Simple Grain Bowl (Printable Version)

A nourishing bowl featuring your choice of grain, protein, and fresh toppings. Perfect for meal prep.

# What You Need:

→ Base

01 - 1 cup uncooked brown rice
02 - or 1 cup uncooked quinoa
03 - or 1 cup uncooked farro

→ Proteins

04 - 2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
05 - or 2 cups grilled chicken breast, diced
06 - or 2 cups firm tofu, cubed and pan-seared
07 - or 2 cups cooked shrimp

→ Toppings

08 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
09 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
10 - 1 cup shredded carrots
11 - 1 avocado, sliced
12 - ¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced
13 - ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese, optional
14 - ¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds
15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, cilantro, or basil

→ Dressing

16 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
17 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
18 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
19 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
20 - 1 clove garlic, minced
21 - Salt and black pepper to taste

# How To Make:

01 - Cook your selected grain following package directions. Allow to cool slightly before assembly.
02 - Cook your chosen protein as needed. Grill chicken breast until cooked through, pan-sear tofu until golden, or use pre-cooked chickpeas and shrimp.
03 - Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
04 - Distribute cooked grain evenly among bowls. Layer with chosen protein, tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, avocado, red onion, feta cheese if desired, pumpkin seeds, and fresh herbs.
05 - Drizzle vinaigrette over each bowl immediately before serving to preserve texture and flavor.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 45 minutes, which means you can have lunch ready before you finish your coffee.
  • Every ingredient is optional or swappable, so you're never locked into one flavor profile or dietary restriction.
  • One batch becomes four meals, turning Sunday prep into Thursday gratitude.
02 -
  • Don't dress the bowl until you're ready to eat it, or your beautiful fresh vegetables will turn into a soggy sadness within an hour.
  • The grain should be completely cooled before dressing, or the heat will break down your vegetables and make everything collapse into mush.
  • Toast your own pumpkin seeds if possible—five minutes in a dry pan and your whole bowl tastes better, and you'll understand why.
03 -
  • If your grain feels dry when you reheat it, add a splash of water and let it steam for a minute—it'll come back to life instead of tasting like cardboard.
  • Taste your dressing on a piece of grain before pouring it on the whole bowl; dressing that's perfect on a bite of avocado might be too much overall.
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