Simple Grain Bowl (Print version)

Customizable nourishing bowl with grains, protein, and fresh toppings

# What you'll need:

→ Base

01 - 1 cup uncooked brown rice, or 1 cup uncooked quinoa, or 1 cup uncooked farro

→ Proteins

02 - 2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed, or 2 cups grilled chicken breast diced, or 2 cups firm tofu cubed and pan-seared, or 2 cups cooked shrimp

→ Toppings

03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
04 - 1 cup cucumber diced
05 - 1 cup shredded carrots
06 - 1 avocado sliced
07 - 1/4 cup red onion thinly sliced
08 - 1/4 cup feta cheese crumbled optional
09 - 1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
10 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs such as parsley cilantro or basil

→ Dressing

11 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
12 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
13 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
14 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
15 - 1 clove garlic minced
16 - Salt and pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - Cook your selected grain according to package directions. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool slightly before assembly.
02 - Prepare your chosen protein as needed: grill chicken breast until cooked through, pan-sear tofu cubes until golden, or cook shrimp until pink and cooked through. Alternatively, use pre-cooked chickpeas or canned options.
03 - Combine olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk until emulsified and well combined.
04 - Divide the cooked grain equally among four serving bowls. Top each bowl with your chosen protein, then arrange cherry tomatoes, cucumber, shredded carrots, avocado slices, red onion, pumpkin seeds, and fresh herbs. Add feta cheese if desired.
05 - Drizzle the vinaigrette over each bowl immediately before serving to maintain the freshness of the greens and vegetables.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's endlessly customizable, so picky eaters and adventurous cooks can both be happy at the same table.
  • You can prep components ahead and assemble in minutes, which means weeknight dinners don't feel like a production.
  • It tastes even better the next day when flavors settle together, making it genuinely better for meal prep than most recipes claim to be.
02 -
  • Tofu will only get crispy if your pan is genuinely hot and you resist the urge to move it around—I learned this the hard way through several batches of pale, steamed cubes.
  • The dressing is where most of the flavor lives, so don't underseasoned it out of politeness, and always taste as you adjust salt and pepper.
03 -
  • Store grain and vegetables separately from dressing until serving time, which keeps everything fresh and prevents sogginess that ruins the eating experience.
  • Toasted pumpkin seeds stay crunchier if you add them right before eating rather than mixing them in early, so consider keeping them separate if you're meal prepping.
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