Sesame Kale Glow Bowl (2024)

Nov 24, 2014 • Glow Bowls, Luteal Phase, Main Dish, Menstrual Phase,

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It’s about time for another Glow Bowl recipe! Glow Bowls are always my go-to when I want to throw something together that’s quick, nourishing and super delish. This Sesame Kale Glow Bowl can be thrown together in 20 minutes! Plus I kinda need a break from all the Thanksgiving-inspired recipes, if ya know what I mean.

Have you ever been to Native Foods Cafe? I feel lucky that one just opened up 5 minutes from our house. It’s a casual vegan fast food restaurant with a 100% plant-based menu! Like, whaaaattt?!! Times are changing 🙂

I’ve been so excited to try this new little gem that we ordered it twice this past weekend. The first time I ordered the most delicious salad, The OC Raw Chopper, made of fresh mixed veggies, baby greens, salsa pomodoro, avocado, crushed almonds, angel hair beets and sprouts. It was amazingly fresh and came with a lemon garlic dressing. The second time, I ordered a Sesame Kale Macro Bowl which was filled with all things yummy like brown rice, steamed kale, grilled tempeh and sauerkraut – topped with a creamy ginger sesame sauce. This bowl in particular was my inspiration for today’s recipe, with a few tweaks.

It makes me so happy to see a vegan restaurant though. Especially one that is fresh, quick and 100% plant-based. For all those who need a convenient place for take-out or a quick bite to eat – your prayers have been answered. Healthy vegan fast food is hard to come by, at least in the Midwest.

For this Sesame Kale Glow Bowl, we’re using quinoa, kale, broccoli, crumbled tempeh, sesame seeds and a tamari-ginger sauce. Pretty much all of my favorite things in one big protein-packed bowl. So YUM.

Sesame Kale Glow Bowl

★★★★★5 from 1 reviews

Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 15
Total Time: 20

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Ingredients

Scale

1 cup quinoa
1 tablespoon coconut oil/sesame oil
1/2 of a red onion
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups kale, de-stemmed + torn
2 cups broccoli florets (about 1 small head)
4 ounces of tempeh, chopped/crumbled

Tamari-Ginger Sauce

2 tablespoons tamari/low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons water
juice from 1/2 – 1 lime, depending on your liking
1/2 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced (or powdered)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
dash of red pepper flakes (optional)
2 tablespoons sesame seeds (black or white)

Instructions

Combine 1 cup quinoa with 2 cups water in a medium-sized pot. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer for about 15 minutes or until all water has been absorbed.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt the coconut oil on medium-high heat. Add the red onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic, kale, broccoli and tempeh. Sauté for about 3 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine the tamari, water, lime juice, dijon mustard, ginger, pepper, red pepper flakes and sesame seeds. Add mixture to saucepan with vegetables and mix until well combined. Cook for about 2 more minutes.
Once quinoa is finished cooking, scoop it into 2-3 bowls and top with the vegetable mixture. Add extra tamari/soy sauce as needed.
Enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving Size: 3

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This Sesame Kale Glow Bowl is flavorful, filling and would be perfect to bring as a lunch or make for a quick, simple dinner that everyone will love! You can never have enough “bowl” recipes right?!

Here are my other fave Glow Bowl recipes:

Hippie Macro Glow Bowl

Kale Glow Bowl with Pumpkin Dressing

The Everyday Goodness Bowl

Reader Interactions

Comments

Rose
June 16, 2020 at 8:30 pm
Love this dressing so much! Thank you! Just what I was looking for tonight. I made a kale salad with what I had on hand instead of a cooked bowl, and the ginger dressing made it awesome. Will come back to this again and again and check out more of your recipes
Reply
Steph Kelly
May 18, 2020 at 2:04 pm
I love this recipe. I found it forever ago and I make it all the time. It’s my favorite. I make it a lot with frozen cauliflower rice because I’m busy (lazy). Thanks for a great recipe!
★★★★★
Reply
Jackie
June 15, 2017 at 12:54 pm
I’m going to try this tonight using cauliflower rice instead of quinoa to reduce calories and carbs. Any ideas what else I could make as a side with this beautiful bowl?
Reply
Amy
June 07, 2017 at 1:49 pm
Heathy, tasty, flexible!! Loved it! Thank you.
See Also
Potato Wedges with Vegan Avocado Dip 5+ Things to Make with Sauerkraut - Wholesome Cook Warm puy lentil, broccoli & sweet potato salad Super Easy Gluten Free and Vegan Cinnamon Rolls
Reply
Charlotte
June 12, 2016 at 5:57 pm
I just made this recipe tonight with my non-vegan mom and we loved it! Couldn’t find tempeh at our grocery store so we used extra-firm tofu that worked well. Loved the flavors-thank you for the great recipe!!!
Reply
Oukedu
April 02, 2016 at 10:23 pm
I do not even know how I ended up here, but Ithought this
post was great. I do not know who you are but certainly you are
going to a famous blogger if you are not already 😉 Cheers!
Reply
Kerri McGrail
February 17, 2016 at 10:06 pm
Well this looks fabulous! I love veggie-grain bowls, and especially love making ginger- tamari sauces for them. I didn’t realize you are from Chicago- so cool! I grew up in the burbs, but haven’t been to Native Foods yet. I need to get my butt there sometime. But I bet this bowl is even better.
Reply
Tesia
February 16, 2016 at 4:14 pm
Oh my goodness, Shannon, this bowl is absolutely fantastic! And it was totally boyfriend approved! We subbed Romanesco because we were out of broccoli, and it was perfect! We are going to make it again this week. As I’m perusing through your blog, I’m loving how simple your dishes are. For those of us that don’t have hours to spend cooking dinner, they are just perfect! I’m so excited to try some more of your recipes!
Reply
Sarah
January 07, 2016 at 6:03 pm
First time trying tempeh and I must say it was delicious! I’ve already sent the recipe to a few of my friends!! Looking forward to trying more of your stuff!!
Reply
Alyssa
April 18, 2015 at 6:37 pm
Oh my goodness! This is soooo yummy! I have to tell you that I stopped eating meat about three months ago and about a month ago gave up dairy and eggs (my last holdouts to my old way of eating!) and started eating vegan. Your blog was one of the reasons why. It’s been a journey this past year as I’ve strived to eat better and take better care of my health. THANK OU for all you do!
This is the third recipe I’ve made on your blog and it is so delicious! This is only the second time I’ve tried tempeh (the first was at a restaurant), I saw it today at the health food store and knew I had to come home and make this for dinner!
You rock! Thank you for the inspiration and motivation to eat well! xoxo
Reply
Kathy
April 12, 2015 at 5:26 pm
When it comes to leftovers Is this a dish you reheat or eat cold?
Reply
Julie
April 06, 2015 at 5:36 pm
This was great. I didn’t measure the veggies, and used bagged chopped kale so it had stems, but it was really good. I also used lots of ginger since I had peeled an inch piece and didn’t want to waste (probably 2.5 tsp) but I love ginger so it was awesome!!
Reply
Audrey B
April 01, 2015 at 12:28 pm
Hi, I’ve just find your recipe on Pinterest and I was wondering : can I replace the tempeh with firm tofu ? (I don’t know anything about tempeh and what are good replacement for it :X).
In any case, the recipe sounds really nice ^^
Reply
- Shannon Leparski
  April 01, 2015 at 8:17 pm
  Hi Audrey – absolutely! You can replace the tempeh with any plant protein whether it’s tofu, edamame, chickpeas, lentils or just extra greens! Mushrooms are always a nice addition too. Enjoy 🙂
  Reply
  - Audrey B
    April 03, 2015 at 5:06 pm
    Thank you so much for your answer and of course the recipe. I will try it this week-end 🙂
    Reply
julie
March 31, 2015 at 1:02 am
I just want to say I really liked this!I loved the veggie combo and dressing but I didn’t have tempeh so I added green beans.I loved it so much that I saved my leftover veggies and a little of the dressing and added it to soba noodles the next day.I think it was even better than when I first cooked it.Thank you!
Reply
- Shannon Leparski
  April 01, 2015 at 8:24 pm
  Green beans sound perfect for this glow bowl Julie – I’m happy it worked out! Leftovers always taste better the next day, right?!
  See Also
  Stuffing Muffins (Perfect Portion Control) - Skinnytaste
  Reply
Liza
March 24, 2015 at 7:47 pm
I made this tonight for dinner and even my teenage son loved it! I don’t care for tempeh so I threw in about a 1/4 cup of coarsely chopped peanuts instead. Delicious! Thanks so much!
Reply
- Shannon Leparski
  March 25, 2015 at 3:30 pm
  Hi Liza, mmm chopped peanuts sounds like the perfect alternative – with added crunchiness! So happy your son enjoyed as well, thank you!
  Reply
Tammy
March 18, 2015 at 1:32 pm
Please check out this guy who is using your photos and not crediting you @veganbowls on Instagram https://instagram.com/p/0S9Tw8kzoU/?taken-by=veganbowls
Reply
Cecilia
March 06, 2015 at 10:08 am
Yum – only word I have to say!!
Reply
Nicole
March 02, 2015 at 2:16 pm
Love this recipe! Does anyone know if it will freeze well? I’m cooking for one and can only eat so much!
Reply
Melanie
February 26, 2015 at 11:56 am
Made this for lunch today, skipped the broccoli but added butternut squash and beets. I loved it! So pretty and so filling! Thanks for the recipe!
Reply
Meghan
February 25, 2015 at 11:08 pm
Wow, my husband and I LOVED this salad. And I also loved the sourness! I used soo much lime, it was the best. My husband said I should bring it to our next potluck. I will definitely make this one again! Great recipe!
Reply
Nicole
February 19, 2015 at 7:28 pm
Your blog is beautiful! I just love your creativity! I’m pinning this recipe, and can’t wait to try it.
Just wanted to say that it boggles my mind when someone posts how much they hated a recipe. I mean, really? I know that not everyone loves tempeh, and that everyone has different tastes (also, everyone is entitled to their own opinion). BUT, I don’t feel it’s worthwhile, nor does it contribute to this world the sheer negativity that some people seem to like to dish out. Blogging is hard – I’ve done it. I applaud ALL people who do it. One can just say that the recipe wasn’t for them, and perhaps give some constructive feedback or suggestions. To post a comment just for the sake of saying you hated something doesn’t sit right with me, especially when it’s for something harmless (and free) like a recipe. If you paid for it or were put in danger, then perhaps that’s another story.
Kudos to you, Shannon, for your kind response to that commenter! Keep on doing your thing. We others greatly appreciate it! Just my two cents
Reply
- Shannon Leparski
  February 19, 2015 at 10:35 pm
  Hey Nicole – thank you so much, your comment means the world to me! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know how it goes.
  That was the first negative comment I received.. I know it should be expected when anyone can be purposely rude online but I would never leave a mean comment if I didn’t like a recipe. So what ya know? If I wanted to offer a way to improve it or a method I tried that made the recipe better like you said then maybe I would comment, but it’s not in my nature.
  That’s awesome that you used to blog though! Thanks for stopping by, if you still had a blog, I would hop on over to it right now 🙂
  xx,
  Shannon
  Reply
  - Nicole
    February 20, 2015 at 6:11 pm
    I guess some people need to be rude in order to make themselves feel better? I have no clue! But, your awesome recipes, your photography, your wisdom and sweet demeanor are just some of the reasons you are so successful! I guess when you know you’re big when you get a hater, right?! (that’s what I like to think anyways 😉 )
    You are certainly one of the bloggers that have inspired me to want to blog again! I will most def let you know how the tempeh recipe comes out. I have a feeling it will be dee-vine!
    Looking forward to more of your recipes! With you in the blogosphere, eating vegan doesn’t seem so hard – it actually seems amazing!
    xoxo,
    Nicole
    Reply
Keisha
February 18, 2015 at 7:26 pm
I was excited to try this, then got skeptical in the process. Added some bean sprouts (I’m on a kick right now), in hindsight that may be when i got skeptical . I can’t get over how good this is. Can’t wait for lunch tomorrow,!
Reply
- Shannon Leparski
  February 19, 2015 at 5:09 pm
  Haha, I know what you mean about feeling skeptical, I feel that while creating many of my recipes. It’s so good though! I’m glad you approved 🙂
  Reply
Becca
January 25, 2015 at 11:05 pm
I made this recipe tonight and really loved it! It was tasty and satisfying! I love tempeh but usually find it dry – this recipe fixes that for sure. The lime flavor was kind of unexpected (yes even though I KNEW I put in the juice of a whole lime it was surprising for some reason!). I doubled the recipe to use up all the tempeh, except I didn’t have double broccoli. I think next time I would not double the black pepper however because it was a bit strong. I served it with green chili sauce and avocado on top. I am pumped for the leftovers!
Reply
- Shannon Leparski
  January 26, 2015 at 5:37 pm
  Hi Becca! Yay I’m so happy you enjoyed it! The lime can definitely be overpowering but I’m so used to it now that I can’t get enough 🙂 same goes for pepper haha. Mmm green chile sauce and avocado sound like the perfect addition.
  Reply
Emily
January 19, 2015 at 7:38 pm
This so so good! Thank you for the recipe!! I left the temphe out, just wanted a bowl of veggies! So good, excited to look and try more of your stuff!
Reply
Cat
January 17, 2015 at 8:19 pm
Im sorry but this was horrible. After an hour or more of rinsing chopping measuring and sautéing I took one bite and threw it out. Now I have never had tempeh and never will again. It smelled, looked and tasted like dog kibble. But the worst was how sour it was and I only used 1/2 the lime. Anyway I hated it.
Reply
- Shannon Leparski
  January 18, 2015 at 12:05 pm
  I’m sorry you felt that way. People either love tempeh or they hate it.
  Reply
Courtney
January 08, 2015 at 9:17 pm
Made this tonight, it was really good! However, I’m not a huge fan of the lime so next time I’ll use lemon or leave it out altogether.
Reply
- Shannon Leparski
  January 09, 2015 at 1:49 pm
  Hi Courtney! I’m happy you enjoyed it! Lemon would be yummy as well 🙂
  Reply
Kathy Sturr of the Violet Fern
November 25, 2014 at 7:16 am
This sounds delicious! My husband and I are migrating (retreating) South and we decided we’re making “super power bowls” our main meal. We’ll be making this one for sure!
Reply
- Shannon Leparski
  November 25, 2014 at 5:10 pm
  Haha love your plan Kathy! “Super Power Bowls” sound fabulous! You can never have too many!
  Reply
Katie (The Muffin Myth)
November 25, 2014 at 1:34 am
This looks so great! So many of my favourite things in one bowl – kale, broccoli, tempeh, quinoa! And I love the nutty sesame flavour. Have pinned and will definitely be making this very soon. Thanks for the great recipe!
Reply
- Shannon Leparski
  November 25, 2014 at 5:09 pm
  Hi Katie! Thank you! There is nothing better than all of our favorite loves all in one glow bowl 🙂
  Reply
  - Renate
    December 20, 2017 at 6:06 am
    Thank you very much for the receipe .
    Reply