This Sweet Potato, Brussels and Kale Saute with Lemon Tahini Dressing is a simple veggie-filled dish packed with nutrition, fiber and flavor, with the dreamiest dressing to top it off!
This past weekend was my birthday (helloooo, 29!) and was spent celebrating with Tyler and two of my best friends, in Chattanooga. Despite the weather being absolute trash, the company and the food was the exact opposite đ
We got back to Asheville Sunday afternoon, and the last thing I wanted to do was spend a lot of time in the kitchen. But like, I also didn’t want to not have at least some food and healthy lunches prepped for the week. Of course in the short term it would’ve felt nice to say “I’ll do that later”, but I knew with this week’s schedule, “later” wouldn’t come.
I thought all of this through on our drive back to Asheville, debating what I could make that would take the least amount of time but would be something new and exciting for the ol’ taste buds. And then I came up with this Sweet Potato, Brussels and Kale Saute with Lemon Tahini Dressing and was like OH YES. That’s it.
All in all, it took me just around 30 minutes from start to finish. I ended up also prepping some protein to go along with it (just chicken breast chopped up and cooked on the stove with a random assortment of spices), but it all came together in a breeze. The cranberries and hemp seeds were a last minute addition but they are definitely the cherry (or cranberry??) on top!
And yes, it’s totally okay if you want to drink the dressing đ
The most simple of ingredients:
Sweet potatoes
Brussels sprouts
Kale
Garlic
Hemp seeds
Dried cranberries
Tahini
Lemon juice
When it comes to prepping meals for my work lunches, I try to follow the Plate Method approach to build meals that are not only filling and satisfying, but also full of nutrient dense foods to fuel my body with what it needs. If you need a visual, see below! I aim to fill half the plate (or hypothetical plate) with non-starchy veggies that are generally high in fiber; with the other “half” of the meal I then add in some protein (I usually aim for 20-30 grams, but for a more in-depth look at protein needs, check out THIS post!), some complex carbs, and then some type of fat (which may also be used in cooking either my veggies, protein, or carbs!). I thrive on having a framework since it takes the confusion and stress out of putting together well-balanced meals. Additionally, you can essentially fit any food into the framework so it’s less about “good” versus “bad” and more about how can I put together a meal in a way that will make me feel good on the inside and out.
Sweet Potato, Brussels and Kale Saute with Lemon Tahini Dressing
Ingredients
Base
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 large sweet potato, chopped
- 1 lb brussels sprouts, quartered
- 3 bunches lacinato kale, destemmed and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup hemp seeds
Dressing
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 2 tbsp warm water
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Wash and chop all produce. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. When oil is hot, add in sweet potatoes and brussels and cook until starting to soften. Add in roughly 1/4 cup of water and cover with a lid to steam and soften further. Remove lid and stir; season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and dried oregano as desired. Continue cooking until veggies reach desired tenderness.
- While veggies cook, combine all dressing ingredients together in a bowl and stir until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Transfer veggies to a large bowl or dish with dried cranberries and hemp seeds. Drizzle desired amount of dressing on top and toss to coat once more. Serve and enjoy! Reserve remaining dressing for use at a later time.
