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Course Salads
Difficulty Moderate
Pulse Type Beans
Specialty Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Recipe Contributed By The Year in Food

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The Perfect Salad Bowl

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
servings

Ingredients

Beans:

  • 1 cup pinto beans
  • 1 onion, halved
  • 3 large cloves garlic, smashed
  • 1 bay leaf

Tempeh:

  • 8 oz tempeh, cut into small cubes
  • 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • 1 tsp paprika, smoked
  • 1/4 tsp chili powder, chipotle
  • 1/4 tsp cumin, ground
  • 1/4 tsp salt, sea

Bowl:

  • 1 small clove garlic
  • 1 lime, zest and juice
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1/2 tsp coriander, seeds; crushed (optional, but delicious)
  • 5 tbsp olive oil
  • salt
  • pepper, freshly cracked
  • 2 ears corn
  • 1 bunch kale, stems removed, and chopped
  • 1 pint tomatoes, cherry; halved
  • 3 green onions, diced
  • sunflower seeds, toasted
  • cilantro, fresh; optional, for serving

Instructions

  • Make ahead: Rinse and soak the beans in cold water overnight.
  • Drain the beans, rinse them again, and add to a large pot. Cover with water by about 2-3 inches. Add the onion, garlic, bay leaf, and any other aromatics you might enjoy, such as thyme or parsley, carrot, celery. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat to low, and cook until the beans are plump and cooked through, about 1 hour. Cool the beans in their cooking liquid. Salt to taste. Strain from the liquid and set aside.
  • While the beans cook, make the tempeh. In a small bowl, mix together two tablespoons olive oil with the paprika, chipotle powder, cumin, and sea salt. Toss with the tempeh to coat thoroughly.
  • In a large skillet over medium heat, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the tempeh and cook without stirring for about 3 minutes, so they can begin to brown nicely. Toss, and continue to cook until they’re browned on a couple sides, about 5-7 minutes more. Remove from the heat and set aside.
  • Break each ear of corn in half. Stand lengthwise on a cutting board, and using a sharp knife, slice the kernels from the ear. Set aside.
  • In a small mason jar, add the garlic, the lime juice and zest, the honey, and the coriander seeds (if using) and whisk with a fork. Add the olive oil in a stream, continuing to whisk. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Store covered, and shake vigorously before serving.
  • Divide the kale equally into each bowl. Add 1/4 of the corn to each, followed by 1/4 of the cherry tomatoes, 1/4 of the tempeh, 1/4 of the green onions, and 1/2 cup of the cooked pinto beans. Finish with 1 tablespoon of toasted sunflower seeds.
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