Oftentimes we forego lunch preparation in the morning thinking there’s little time to throw together a tasty and nutritious meal. The alternative can wind-up being an expensive salad or sandwich, or we grab the quickest thing that is easy to carry. In this case, we are usually left feeling unsatisfied and energy depleted soon after eating. It is certainly a frustrating lunch conundrum but luckily there are grain bowls!
Grain bowls are quickly becoming an excellent way to have a healthy, nutritious and satisfying lunch that’s quick and easy to throw together before leaving the house. All it takes is a little thought and preparation the night before.
Preparing the Grain Bowl
Required Items:
- A bowl
- A grain
- Some vegetables
- Some protein
- Some sauce or dressing
If you had a grain, protein and vegetable for dinner, a grain bowl is super easy to put together and eat for lunch the next day. Simply throw everything you ate for dinner into a bowl starting with the grain and topping with the vegetables and protein. Finish it with a delicious sauce or dressing. All you will need to do is grab the bowl in the morning, heat in a microwave when it’s time to eat and voila! You have a tasty, healthy lunch to keep you going through the day.
If you don’t have the leftovers, boil up a grain after dinner so it’s ready to go in the morning. And maybe fry or boil an egg at the same time. Alternatively, you can boil some eggs in the morning, have one for breakfast and save the other for lunch. Before you leave, grab a few handfuls of a leafy green vegetables and/or half an avocado to your bowl of grains and you’re on your way, headed to a day filled with some great nutrition. Don’t forget to grab some salad dressing or hot sauce for an extra kick.
Other Examples:
Rice bowl with fried egg and avocado from bon appetit
Kale, Mushroom and Roasted Chickpea Rice Bowl from Marie at Not Enough Cinnamon
Though these two bowls use brown rice but any grain can be substituted. There are a wide variety of grains to choose from. Quinoa, farro, and amaranth are just a few. There’s also barley, wheat berries and cous cous. The combinations are endless for a delicious and nutritious meal to bring to work.
For more grain bowl recipes, check out The Meals to Heal Cookbook: 150 easy, nutritionally balanced recipes to nourish you during your fight with cancer. Or for more information on why grains are great to eat, check out a recent post by Corinne Easterling.