Eating fresh meals should NOT be boring (nor does it need to be complicated)! Life is busy & cooking from scratch can be overwhelming, so here’s a simple concept that you can RUN with. Have fun & get creative. I’ll often set it all up & then let each member of the famjam choose their ingredients!
Healthy BOWLS concept = take 1 items from each category to keep your meals simple & fresh!
- Whole grain – brown rice, wild rice, quinoa, barley, whole grain pasta…(optional for those restricting grains)
- Veggies – (choose as many as you’d like) sprouts, grated or matchstick carrots (you can often buy these ready to go in the produce section), grated beet, grape tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, chopped romaine, slaw mix (again – ready made option is great!), spinach or kale, jicima, celery, radish, onions (of all varieties), cooked squash, corn or peas (frozen and thawed is fab)… If you’re feeling inclined or want a WARM bowl, try roasting a few veggies (my fave is a mix of yams, celery, onions, and carrots). To roast, simply chop all the veggies (peel the carrots and yams), drizzle with oil, sprinkle with S&P and any other seasonings you like (I love Mrs. Dash for this!) and bake at 425F until everything is golden and you can pierce the yam/carrot with a fork – about 15-30-min (depending on the size of your veggies).
- Protein – Stir fried tofu (pictured), cooked salmon, tuna, chicken, lean ground beef or turkey, beans, lentils…feel free to use canned or ready to go prepped options to minimize time in prep!
- Dressing – Glory Bowl Dressing, Sriracha Maple Dressing, Balsamic Vinaigrette, Delicious Dilly Dressing, Peanut Miso, Chili Lime Dressing…don’t want to make it? Use a store bought dressing (there are SO many options in most grocery stores – check out the deli area AND in the dressing AND often culturally themed food aisles for options).
- (Optional) Seed or nut – Almonds, hemp hearts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, cashews, pecans, walnuts…
- (Optional) Fresh herbs – I love adding some mint or basil for a dash of flavour and visual flair!
- (Optional) Pickles – I love ALL the pickles capers, dills, kimchi, pickled ginger, sauerkraut…you get the idea!
I love the versatility of bowls! Have fun and don’t be shy to try new things!