Chickpea and Kale Glow Bowl with Dreamy Tahini Dressing

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Chickpea and Kale Glow Bowl with Dreamy Tahini Dressing — FAST, EASY, accidentally vegan and gluten-free!! Keeps you satisfied and GLOWING from the inside out! The zippy dressing lives up to its DREAMY name!!

Chickpea and Kale Glow Bowl with Dreamy Tahini Dressing - FAST, EASY, accidentally vegan and gluten-free!! Keeps you satisfied and GLOWING from the inside out! The zippy dressing lives up to its DREAMY name!!

The BEST Glow Bowl Recipe

Let’s channel our inner hippy and get down with a salad bowl. I can almost smell the patchouli oil now. All kidding aside, this easy, vegan, gluten-free glow bowl recipe that’s ready in 15 minutes will keep you full, satisfied, and glowing from the inside out.

Because I know it’s cold in most parts of the country and cold salads are not as appetizing this time of year, this is a cooked salad. Or a cooked glow bowl. It’s one of my new favorite kale salad ideas because there are so many layers of textures and flavors and I love that it’s warm.

The kale salad dressing is made with tahini (sesame seed paste). If you like hummus, you probably already like tahini because most hummus recipes have a bit of tahini in them. I get my tahini at Trader Joe’s because it’s cost-effective.

It’s creamy without being heavy, complements the earthy quality of the glow bowls, and lends major pizazz. It really makes the salad and I could eat it with a spoon.

Chickpea and Kale Glow Bowl with Dreamy Tahini Dressing - FAST, EASY, accidentally vegan and gluten-free!! Keeps you satisfied and GLOWING from the inside out! The zippy dressing lives up to its DREAMY name!!

What’s in a Glow Bowl? 

To make the warm kale salad, you’ll need:

  • Olive oil
  • Chickpeas
  • Shredded carrots
  • Sugar snap peas
  • Green onions
  • Lacinato kale
  • Cooked rice
  • Haas avocado 

And for the lemon tahini salad dressing, you’ll need:

  • Tahini
  • Lemon juice
  • Honey
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Salt and pepper
  • Water 

Chickpea and Kale Glow Bowl with Dreamy Tahini Dressing - FAST, EASY, accidentally vegan and gluten-free!! Keeps you satisfied and GLOWING from the inside out! The zippy dressing lives up to its DREAMY name!!

How to Make a Glow Bowl

The glow bowl recipe starts by sautéing chickpeas, carrots, snap peas, and green onions before adding kale and wilting it down. Then, add your favorite cooked grain to the glow bowl mixture and you’ve got yourself a hearty plant-based meal that’s still cozy and satisfying!

To make the lemon tahini dressing, whisk the tahini with the lemon juice, honey, vinegar, and optional garlic. So easy! It’s definitely dreamy over the creamy fresh avocado and warm bowl of veggies and grains.

Can I Add Other Veggies to This Glow Bowl? 

Of course! Feel free to swap out any of the toppings listed and use your favorite beans and veggies instead. The tahini salad dressing pairs well with almost anything. 

What’s the Best Grain for a Glow Bowl? 

I used one 8.5-ounce packet of precooked brown basmati rice to save time. But you’re welcome to substitute with quinoa, couscous, bulgur, or your favorite grain.

Chickpea and Kale Glow Bowl with Dreamy Tahini Dressing – FAST, EASY, accidentally vegan and gluten-free!! Keeps you satisfied and GLOWING from the inside out! The zippy dressing lives up to its DREAMY name!!

Tips for Making a Glow Bowl

To make this warm kale salad vegan, use agave or maple syrup instead of honey. 

To bulk up this glow bowl and add even more protein, you’re welcome to add any leftover cooked chicken you have on hand. I bet shrimp would taste delicious on this kale salad as well. 

Note that you can make a big batch of the lemon tahini dressing in advance and keep it in the fridge all week whenever a salad craving hits. 

Here’s a video showing you exactly how I make the Glow Bowls.

Chickpea and Kale Glow Bowl with Dreamy Tahini Dressing — FAST, EASY, accidentally vegan and gluten-free!! Keeps you satisfied and GLOWING from the inside out! The zippy dressing lives up to its DREAMY name!!

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5 from 3 votes

Chickpea and Kale Glow Bowl with Dreamy Tahini Dressing

By Averie Sunshine
FAST, EASY, accidentally vegan and gluten-free!! Keeps you satisfied and GLOWING from the inside out! The zippy dressing lives up to its DREAMY name!!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4
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Ingredients  

Glow Bowl (Salad)

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • one 15-ounce can low-sodium chickpeas, garbanzo beans, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
  • 1 ½ cups shredded carrots
  • 1 cup sugar snap peas
  • 2 to 3 green onions, sliced into thin rounds
  • 5 cups lacinato kale, trimmed into bite-sized pieces with coarse ribs removed (4 to 5 huge handfuls)
  • 2 cups cooked rice, I use one 8.5-ounce packet of precooked brown basmati rice; substitute with quinoa, couscous, bulgur, or your favorite grain
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
  • 1 ripe Hass avocado, sliced thin vertically or small cubes, divided

Lemon Tahini Dressing

  • ¼ cup tahini, heaping
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons honey, use agave or maple syrup to keep vegan
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
  • garlic, optional and to taste
  • 2 tablespoons water, or as needed to thin to desired consistency

Instructions 

Make the Glow Bowl (Salad):

  • To a large skillet, add the oil, chickpeas, carrots, snap peas, green onions, and cook over medium-high heat until vegetables soften but are still crisp-tender, about 4 to 5 minutes; stir intermittently to ensure even cooking.
  • Add the kale (looks like a lot but it wilts considerably), cover for 2 to 3 minutes, or until kale is wilted, tender, and can be stirred easily into the vegetables.
  • Add the rice, evenly season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine; set aside.

Make the Lemon Tahini Dressing:

  • To a medium bowl, add all ingredients (add the water 1 tablespoon at a time), and whisk to combine. Taste dressing to check for seasoning balance; add more salt, pepper, lemon juice, honey, etc. if desired.
  • Divide salad and avocado among the serving bowls and drizzle with dressing, to taste.

Notes

  • Salad is best fresh but will keep airtight in the fridge (undressed) for up to 2 days.
  • Extra dressing will keep airtight for up to 1 week in the fridge.

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 529kcal, Carbohydrates: 69g, Protein: 16g, Fat: 24g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 18g, Cholesterol: 2mg, Sodium: 1282mg, Fiber: 14g, Sugar: 18g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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About the Author

Welcome to AverieCooks! Here you’ll find fast and easy recipes that taste amazing and are geared for real life. Nothing fussy or complicated, just awesome tasting dishes everyone loves!

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Please note: I have only made the recipe as written, and cannot give advice or predict what will happen if you change something. If you have a question regarding changing, altering, or making substitutions to the recipe, please check out the FAQ page for more info.

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Comments

  1. The title caught my attention, too — how could it NOT be good with a title like that?! Looking forward to making this soon — it sounds terrific. Thanks, Averie, for all your recipes and posts — love ’em!

  2. You were right about me loving this recipe!!! I get excited over kale and will probably eat this a couple of times over the weekend. I love the recipe title too–you just know you are eating something good for you!

    1. Glad you love the title and I knew you’d enjoy this recipe! I honestly loved this one so much…the dressing too, I could eat it on just about everything! LMK how it goes when you try it.

      1. OMG YUM! I haven’t had cooked kale in quite a long time and I honestly forgot how good it is. This was a delicious reminder! I love everything in this salad and have plenty to make it again (Jon needs to try this too)!

      2. I am so glad you loved it and have plenty on hand to make it again! I loved this one and made it a few times after originally making it!