I like a grain bowl for lunch with all of the scrumptious dips and sauces on prime! This Mediterranean grain bowl recipe is a copycat of my favorites from Cava and Mezeh loved at house.
Grain Bowls For Lunch!
My very favourite lunch spots are Mediterranean fast service eating places that function salads and grain bowls and a choose-your-own journey toppings bar full of dips. Cava and Mezeh are two of the most effective. Man oh man I like for the Turkish yogurt dip and roasted eggplant at Mezeh, and the dressings at Cava are so delish! This Mediterranean grain bowl recipe is impressed by these bowls.
Mediterranean Grain Bowl Recipe
The grain bowl recipe is ideal as a prep day meal. I used a quinoa buckwheat mix that I made in my rice cooker the night time earlier than. When it was lunch time I merely warmed the grains, added greens and toppings, and topped it with dips and dressing. Just like the Panera Mediterranean bowl, this recipe requires a lemon tahini dressing. You can also make that prematurely too!
Along with being straightforward to assemble, you possibly can combine and match toppings primarily based on what you may have available. Use something you may have in your pantry – from kalamata olives in a jar to canned artichoke hearts or hearts of palm to roasted pink peppers. For toppings go together with one thing pink, a bell pepper or tomatoes when in season, and one thing inexperienced, comparable to cucumber, avocado, and recent parsley.
Grain Bowl Diet
I like a 50/50 ratio of grains to greens. You get the recent wholesome salad vitamin with the warming lasting vitality from the grain aspect. Good for cold days when an ice chilly salad is out of the query. The toppings usher in antioxidants, wholesome fat, and taste. Wholesome fat come from avocado and olives (if utilizing), carbs and protein from quinoa, and protein from feta, hummus, and yogurt-based tzatziki dip. Antioxidants abound from herbs, greens, and veggies.
How To Make Your Mediterranean Grain Bowl
Grain Bowl Substances
- Quinoa – I used a mix of pink and white quinoa with buckwheat blended in
- Cucumber – peel and slice
- Arugula
- Pink bell pepper – chopped or sliced
- Canned artichokes, drained
- Avocado – sliced
- Crumbled feta cheese
- Hummus
- Tzatziki dip
- Contemporary parsley, chopped
- Salt and pepper
Lemon Tahini Dressing Substances
- Tahini – I like Entire Meals model as a result of it’s on the thinner aspect
- Lemon – a giant juicy one or two small ones
- Heat water, to skinny the dressing out
- Garlic – use garlic powder in the event you don’t need dragon breath!
- Salt and pepper
Directions
Make dressing
I prefer to grate my garlic on a zester so there are not any chunks. A garlic press is nice too, or you possibly can mince (very nicely). In a bowl, juice the lemon and take away seeds. Then whisk in tahini, water, and garlic. Go scant on the nice and cozy water and slowly add a bit of extra till you attain “drizzle” texture. Season with salt and pepper to style.
Heat grains and add greens
For those who haven’t made your grains but, begin with that and prepare dinner per package deal instructions. You probably have, heat the grains and fill the opposite have of your serving bowl with greens.
Assemble the bowls
Add pink peppers, cucumbers, artichokes, and avocado.
Add dips and cheese
Go heavy on the tzatziki. Belief me! A bit of smoked paprika on the hummus is sweet too.
Drizzle dressing and sprinkle on parsley
Season with salt and pepper!
Combine all of it up!!
nobody truly eats the bowl organized so superbly. Combine all of it up and get a bit of of all the pieces in each chunk!
Mediterranean Grain Bowl Suggestions
Swap your grains
Be at liberty to make use of farro or brown rice as a substitute of quinoa. Couscous is nice too! You possibly can even flip this right into a pasta salad.
Add protein
I discover grain bowls fairly filling with out added protein on prime (as a result of I add so many toppings!) however if you’d like, grilled rooster, salmon, or sardines would all be good pairings! Lentils and chickpeas would go nicely too.
Prep forward and retailer within the fridge
Hold the dressing in a jar with a good lid and use on salads all week. You may need so as to add a bit of extra heat water to make it pourable once more.
2-4x the recipe
Make further quinoa to double or triple the recipe. You’ll have loads of dressing and dips.
Function a toppings bar
You probably have choosy eaters (ahem, kids), put the components in serving bowls and let every diner assemble their very own bowl!
Purchase pre-made hummus + tzatziki
Take a brief reduce and purchase your hummus and tzatziki already ready. I liked the 2 under that I discovered at Entire Meals.
Mediterranean Grain Bowl Recipe
This Mediterranean Grain Bowl is nice as a warming lunch that you may prep prematurely and assemble on the spot.
Substances
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1 cup arugula
- 1/4 cup sliced cucumber
- 1/4 cup chopped pink bell pepper
- 1/3 cup canned artichokes
- 1/4 avocado sliced
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta
- 2 tbsp hummus
- 2 tbsp tzatziki
- 2 tbsp chopped recent parsley
Lemon Tahini Dressing:
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup heat water to skinny out
- 1 clove of garlic grated or minced
- Salt + pepper
Directions
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Make dressing. In a bowl juice lemon and whisk in tahini, water, and garlic. Go scant on the nice and cozy water and slowly add a bit of extra till you attain “drizzle” texture. Season with salt and pepper to style.
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Make quinoa in response to package deal (or heat in the event you ready prematurely.)
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Assemble bowls with half quinoa, half greens.
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Add pink peppers, cucumbers, artichokes, and avocado.
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High with hummus, tzatziki and feta.
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Drizzle on dressing.
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Sprinkle with recent parsley.
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