Warm Autumn Grain Bowl Recipe
Warm Autumn Grain Bowl, a simple fall-inspired vegan grain bowl with apples, figs, cranberries, and carrots in a maple cashew dressing that is delicious served warm or cold.
Ingredients
For Salad
- 4 cups mixed greens
- 1 cup dry barley* or other desired grains
- 1 cup figs halved
- 1 small apple sliced
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup shredded carrots
For Dressing
- 1 cup cashews**
- ¼ cup water plus more as needed to thin dressing
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Zest of ½ lemon
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- Prepare barley (or other grains): Cook barley (or other desired grain) according to package instructions. We chose pearled barley, which is typically cooked by combining 1 cup of dried barley with 3 cups of water and bringing it to a boil, then simmering on low for 25-30 minutes until the barley is tender.1 cup dry barley*
- Prepare dressing: First, soak cashews in a bowl of warm water for 15 minutes. Then add cashews, water, and oil to a food processor or blender and mix until smooth. Add lemon juice, lemon zest, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt. Blend and taste, adding more lemon or syrup as needed. If the dressing is too thick, add more water and blend until smooth.1 cup cashews**, ¼ cup water, ¼ cup olive oil, Juice of ½ lemon, Zest of ½ lemon, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, Pinch salt
- Prepare salad: In a large salad bowl, toss together mixed greens, cooked barley, halved figs, sliced apples, dried cranberries, and shredded carrots. Drizzle the maple cashew dressing over the salad and toss to coat ingredients before serving.4 cups mixed greens, 1 cup figs, 1 small apple, ½ cup dried cranberries, 1 cup shredded carrots
Notes
- Notes: *While we love an autumn barley bowl, any grain will be delicious in this bowl. Try quinoa, farro, or wheat berries. **Soak cashews in warm water for 15 minutes before preparing dressing for a smoother consistency (instructions for soaking in recipe).
- Tools Needed: food processor or blender, knife, cutting board
- Prep Ahead: Make the dressing up to three days ahead of time to make preparing this grain bowl easier.
- Leftovers and Storage: To keep leftovers fresh, store salad dressing in a jar separated from the grains and greens and only add to the grain bowl before eating. Store both salad dressing and the grain bowl in airtight containers for up to three days in the refrigerator until ready to eat.
- Nutrition notes: This grain bowl recipe uses only plant-based ingredients. To make it gluten-free substitute the barley for a gluten-free grain like quinoa, buckwheat, or amaranth. Nutrition information is calculated for all ingredients, including the full amount of the dressing. However, you will likely have dressing left over.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 621kcalCarbohydrates: 85gProtein: 13gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 18gSodium: 46mgPotassium: 808mgFiber: 14gSugar: 35gVitamin A: 5919IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 79mgIron: 5mg
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