Simple Grain Bowl (Printable)

Customizable nourishing bowl with your choice of grains, protein, and fresh toppings. Ideal for meal prep and quick healthy meals.

# 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 or 1 can, drained and rinsed
05 - or 2 cups cooked 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, optional
14 - 1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, cilantro, or basil

→ 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 black pepper to taste

# How To Make:

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 component: grill chicken breast until cooked through, pan-sear tofu until golden, cook shrimp until pink, or use pre-cooked canned chickpeas.
03 - Combine olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and minced garlic in a mixing bowl. Whisk thoroughly until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
04 - Divide cooked grain evenly among serving bowls. Distribute protein, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, avocado, red onion, feta cheese if desired, and pumpkin seeds over grain.
05 - Garnish with fresh herbs and drizzle vinaigrette over each bowl immediately before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You control every single element, so it bends to whatever you're craving that day without apology.
  • It comes together faster than you'd think, making weeknight dinners feel less like a chore and more like a small act of self-care.
  • Leftovers actually improve overnight as the dressing settles into the grains, turning this into your new meal-prep best friend.
02 -
  • If you're making this ahead, keep the dressing separate and store it in a jar; lettuce and avocado go in right before eating, but everything else actually tastes better the next day once flavors have mingled.
  • The temperature of your grain matters more than you'd think—if it's too hot, your avocado and delicate vegetables wilt, but if it's too cold, the whole bowl feels sad and needs that gentle warmth to sing.
03 -
  • Make a double batch of dressing and keep it in the fridge for three days—it's the foundation of several quick meals and saves you from that mid-week cooking standstill.
  • Add a fried or poached egg on top if you need more protein or just want to gild the lily; the warm yolk running through the cool vegetables is underrated pleasure.
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