When you’re in a pinch for time but want to eat well, we’ve got a few tips for making a solid meal come together, centered around 2 bagged foods: our Taylor Farms Asiago Kale Chopped Salad Kit and Blue Ribbon Orchard Choice or Sun-Maid California Mission Dried Figs. Rather than think about dieting, all foods fit, and there is something about eating our greens and figs that makes us feel energized. As we head into 2020, we’re calling it a year of plenty and have ideas to make a delicious decade with fresh food you can make fast.

Rethink bagged salads

 The Asiago Kale Chopped Salad Kit, or any of our Chopped Kits,  can easily become the makings of a killer bowl, especially when you top with slices of mission dried figs for a little touch of sweetness.

Shop your pantry

Keeping a well stocked pantry means you don’t have to scramble last minute for takeout or delivery. Instead, here, we’re leaning on quinoa and a can of chickpeas to take our warm salad bowl to the next level!

Spice it up 

Frying some garlic before steaming the kale salad mix adds layered flavor. For the crunchy chickpeas, we’re keeping it easy with salt and pepper as the flavorings, but you could add other spices you have on hand (oregano and chile flakes would be good).

Plan ahead

If you’ve never wanted to be in your kitchen all day on Sunday, you don’t have to sacrifice an entire afternoon to do easy meal prep. The recipe below has you working on the different components while the others are cooking so you save time and are productive.

Directions

1. Make Chickpeas: Preheat oven to 400F. Place a piece of parchment paper in a half sheet pan. Rinse chickpeas and pat dry with paper towels or clean cloth towel. In a medium bowl, tumble chickpeas with oil, salt, and pepper until coated. Transfer to prepared half sheet pan jostling to evenly distribute them. Bake for 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, Make Quinoa: Toast rinsed quinoa in a saucepan set over medium heat until aromatic and nutty, about 2-3 minutes. Pour in vegetable broth or water and crank heat to high until boiling. Once boiling, cover and turn heat down to simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and steam quinoa for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

3. Cook the Kale: Fry garlic in 1 teaspoon canola until golden over medium heat. Stir in the kale greens mix, frying lightly until coated. Then, pour on one packet of the lemon dressing and 1/2 cup water until cooked, about 3-4 minutes. Season to taste. Remove from the heat.

4. From the Asiago Kale kit: Crush croutons in their bag. Mix them with the grated cheese in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 15 seconds to bind them.

5. Assemble four bowls: Portion out 1/4 of each of these ingredients in four segments of the bowl: cooked kale greens, quinoa, chickpeas, and cheesy breadcrumbs. Tile 1/4 of the mission dried figs in the middle of the bowl. Right before serving drizzle each bowl with remaining lemon garlic dressing from bagged Asiago Kale kit. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over each bowl.

Find our Chopped Salad Kits near you using our store locator.