Building healthy and delicious bowls
In recent months, my partner and I have decided to have veggie days and veggie weeks – weeks that we eliminate meat from out diets – to feel healthier, to make preparing for meals simpler, and to explore different kinds of cuisine. As a regular browser of Pinterest and food blogs, I reached the realization that many bowls are not only loaded with nutrients, but are also equally delicious. Bowls can be made with solely vegetarian or vegan ingredients, and are equally satisfying when adding lean meats to the mix.
This week, I am going to share two different ideas with you that are both satisfying and healthy.
First, there is our go-to lunch bowl. It’s quick, simple, and healthy as can be. Let’s call this a superfood bowl. It consists of one-half cup cooked brown rice, one small sweet potato, sliced, and two cups of kale lightly sautéed with garlic and a drizzle of olive oil. I make a dressing for this bowl out of two tablespoons of olive oil, the juice of one-half a lemon, one clove of garlic, one teaspoon of golden flax seeds, and a little salt and pepper.
The second bowl I’d like to share with you is one that a couple of friends and I made last week for lunch – let’s call it the chicken avocado bowl. The base was a long-grain rice, that had a deep purple hue, which we topped with baked chicken breast, sautéed kale, fresh grape tomatoes, chopped red onion, and cubes of fresh avocado. I made a similar dressing for this bowl, just without the flax seeds. The result was incredible; the mixture of hot and cold ingredients was pleasantly pleasing to our palates. To accompany our meals, we served herbal teas and water.
Both of these bowls are filled with ingredients I would normally use to make meals, but combining them together is a welcomed development to my weekly meal preparation and planning. I highly recommend trying out different flavour combinations as well as a mixture between hot and cold foods. It’s a lunch decision you won’t soon regret!
Shopping list: “Superfood Bowl”
-Brown rice
-Sweet potato
-Kale
-Garlic
-Lemon
-Flax seeds
-Olive oil
Shopping list: “Chicken Avocado Bowl”
-Wild rice
-Kale
-Chicken breast
-Grape Tomatoes
-Avocado
-Red onion
-Garlic
-Lemon
-Olive oil