Sweet Potato Stacks with Kale Pesto, Buckwheat and Butter Beans

Another recipe from our Winter Solstice Celebration, this recipe is a go to for me when we have retreat guests, ticks all the boxes and is easily adjustable for food intolerances…use asafoetida instead of garlic, change nuts up, omit beans if need be….make it your own. I often end up with extra buckwheat mixture with is great on crackers or on it’s own as a quick snack.

Ingredients

4 cups / 120 g Kale, tough ribs removed, leaves roughly chopped (I’ve used silverbeet also)

1 cup / 140 g raw Walnuts

1 Garlic clove

1 organic grated Lemon and zest

Fine Sea Salt

1 teaspoon pure Maple Syrup

2 to 3 tablespoons cold-pressed Olive Oil , plus more for garnish

2 Sweet Potato (approx 1 kg)

Knob of Coconut Oil or ghee

Freshly cracked Black Pepper

1 cup / 200g Buckwheat

1½ cups / 250g/1 Can cooked Butter Beans (any white bean will do)

125 g soft Goats Cheese or Cashew Cheese

Method

Preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Put the chopped kale in a food processor and add the walnuts, garlic, lemon zest and juice, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, maple syrup, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Blend on the highest setting until the desired consistency. This pesto is quite dry, so add more olive oil if desired. (The pesto will keep in an airtight glass container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.)

Slice sweet potato into rounds approximately ¾ inch / 2 cm thick; aim to have 12 to 16 slices. Lightly coat the slices with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and put them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until tender.

Meanwhile, rinse the buckwheat well, then put it in a saucepan and add ½ teaspoon salt and 2 cups / 500 ml water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, until the buckwheat is tender and the water has been absorbed.

In a large bowl, combine the cooked buckwheat, butter beans, and enough kale pesto to coat everything well. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

To assemble, put 1 round of sweet potato on a plate. Spread the round with goat/cashew cheese and top it with about ¼ cup / 50 g of the Buckwheat mixture. Top with another round of sweet potato and repeat on the other plates. Enjoy immediately.

Chimichurri Nourish Bowl

Fresh & zesty chimichurri sauce is a perfect accompaniment to all your nourish veggie bowls!
Serves 3
Ingredients
Nourish Bowl
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 large sweet potato, cube into 1/2 inch pieces
8 – 10 brussels sprouts, quartered
1 onion, sliced into 1/2 inch wedges
1 can (15oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa, rice or grain of choice
1 avocado, sliced
Pumpkin or sunflower seeds to serve

Chimichurri Sauce
1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley or combine with mint, coriander, rocket
2 – 3 cloves garlic
1/2 – 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano or 2 teaspoons fresh
good pinch of salt
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red/white wine vinegar
1 large lemon, juice of


Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Roast Veggies: Combine cauliflower, sweet potato, brussels sprouts and onion in a large mixing bowl, drizzle with olive oil and mix well to coat. Transfer veggies to a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper or lightly greased. Add a sprinkle of salt over top. Place in oven on the middle rack and roast for 40 – 45 minutes, stirring once half way through cooking. Veggies are ready when fork tender.
Cook Grain: While veggies are roasting cook your grain of choice. Drain and rinse your beans of choice, set aside.
Chimichurri: Prepare the chimichurri sauce by combining the parsley, garlic, red pepper flakes, oregano, salt, olive oil, vinegar and lemon into a food processor, blend until greens is chopped well, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
Serve: Fill your serving bowl with 1/3 of the roasted veggies and beans. Add about 1/2 cup of grain of choice. Add a few slices of avocado and top with chimichurri sauce. A sprinkle of pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds would be great too. Mix together and enjoy this zesty and delicious combination!
Serves 3
NOTES:
Change up the veggies to suit your taste. Carrots, broccoli, potatoes, beets, butternut squash, etc. would be good substitutes.