the oven on but turn the heat down to 140 C (290 F). Place the kale onto the baking tray and toss with any oil left on there (if there isn't much oil, just drizzle some more on) until well coated. Season with a sprinkle of salt and bake for 4-6 minutes until just crisp.
  • Mix together all the dressing ingredients in a bowl until smooth.
  • Assemble your bowls: to the bowls with the squash, spoon in the rice, top with the crispy kale, pomegranate seeds and hazelnuts. Drizzle with the dressing and serve!

Notes

- if using a butternut squash, the bulbous base is better for this recipe visually as you can get those half-moon shapes. However, it doesn't really matter that much so use whichever part you want! If you are using the neck of the squash, just cut that into ~3cm chunks instead.
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it went! Mention @izyhossack or tag #topwithcinnamon!

 

Bowl recipe links!

I am a Food Blog | Mac and Kimcheese Dolsot Bibimbap

Fix Feast Flair | Dishoom’s Chicken Ruby Murray

The Fauxmartha | Mom Lunches

A Cozy Kitchen | Cornbread Chicken + Dumplings

Cake Over Steak | Salted Caramel Chocolate Crackles

The Pancake Princess | Stovetop Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Snixy Kitchen | Chicken Pot Pie with Chestnut Biscuits

Lady and Pups | Egg Florentine in Pullman “Bowls”

Betty Liu | Honeynut Squash Congee

Style Sweet CA | Date Bourbon Cinnamon Rolls 

Warm Vanilla Sugar | Broccoli Quinoa Bowl with Avocado Sauce

A Beautiful Plate | Coconut Cauliflower Soup

Girl Versus Dough | Tomato Grilled Cheese Soup

Fork to Belly | A Big Hawaiian Fruit Bowl

Donny Tsang | Chawanmushi

Wit & Vinegar | Jerk Chicken Chili

Constellation Inspiration | Salted Egg Yolk Custard Mochi

twigg studios | Katsu Udon Soup wth Popcorn Chicken Croutons

Edible Perspective | Acorn Squash Bowls with Pears, Pecans, and Vanilla Bean Cream

Coco Cake Land | Asian Bowl Cut Sugar Cookies

Southern Souffle | Sorghum Apple Biscuits In A Bowl

The Bojon Gourmet | Smoky Sweet Potato & Lentil Tortilla Soup

Flourishing Foodie | Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Soup 

What should I eat for breakfast today | Little Bowl with Creamy Polenta, Cheese, Onions and Mushrooms

With Food + Love | Caramelized Golden Beet Soup with Fall Roots + Garlicky Yogurt

the broken bread | Roasted Celeriac + Fennel Soup

Fig+Bleu | Cauliflower Harissa Soup

my name is yeh | Corn Dog In A Bowl

Crepes of Wrath | Mini Scallion Pancake Challah Buns

O&O Eats | Persimmon Cobbler

Chocolate + Marrow | Parsnip + Potato Soup with Crispy Pancetta

With Food + Love | Caramelized Golden Beet Soup with Fall Roots + Garlicky Yogurt

11 thoughts on “Squash & Crispy Kale Bowls with Pomegranate and Miso-Ginger Dressing”

  1. i don’t care if bowls are on trend, i’ll love them forever and ever!! especially if they’re as good as this one. creamy squash, crispy kale and that dressing?!!? yes please!!! extra brown rice because carbs for life.

    thanks for participating izy!
    xo

  2. I’m making this over the weekend. There’s a massive squash sitting here on the table and now I know what I’m going to do with it 🙂 Thanks for some meal inspiration.

  3. It’s funny, on one of your photos, it looks like melon not squash 🙂
    That bowl seems to me in any case very good!

  4. I love everything about these, Izy!! The textures and flavors are just perfect. Thank you so much for being a part of this. Still so happy we got to share some pie a few summers ago, and hope you’re doing wonderfully!!

  5. This bowl is delicious Izzy. All the flavours compliment each other. This and the burnt aubergine are now a staple in my house……thank you

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