Greens and Ancient Grains Salad Bowl
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You will love the variety of flavors in this Greens and Ancient Grain Bowl. This recipe features nutrient-rich kale, crisp cucumber, and a zesty green cashew dressing served over your favorite ancient grain, such as quinoa or farro, and topped with your protein of choice, like Easy Baked Tofu, beans, or baked tempeh. This recipe is vegan, gluten-free, and totally delicious.
What is an Ancient Grain Bowl?
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An ancient grain bowl is a versatile dish that combines ancient grains like quinoa, kamut, or farro with fresh veggies, a protein source, and a flavorful dressing. Itās a nutrient-packed, customizable meal perfect for any diet.
Why Youāll Love This Recipe
This Greens and Ancient Grain Bowl is a wholesome, customizable dish thatās packed with vibrant flavors, nourishing ingredients, and endless possibilities to suit your taste and lifestyle.
- Dietitian-Approved Balance: Packed with ancient grains, fresh greens, and plant-forward ingredients, this bowl delivers the perfect mix of fiber, protein, and flavor for a satisfying, nutrient-rich meal.
- Flexitarian Versatility: Whether you add poached eggs, roasted chickpeas, grilled shrimp or salmon, this recipe adapts seamlessly to your dietary preferences.
- Batch Cooking Made Easy: Prep grains like farro, kamut, or quinoa in advance for quick and delicious meals throughout the week.
Ingredients For This Ancient Grains Bowl Recipe
The ingredients for this Greens and Ancient Grain Bowl are a perfect blend of fresh greens, hearty grains, crunchy veggies, and a zesty dressing, making it a balanced and flavorful meal thatās easy to customize.
- Leafy Greens: A nutrient-packed base with arugula and baby spinach. Swap in kale, Swiss chard, or other greens for variety.
- Grains: Cooked quinoa and rice, or experiment with farro, sorghum, or kamut for added texture and nutrition.
- Fresh Veggies: Crisp cucumber, radish, and green pepper add crunch and vibrant color. Swap in seasonal produce for variety.
- Herbs and Green Onion: Fresh parsley, cilantro, and green onion bring brightness and a boost of antioxidants.
- Cilantro Cashew Dressing: A creamy, zesty dressing rich in healthy fatsāperfect for this bowl or as a dip or marinade.
- Easy Baked Tofu: A plant-based protein source with all nine essential amino acids.
How to Make This Dietitian-Approved Bowl
- Cook the Grains: Prepare grains according to package instructions. Cook extras for easy meal prep.
- Make the Dressing: Whisk together dressing ingredients, adjusting seasoning as needed.
- Assemble the Bowl: Combine greens, grains, veggies, herbs, and protein in a large bowl.
- Dress It Up: Drizzle with the cilantro cashew dressing and gently toss to coat.
- Garnish and Serve: Add toasted nuts, seeds, crunchy lentils, fresh herbs, or citrus juice for extra flair.
Customizations and Variations
āThis Greens and Ancient Grain Bowl is endlessly customizable, making it easy to tailor to your taste, dietary preferences, and seasonal ingredients.
- Grains: Mix and match hearty whole grains options like brown rice, farro, red quinoa, kamut, or wheat berries for variety and texture.
- Veggies: Add roasted sweet potatoes, shaved Brussels sprouts, snow peas, red onion, or sweet red bell peppers for extra crunch and flavor.
- Protein: Keep it plant-based with black beans, chickpeas, tempeh, or Easy Baked Tofu. For flexitarian options, try poached eggs or grilled salmon.
- Dressings: Swap the cilantro cashew dressing for Creamy Cashew Caesar, a creamy avocado sauce, or a cilantro olive oil pesto.
- Toppings: Finish with avocado pieces, sun-dried tomatoes, toasted nuts, seeds, crispy lentils, or pumpkin seeds for a satisfying crunch.
- Flavor Boosts: Brighten the dish with a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice or add sautƩed portobello mushrooms for an earthy twist.
Why This Recipe is Dietitian-Approved
āThis Greens and Ancient Grain Bowl is RD-approved because it combines nutrient-dense ancient grains, fresh greens, and plant-based proteins to provide a balanced meal rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats. The colorful mix of fresh veggies and toppings makes this a truly beautiful bowl that is as nourishing as it is visually appealing.
- Nutrient-Packed: Ancient grains like quinoa, farro, and kamut provide fiber, vitamins, and minerals for overall health.
- Balanced Protein: Plant-based proteins like quinoa or chickpeas pair with lean animal proteins for a complete meal.
- Customizable: Easily adaptable to vegetarian, vegan, or flexitarian diets without sacrificing flavor.
- Greens Galore: A mix of fresh greens boosts antioxidants and essential nutrients.
- Satisfying: Fiber, protein, and healthy fats keep you full and energized.
This Greens and Ancient Grain Bowl is a blank canvas for balanced, nutritious, and delicious meals. Whether youāre vegan, flexitarian, or just looking for a wholesome recipe, this bowl is perfect for meal prep or a satisfying weeknight dinner.
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Greens and Ancient Grains Bowl
Ingredients
- 2 cups arugula
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 2 cups cooked quinoa or one or more combination of other grains rice, sorgum, farro, quinoa etc
- 1 cup cucumbers, sliced into half moons
- 1 watermelon radish, cut into matchstick sized bites or 4 small-medium sized radishes sliced
- 1 green pepper, diced
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
- 4 green onions, chopped
- 1 cup Cilantro Cashew Dressing divided (1/4 cup per serving or more to taste)
- 1 recipe Easy Baked Tofu
Instructions
- Prepare the grain per package instructions.
- Prepare the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Assemble the greens and ancient grains bowl. In a large bowl combine the mixed greens and grains. Add in the remaining ingredients.
- Dress the grain bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the grain bowl. Toss until the ingredients are gently coated.
- Serve and Enjoy! You can garnish the bowls with toasted nuts, seeds, crunchy lentils, herbs, or fresh squeezed citrus!
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