Hodgepodge Protein Bowl
Published 5/6/2024
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You’ll absolutely love this vibrant protein bowl packed with a flavorful kale salad, quinoa, a sliced brat, and topped with a dollop of hummus. Get it in real life at our food truck, Hodgepodge, at Forgotten Star Brewing Co. in Fridley, Minnesota.
If you haven’t heard, we’re opening a food truck at our favorite brewery in Minnesota later this spring! Hodgepodge is a midwest mobile kitchen that’s parked right outside Forgotten Star Brewing Co. in Fridley. Our menu is a Midwest-inspired, food-for-all kind of menu. This shines through the variety of menu items, unique midwestern ingredients, and approachable price-point, including this delicious and nutritious protein bowl!
The exact elements of the bowl will change seasonally, but if you find yourself at Hodgepodge this spring or summer, you’ll be able to enjoy this dish in all her glory. And, of course, you can always make it in your own kitchen at home.
Why do we love bowl recipes?
If you haven’t noticed, we have more than a few bowl recipes on Fit Foodie Finds 😏 Everything from vegetarian buddha bowls to sweet potato mushroom grain bowls to savory breakfast bowls — and honestly everything in between. It’s honestly how we eat more often than not.
Put everything you have on hand in a bowl, plop a dollop of hummus on top, grab a fork and enjoy. They’re protein-packed, veggie forward and so delish. Which is exactly why we NEEDED to have one on our menu at Hodgepodge.
Hodgepodge Protein Bowl Star Ingredients
For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card for a list of ingredients and instructions.
Meat protein: We’re using sliced brats for this protein bowl! Not only do they provide amazing flavor, they’re bite-sized and easy to scoop up with a forkful of quinoa and kale salad (aka the perfect bite!).
Kale salad: This specific Kale salad features blueberries, sweet corn, red onion, feta, and of course, massaged kale.
Quinoa: We’ve loved quinoa since the early days of quinoa when no one knew how to pronounce it. It’s protein-packed, and has a great nutty texture and flavor, which makes it perfect for bowl recipes like this.
Hummus: Hummus is a great way to pull all the flavors of this protein bowl together. Feel free to use store-bought or make your own!
Easy Ingredient Swaps
One of the best things about bowl recipes is that you truly can make it your own. Don’t have blueberries in your fridge? Swap them for craisins! Here are a few other easy swaps:
Quinoa –> Rice: This recipe calls for quinoa, but you can change it up and serve these protein bowls with white rice, brown rice or even cauliflower rice.
Brats –> Any meat protein: This is a great way to use up leftover brats, but it’s also delicious with any other meat protein, such as: shredded chicken, pulled pork, or shrimp.
try it!
Wisconsin Beer Brats
Grill up a batch of our Wisconsin beer brats and use the leftovers in this protein bowl. It’s a win-win!
Storage
Store any leftovers in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Keep the hummus separate until serving to maintain freshness.
MEAL PREP
These protein bowls are perfect for meal prep. Simply prepare the recipe as written and store the hummus separately from the rest of the bowl. Add the hummus, additional fresh blueberries and a squeeze of fresh lemon when serving.
Hodgepodge Protein Bowl Recipe
Ingredients
Bowl Ingredients
- 1 cup dry white quinoa
- 6 wild rice brats or chicken sausage
- ½ cup creamy plain hummus, we used Babas hummus
Kale Salad
- 8 cups chopped kale, deboned and chopped
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ red onion, minced
- 10 oz frozen corn, thawed
- 2 cups fresh blueberries
- 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
Dressing
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- ½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Begin by preparing the quinoa. Add the quinoa and 2 cups of water to a saucepan, and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Turn the heat to low and cover. Allow the quinoa to absorb all the water, for about 10-15 minutes. Remove from the heat and fluff with a fork. Set aside.
- Add the kale to a large bowl. Add the olive oil and salt. Use your hands to massage the oil and salt into the kale for 1-2 minutes. This will soften the kale and reduce it by about half.
- Once massaged, add the onion, corn, blueberries, and feta cheese. Mix to combine and set aside.
- Prepare the dressing by adding all ingredients to a bowl, and whisking to combine. Pour half the dressing over the salad and toss. Taste test the salad and add more dressing to taste. Transfer to the refrigerator for later.
- Prepare the wild rice brats by heating a grill pan over medium/high heat.* Place the brats on the grill pan and cook until grill marks form and the internal temperature of the brats reaches at least 160ºF.
- Remove from the stovetop and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Once cooled, slice the brat into rounds.
- Assemble the protein bowls by evenly distributing the salad, quinoa, and brats between 4-6 bowls. Top each bowl with 1-2 tablespoons of hummus.
Tips & Notes
- The brats can also be prepared on the grill or boiled in water or beer before searing.
- If you are preparing this as a meal prep meal for the week, wait to add the dressing to the salad until right before serving.
- Feel free to substitute blueberries for raspberries or sliced strawberries.
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Don’t forget to tag your posts on social media with the hashtag #fitfoodiefinds, we’d love to see what you’re up to!
Wow, wow, wow! This bowl is incredibly delicious and not to mention super easy to make. My family an absolutely loved it, we had no leftovers! This recipe checks all the boxes for me. If I lived in the Midwest I would be frequenting your food truck! Thanks for the great recipe!
Aw, we’re blushing! Stay tuned for a few more of our Hodgepodge recipes to go live on the site this summer 😀