Simple Grain Bowl (Printable Version)

Customizable nourishing bowl with grains, protein, and vibrant toppings for easy meal prep.

# What You'll 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 - 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
13 - 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
14 - 1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs

→ Dressing

16 - 3 tablespoons 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 pepper to taste

# Steps:

01 - Cook your chosen grain according to package instructions. Set aside to cool slightly.
02 - Prepare your chosen protein as needed by grilling, pan-searing, or use pre-cooked options.
03 - Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.
04 - Arrange cooked grain in bowls. Top with protein, vegetables, avocado, red onion, feta cheese, pumpkin seeds, and fresh herbs.
05 - Drizzle vinaigrette over bowls immediately before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely a different meal every time depending on what protein or grain you choose, so you'll never get bored.
  • Everything can be prepped on Sunday and assembled in minutes during the week, which means actual healthy eating that doesn't feel like a chore.
  • You can feed a vegetarian, someone avoiding gluten, and a pescatarian from the exact same ingredients without cooking separately.
02 -
  • Don't dress the bowl more than a few minutes before eating unless you want a soggy, sad grain situation—I learned this the hard way by meal-prepping and discovering lunch tasted like wet cardboard.
  • The dressing is what makes this feel like an intentional meal instead of just vegetables piled on grain, so don't skimp on it or apologize for it being mostly oil.
  • If you're prepping ahead for the week, keep the dressing separate, store components in different containers, and assemble when you're actually ready to eat.
03 -
  • Toast your pumpkin seeds in a dry pan for two minutes before adding them—they're honestly boring raw, but toasted they're the reason someone asks for seconds.
  • If you're cooking for people with different dietary needs, prep the components separately and let them build their own bowl; everyone leaves happy and you don't have to cook four different meals.
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