Caramelized Sweet Potato and Kale Fried Wild Rice

Caramelized Sweet Potato and Kale Fried Wild Rice is a flavor-packed gluten-free side dish that is anything but forgettable!

Thanks to Real Simple’s new issue that’s all about organizing I’ve been on an all-out organizing bender for the past week and a half…and I haven’t even cracked open the magazine. I know, totally ridiculous seeing as how I stalked six different stores over a two week time span to find it, only to turn around and relegate it to the bottom of my “to do/sort/organize” basket.

Oh the irony!

Although I haven’t made it past the cover quite yet, the mag planted a little seed in my mind and I’ve been on a mission to slowly but surely organize every despicable space in my house since picking it up.

Downstairs coat closet: from barely being able to shut the door to meticulously sorted and organized. Baby jackets and bags go on the hooks on the back of the door, adult coats get hung up. There was some initial confusion with the hooks and adult coats but I think we’re all good now.

Laundry/mud room: from entering with squinted eyes so I wouldn’t have to focus on the disaster it’d become to stealing glances inside to admire how big and roomy it now looks thanks to shoe bins and sorted shelves.

Freezer: from cracking open the door so heaps of half-eaten bags of sweet corn wouldn’t fall to my feet to letting a cold breeze rush through the kitchen as it swings wide open putting our tater tot collection on full display (and it is a collection – extra crispy, regular, seasoned, sweet potato, etc., etc., etc., #cantstopwontstop)

Up next? My office. Piles, people. Just, piles. That’s all you need to know. Oh and a pack & play and a mattress. Like I said, despicable.

Anyway, one tiny sliver of the house that actually doesn’t need organizing is my pantry’s rice/grain drawer (told you I’m obsessed with rice!) Ben and I eat it so often that I’m pretty much forced to keep this space in tip top shape. Once a bag is opened it’s immediately transferred to a mason jar with the label cut from the bag then stuck inside so I know what it is and how long to cook it.

I usually prefer brown while Ben likes white, but we both love wild rice blends and make a pot all the time as an easy yet hearty side with dinner. Recently though I wanted to switch things up and give our simple side dish staple some zing. Enter Caramelized Sweet Potato and Kale Fried Wild Rice!

Fried rice meets sizzling salad meets HELLO delicious in this yummy, one-skillet stir fried side dish that’s full of tongue-tingling flavor.

Here’s the scoop: wild rice cooked in chicken broth is stir fried with caramelized sweet potatoes and crumbled cooked kale in a zippy Maple-Dijon Vinaigrette then sprinkled with roasted salted pepitas. It’s wild. Your eyes see stir fry, but your tongue tastes warm rice salad with pops of dijon, maple, and sweet potato. So, so awesome – and definitely not too sweet.

As I was writing this recipe I realized it’s a mash up of a bunch of my favorite dishes here on IGE: Warm Kale Salad with Bacon, Dates, Almonds Crispy Shallots, and Parmesan (<–OMG!!!) Kale and Wild Rice Bowls, Kale Fried Rice (<–bi-weekly staple,) Maple Sweet Potato Hash, and Honey-Dijon Roasted Potatoes. 

I guess I know what I like?!

Seriously though, if you’re stuck in a side dish rut, make this fried wild rice with a side of sauteed chicken or even pork tenderloin (which will undoubtedly take a back seat to this succulent stir fry!)

Start by cooking 3/4 cups wild rice blend in chicken broth instead of water according to package directions. You can absolutely make this a day or two ahead of time to save some…time!

Meanwhile remove 1/2 bunch curly kale from the stems then chop to get 4 packed cups chopped kale. This is a great intro dish to kale for newbies as it’s very tender in the end.

Tip: to easily strip the kale from the stems, grip the leaves at the thickest end of the stem then pull the stem out with the other hand (kind of like stripping fresh thyme leaves from the stem.) Saves SO much time!

Fill a wok or large skillet with water then bring to a boil. Add kale and a heavy dash of salt then boil until tender, 4-5 minutes. Drain then, when the kale is cool enough to handle, squeeze the excess moisture out and crumble – just like you would do to a package of frozen spinach.

Next, chop 1 medium-sized sweet potato into 1/2″ cubes to get 1-1/2 cups sweet potatoes. First peel the potato then cut it in half. Next, slice each half into 1/2″ planks.

Lay the planks on their side then cut into 1/2″ slices, and then chop. Voila, sweet potato cubes!

Add the sweet potatoes to 1 Tablespoon butter, 2 teaspoons brown sugar, and a dash of salt in the wok over medium-high heat then stir fry until tender and caramelized, 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix up the Maple-Dijon Vinaigrette. That’s just 2 Tablespoons each extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, 1 Tablespoon maple syrup, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 2 minced garlic cloves, salt, and pepper. Add the ingredients to a jar with a tight fitting lid then shake, shake, shake!

Add the cooked rice and kale to the caramelized sweet potatoes then drizzle in the vinaigrette and toss until sizzling.

Whee!

Scoop onto plates then sprinkle with roasted and salted pepitas (pumpkin seeds, yo.) You can usually find these right in the bulk bins and they add a wonderful crunch!

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Caramelized Sweet Potato and Kale Fried Wild Rice is unexpected, filling, and seriously delish. Although there’s both maple syrup and brown sugar in the recipe I don’t think it’s too sweet as the wild rice simmered in chicken broth and kale offset the sweetness. Hope you enjoy!