Bowls are my go-to food when I eat lunch in a restaurant. Yet, I rarely make them at home. They’ve always seemed like too much trouble: Each part — grain, veggies, dressing — takes time to prepare, time I’m not willing to spend mid-day. But a meal I had last week changed my attitude.
I went out to lunch with a friend, and ordered a bowl with farro, roasted tofu, sautéed spinach, vinaigrette dressing on the side. After eating a third of it, I was so full I had the waiter pack it to-go. I ate it for lunch the next day. And the day after that. Here’s what got me thinking more deeply about bowls: Every day I ate that bowl for lunch I realized I wasn’t starving by 3 or 4 pm, craving a snack. My typical lunch, which does leave me starving by mid-afternoon, is a veggie burger on a piece of whole wheat bread with hummus, tomatoes and arugula.
What I didn’t know at the time, but do now, was that I had the farro to thank. The ancient grain, a complex carbohydrate, has twice as much protein and fiber as wheat. It’s perfect carbohydrate-protein balance provides energy and, as I experienced, fills you up. The crispy roasted tofu added texture and an extra oomph of protein.
I’m sold on bowls.
The Many Benefits of Grain Bowls
- An easy way to pack nutrient-rich foods into a single meal.
- Combines satisfying textures; unlike a smoothie you can crunch and chew!
- Layers multiple flavors in the same bite: sweet, savory, tangy, umami — the bowl is your canvass.
- Picky eaters at your table? Satisfy everyone’s taste by creating dressings with their preferred flavor profile — peanut sauce, tahini, or citrus.
- They fill you up.
Quick Hacks for Effortless Bowl-Making
- Cook large batches of grains to keep in your fridge and/or freezer. Yes! You can freeze cooked whole grains!
- Prep a variety of your favorite veggies to keep in the fridge.
- Roast veggies and tofu on the same pan, enough for multiple meals.
- Make large batches of your favorite sauce/dressings (most keep in the fridge for weeks, some, like peanut sauce, for months).
How to Make a Filling Bowl at Home
- Base (grains like farro, barley, couscous, brown rice, bulgur and millet; greens work, too, but won’t fill you up as much, or provide that perfect carb-protein balance)
- Protein (beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh, grains, nuts, etc.)
- Veggies (raw, roasted, sautéed)
- Fat (avocado, tahini, nuts, olive oil, etc.)
- Flavor boost (your favorite dressing)
Must-Try Bowl Recipes
Crispy Sesame Tofu Bowl with Peanut Sauce: Elevate the humble sesame seed from garnish to main event with this baked crispy tofu recipe. Packed with protein, fiber, and calcium, the seeds add crunch add color to the dish. Rest the crispy tofu on a bed of lettuce (the tofu is heavy and nutritious enough not to require a grain), smother it in peanut sauce (make a double or triple batch; it lasts forever, and you’ll use it), and listen to your taste buds sing. The first time I made this, my (picky) husband said, “Please make this again.”
Roasted Veggie Grain Bowl: Consider this a template. It calls for roasted sweet potatoes, but any combination of root veggies will do. Cube a block of tofu, toss it in a tablespoon of olive oil, and add to the roasting pan with the veggies. Use any grain. Stick to the recipe for the lemon-tahini-garlic sauce — it hits all the right notes, and brightens anything it covers.
Beet Bliss Bowl: Beets tend to be an opinionated food. If you love them, this is the bowl for you. Red wine vinegar mixed with orange juice makes for a sweet-tangy, lick-your-lips dressing.
Farro Veggie Bowl: You’d be hard-pressed to find a bowl more delicious and packed with healthy ingredients than this one. Sweet potatoes (use white potatoes if you like, or any root veggie), bell peppers, and chickpeas are sprinkled with smoked paprika and garlic powder, then roasted. The secret is in the sauce: a creamy amalgam of avocado, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and maple syrup. (Triple the sauce recipe; it won’t go to waste!)
Korean Bowl with Barley: This bowl earns an A+ for creativity. If you love the flavors of Korean bibimbap — gochujang and kimchi — this is the bowl for you. Sautéed veggies resting on a bed of fiber-rich and protein-licious barley makes the dish equally appropriate for lunch or dinner.
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