Vegan Quinoa Kale Bowl with Mushrooms & Asparagus (Gluten-free) + Butcher Block Giveaway!

I’ve been struggling with food lately. For health reasons I’d rather not discuss right now, I was put on a gluten-free, anti-inflammatory, low-fat, nightshades-free diet. Plus I’m vegan. I felt like there was nothing left to eat.

(Side note. I got about zero results when I googled recipes with these restrictions. Which is why I’m a huge fan of this idea. For $25, you can get 3 months access to their new site, plus 2 holiday eCookbooks. Sweet deal.)

For several days, I ate brown rice with steamed vegetables. And fruit. And gluten-free oatmeal. I made a vegetable soup that was okay, but I grew tired of it quickly. Finally, I started to experiment.

Vegan Quinoa Kale Bowl with Mushrooms & Asparagus Gluten-free + Butcher Block Giveaway!

Using a base of quinoa and finely chopped kale, I came up with a couple of recipes that I quite like. One is an awesome salad that I’ll share with you soon. The other is this Quinoa Kale Bowl with Mushrooms and Asparagus. It’s very healthy and nutritious, but it’s also hearty and flavorful.

Vegan Quinoa Kale Bowl with Mushrooms & Asparagus Gluten-free + Butcher Block Giveaway!

This recipe requires a fair amount of chopping and slicing. Fortunately, I welcome these tasks due to a love affair with my new 14″ round walnut butcher block chopping block from McClure Tables.

When McClure offered to give away two butcher blocks (one for me, one for you), I jumped at the chance to team up for this giveaway. Little did I know it would become my new favorite tool in the kitchen.

Both beautiful and functional, it looks great on my counter even when not in use. And it makes a gorgeous serving piece.

Vegan Quinoa Kale Bowl with Mushrooms & Asparagus Gluten-free + Butcher Block Giveaway!

I have a drawer full of plastic cutting boards. Since receiving my new chopping block, I haven’t used a single one of them. Which means a kitchen purge is just around the corner. ;)  Here are a few of the benefits to choosing a wood cutting board:

  • Won’t harbor bacteria
  • Easier on knives than plastic, ceramic, glass and marble
  • Wood is completely biodegradable and renewable
  • Often supports small businesses (such as McClure Tables in Grand Rapids, MI!)

Never put your wood cutting board in the dishwasher. Scrub it with mild soap after each use. Treat it with food grade mineral oil once a month. Do these things and you’ll have a beautiful piece that will last you for years to come.

Vegan Quinoa Kale Bowl with Mushrooms & Asparagus Gluten-free + Butcher Block Giveaway!

McClure Tables is gifting one lucky reader with a 12″x18″ Michigan maple butcher block cutting board! There are several ways to enter the giveaway below. Good luck!

McClure Tables is right here in the heart of West Michigan. They are most well-known for making beautiful, high-quality shuffleboard tables. However, they also create gorgeous butcher block countertops, islands, chopping blocks, and cutting boards. See their full selection here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Quinoa Kale Bowl with Mushrooms & Asparagus

Recipe Type: Entrée, Side Dish
Cuisine: Vegan, Gluten-free, American
Author: Livvy @ 86 Lemons
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup dried quinoa, rinsed
  • 1 cup + 2 Tbsp gf vegetable broth
  • 1/2 lb. asparagus spears, ends trimmed, cut into 1″ pieces
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 8 oz. whole baby bella mushrooms, sliced very thin
  • 1/4 tsp dried thyme
  • fresh ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 cups very finely chopped kale
  • 1/2 cup shredded carrots

Dressing Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp tahini
  • 1/2 Tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1/2 Tbsp agave nectar
  • 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp water
  • 1 Tbsp finely chopped basil
  • 1 small garlic clove, minced
  • 1/4 tsp salt (scant)
  • fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. In a small sauce pan, combine quinoa and 1 cup vegetable broth. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to very low, cover and gently simmer for about 14 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, steam asparagus until fork tender. Prepare mushrooms by heating olive oil and garlic over medium heat. Add mushrooms and 2 Tbsp vegetable broth. Cook for about 5-8 minutes, until mushrooms are tender. Add thyme and black pepper, stir to combine.
  3. Prepare dressing by adding all dressing ingredients to a sealed glass jar or a mini food processor. Shake well or process until thoroughly combined.
  4. In a large bowl, combine quinoa, kale and carrots. Add dressing and stir until thoroughly combined. Gently fold in asparagus and mushrooms. Salt to taste and serve warm.
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60 thoughts on “Vegan Quinoa Kale Bowl with Mushrooms & Asparagus (Gluten-free) + Butcher Block Giveaway!”

  1. Oh, I so know the feeling! I was diagnosed with celiac disease and leaky gut in the spring, and am now also on a low-FODMAPs diet. And I’m vegan, too. So I can totally relate! This looks wonderful — I wish I could eat mushrooms! I can eat kale but in small quantities and without other high-FODMAPs foods. It takes some creativity (which you have in spades), but it can be done! Although I don’t know how you do it without nut butters. That would be a tough one for me. :)

    Reply
  2. Hi Livvy, Thanks for the recipe and the intro to this company. The recipe looks great and can’t wait to try it myself. I’d love to have the 18x12x2.5 maple chopping block. Actually, I’d love a bigger one but it’s a bit cost prohibitive! Thanks.

    Reply
  3. I’m sorry to hear about your unexpected life change. Nonetheless, I am very excited to hear that you will be on your way back to health through a gluten-free diet! My boyfriend has Celiac disease, so we mostly eat a gluten-free vegan diet. You’ll discover that a lot of restaurants that have vegan options have gluten-free options, too, and vice versa. You’ll make a lot of great gluten-free discoveries in your journey! The most difficult problem I’ve found is a lot of gluten-free items have egg in them :(, but there are alternatives. My blog is a gluten-free vegan blog, so feel free to browse if you’re looking for ideas. Best of luck on your journey. Oh, and I’d love to have a cutting board!

    Reply
  4. That is a beautiful butcher block you are using! The contrasting colour makes food look amazing right from the chop/grate/mince. Your picture taking definitely helps too ;o) Good luck with your new eating routine. It’s always deflating to see how many things you can’t eat but I can see you are getting your mojo back and will be better than ever in no time!

    Reply
  5. I would love the round chopping block like yours. It looks beautiful and would make chopping a multitude of vegetables joyfu. Your recipe for the Quinoa Kale Bowl with Mushrooms and Asparagus sounds and looks amazing.

    Reply
  6. I recently moved and have quite a smaller kitchen then I did before. I would like to remodel an old dresser/cabinet into a kitchen cart with a chopping block on top. Winning this item would help me achieve this dream!

    Reply
  7. Oh wow. This recipe looks YUM. Sorry to hear about your health issues! I’m vegan too and have been put on a gluten-elimination diet pending an upcoming endoscopy to see if I have Celiac. Not as strict as yours, but still overwhelming. Thanks for sharing this recipe—and for this amazing giveaway! That round walnut chopping block you got is def my favorite, but the maple one is lovely too! I have two cutting boards that definitely weren’t intended to last as long as I’ve used/abused them, so an upgrade would be welcome. :)

    Reply
  8. Hello Livvy
    First off Thank you for your wonderful website. I wanted to let you know about some alterations I made to your Quinoa Kale Bowl recipe, not as a critique, but as an option:
    I did not use mushrooms (I don’t like them), and added the thyme and pepper to the actual salad. I did not add carrots (didn’t have any on hand).
    I also made a few changes to the dressing:
    Almond butter
    Dijon mustard
    honey (I know this is not vegan)
    red wine vinegar
    water
    basil
    garlic clove
    salt and pepper

    I also added toasted peacans.
    My family loved the salad. I will definitely make it again!. Thank you once again for your great website!
    Robyn

    Reply

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