Unstoppa-Bowl: How to Make a Healthy Bowl
You may have heard the term “Buddha Bowl” and wonder what exactly this is. Bowls are an easy and healthy way to make a balanced meal; they’re also great for meal prep. In today’s post, I’ll share my simple template for making your own healthy bowls.
Wild rice, beans, roasted broccoli and sweet potato, tahini sauce, and sour cream
Health benefits of bowls
Making a bowl is a great way to make a balanced meal. Ideally, your bowls should contain a mix of the following:
High-fiber carbohydrates
A source of protein
Lots of vegetables
Healthy fats
Including all of the above will ensure that your bowl is filling and delicious. If you forget a protein source or don’t include enough fiber, you may find that you get hungry soon after eating, so balancing these ingredients is key. Ideally, half of your bowl should come from vegetables, while the other half is split between protein, high-fiber carbohydrate, and healthy fats.
Fried eggs, wild rice, chopped tomato, sauteed spinach, and avocado
Ingredients for bowls
Okay, so what ingredients can you use in your bowls? Here are just a few of my favorites, but really, the possibilities are endless!
High-fiber carbohydrates
I’ve talked a lot about healthy carbs in past blog posts. Healthy carbs tend to be less processed and contain more fiber than their more processed counterparts. Some of my favorite high-fiber carbs include:
Quinoa
Brown or wild rice
Barley
Roasted sweet potato (leave the skin on for more fiber)
Roasted delicata, acorn, or butternut squash
Beans or lentils (also a source of protein)
You don’t have to include carbs in every meal, but you may find that you feel more satisfied if you include a small amount in your bowl.
Protein
Protein in your bowl doesn’t have to be meat. Bowls can easily be made vegetarian or vegan. Some options for protein in your bowl include:
Beans or lentils (also a source of carbohydrate)
Chicken or turkey
Beef or pork
Fish, like salmon or tuna
Eggs
Tofu, tempeh, or other meat alternatives
Nuts or seeds
Cheese or plain Greek yogurt
Vegetables
An abundance of options are available when it comes to adding veggies to your bowl. Veggies can be raw or cooked; adding a mix of the two provides great texture. Some of my favorite veggies for bowls include:
Raw or sauteed leafy greens, like spinach or kale
Roasted broccoli, cauliflower, onion, mushrooms, bell pepper, or Brussels sprouts (just to name a few)
Raw chopped tomato or green onion
Raw shredded carrots or cabbage
I’ll often use a mix of fresh and frozen vegetables, so choose whatever works best and is easiest for you. Canned veggies are another time-saving option as well, just look out for high sodium variants!
Healthy fat
And last but not least, be sure to add a source of healthy fat to your bowl. Some of the above foods listed, like eggs, chicken thighs, and cheese, already include fat, so you don’t necessarily need to add more unless you want to. Try to choose mostly plant-based fats, but that doesn’t mean animal-based fats are off-limits. Some other options include:
Avocado
Olives
Olive oil
Sauce of some kind, such as tali sauce, tahini sauce, or copycat "yum" sauce
Sour cream
Baked salmon, wild rice, and roasted sweet potato and Brussels sprouts
Meal prep
Now that you know what ingredients you can add to bowls, it’s time to make your life easier with some meal prep! Some of the ways I like to meal prep bowls are:
Cook a big batch of chicken, quinoa, rice, or dried beans in your Instant Pot. You can even cook extra and freeze some for another time you’d like to serve bowls for the week!
Roast up a large pan of sweet potatoes, squash, or mixed veggies.
Grill or bake lots of chicken or turkey.
Have several cans of beans or lentils on hand.
Keep bags of your favorite frozen veggies in the freezer so you don’t have to chop or cook fresh veggies. Steaming frozen veggies in the microwave is easy, or you can even roast frozen veggies!
Portion out your carb, protein, veggies, and fat into single-serve containers so they are ready to go for lunch or dinner during the week.
Chicken thighs, millet and brown rice ramen noodles, broccoli, carrots, green beans, and peanut sauce
As you can see, there are so many ways to customize your bowl to your liking. Many of the ingredients can be prepared in advance to make weeknight dinners easier. I’d love to hear about your favorite bowl additions in the comments below!
