If you follow me on any form of social media, you know I eat a grain bowl daily. It’s my go-to easy and fast meal idea for lunch or dinner. Today, I’m going to give you the basics so you can build the perfect bowl in under 5 minutes flat!

First, I meal prep on the weekends to make weekly lunches or dinners super fast. My basics that I cover each weekend:
Make a batch or two of my chosen grain. This week I did a black, forbidden rice.
I roast or bake 3 large potatoes or various roasted veggies.
Prep my chosen protein – this week I made tofu (recipe can be found here).

So I won’t give you exact measurements as I create bowls custom per person. But here’s how I get started…

Use a larger, wider mouth bowl or plate per person.
Create a base of mixed greens, Romaine, spinach, kale or whatever greens you love. The more the better!
Then visually divide your bowl or plate into 1/4ths.
Fill 1/4th your plate with your protein of choice.
1/4th of your grain of choice.
If I use potatoes, I fill the third 1/4th with them. If I do a mix of roasted veggies, I fill the remaining 1/2th with them.
Top the plate with 2-3 tbl of nuts or seeds.
Dressing: drizzle with balsamic, hot sauce, hummus, lemon juice or the dressing of choice.

The more I make bowls, the more I customize it per person’s preferences. If I have a day of lower protein, I’ll add more into my bowl. I always overload my greens and veggies regardless. More color the better!

Additional raw veggies to add:
Red cabbage thinly sliced
Pickled jalapeños or onions
Carrots
Cucumbers
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Red onion
Peas
Watermelon radishes
Snap peas
Olives
Peppers
Sprouts
Beans or lentils

The variety you add increases your gut health meaning the more varied plants you eat, the more diversified your gut bacteria. This yields a happier and healthier microbiome. Have fun with it. I hope this helps you build your perfect bowl!



~ ox

— Knead to Cook