This Wild Greens & Quinoa Grain Bowl is easy, healthy and delicious- you can't beat that!
Did you know that March is National Nutrition Month? I decided to celebrate this occasion by making one of my favorite dishes- a grain bowl. If you’ve never made a grain bowl before, it’s the perfect vehicle for combining a variety of healthy grains, vegetables, protein and other ingredients, all in one convenient bowl. It’s an excellent weeknight meal- quick, easy and nutritious. And it’s also a great way to empty out the contents of your fridge!
So how do you build a better grain bowl? Here are the different components:
Grains- grains make up the base of the bowl. Brown rice, quinoa, couscous or barley are all nutritious whole grain options. Or you can try something different and use millet, farro or freekah.
Vegetables- top your bowl off with some nutritious veggies- the sky’s the limit here. Leafy greens like spinach, kale or chard are excellent options. Or use a mixture of roasted winter vegetables like sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and Brussels sprouts. For a summer themed bowl, try a combination of corn, cherry tomatoes and zucchini.
Protein- add some lean protein like diced chicken breast, salmon, lean beef, or tofu. Eggs are always a great option too. I especially love topping my grain bowls with a poached or over-easy egg so that the yolk coats the rest of the ingredients when you cut into it.
Healthy fats and other garnishes- sprinkle some nuts or seeds on top like almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds or pepitas, for added crunch. You can also add a bit of crumbled cheese like feta or goat cheese for an extra punch of flavor.
Dressing- drizzle some dressing on top to tie all of the ingredients together. You can use a simple, light vinaigrette or a creamier dressing depending on the theme of your bowl.
When I received samples of Eat Smart Gourmet Vegetable Salad Kits, I knew I wanted to use them in a grain bowl to showcase their versatility. These chef-inspired salad kits offer sophisticated blends of five or more superfoods and include everything you need to make a delicious salad. No need to buy all of the individual ingredients at the grocery store- these kits have done all the work for you! They’re perfect for those looking to incorporate innovative, convenient and healthy options into their busy lives. My whole family loves the Sweet Kale Salad Kit so I was really excited to try all of the other delicious varieties that they offer.
The Eat Smart Wild Greens & Quinoa Salad Kit features seven superfoods: kale, beet greens, julienned broccoli, carrots, red cabbage, quinoa, feta cheese and almonds and includes a creamy avocado herb dressing. These are the perfect building blocks to make a hearty, and healthy salad that anyone would love but I decided to use it as the base to build my grain bowl.
First, I tossed some of the vegetables from the salad kit and the avocado herb dressing with a combination of cooked brown rice and red quinoa. This became the base of my grain bowls. Then I topped the bowls with more of the salad greens and some slices of chicken breast that I coated in a
homemade spice rub and grilled. Finally, I sprinkled the bowls with some sliced almonds, crispy quinoa and crumbled feta cheese, all from the salad kit.
homemade spice rub and grilled. Finally, I sprinkled the bowls with some sliced almonds, crispy quinoa and crumbled feta cheese, all from the salad kit.
As a final garnish, I decided to get a little fancy and top the bowl with an avocado rose. I recently
learned about this technique from my friend and fellow blogger Lisa Lin and figured that it would be the perfect finishing touch for my grain bowl. It came out so beautiful and it was pretty easy to make. Check out Lisa’s video here.
learned about this technique from my friend and fellow blogger Lisa Lin and figured that it would be the perfect finishing touch for my grain bowl. It came out so beautiful and it was pretty easy to make. Check out Lisa’s video here.
Easy, healthy and delicious- it doesn't get much better than that!
Wild Greens & Quinoa Grain Bowl
This Wild Greens & Quinoa Grain Bowl is easy, healthy and delicious- you can’t beat that!
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Servings: 3
Calories: 434kcal
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 12 ounces)
- Salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- 1 cup cooked red quinoa
- 1 package Eat Smart Wild Greens & Quinoa Gourmet Vegetable Salad Kit
- Avocado slices for garnish
- Olive oil spray
Instructions
- Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium high heat and spray with olive oil. Season the chicken with a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix the chili power, cumin, smoked paprika and sugar together in a small bowl. Sprinkle the spice mixture onto the chicken and rub it in. Cook the chicken on the grill for 4-5 minutes on each side until cooked through. Remove from heat.
- Place the cooked rice and quinoa in a large bowl. Add the greens and most of the avocado herb dressing from the salad kit (reserve some dressing for drizzling on top) and toss to combine.
- Divide the salad mixture among three bowls. Slice the chicken into strips and arrange the slices on top of the grain bowls. Sprinkle the crispy quinoa, feta cheese and sliced almonds from the salad kit on top. Drizzle any extra dressing on top and garnish with a few slices of avocado, if desired.
Nutrition
Serving: 0g | Calories: 434kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 196mg | Potassium: 1062mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 432IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 2mg
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Marissa says
I love your list of components - so easy to mix and match all of the goodies. And what a gorgeous bowl - I want to dig right in!
sonaliruder says
Thanks Marissa!
Natalie @ Obsessive Cooking says
that bowl looks gorgeous sonali. I don't know how you cut the avocado so perfectly - mine always mushes. looking for fast nutritious options as always 🙂
sonaliruder says
Thanks Natalie! Using an avocado that's a bit on the firmer side definitely helps 😉
Jessie says
What a beautiful bowl, especially that avocado rose! I can't wait to try this for an easy and nutritious meal that takes no time to make!!
sonaliruder says
It really is so quick and easy! Thanks Jessie, I hope you enjoy it 🙂
Farrah says
I feel like I could still definitely be happy if I could only ever eat bowls like this for the rest of my life! Looks so darn good! <3!! That avocado rose is so pretty! 😀
sonaliruder says
Thanks Farrah! Lisa really knocked it out of the park with her avocado rose tutorial!
Taylor Kiser says
This is the perfect meal and looks delicious!! I'll have to try a kit.
sonaliruder says
Thanks so much Taylor!
Alisa says
This is the perfect easy meal - so well rounded with nutrition and flavor! I hadn't heard of those meal kits - will definitely keep an eye out.
sonaliruder says
Thanks Alisa, I hope you find them, they're awesome!
Amanda RunToTheFinish says
Power bowl are literally my go to lunch! I don't think I've seen this brand, but I love the pre-shredded bags with a variety because it ensure I mix things up and I don't have to buy so much it goes bad before I can eat it all!
sonaliruder says
Thanks Amanda, I totally agree! These packaged salads definitely help me to reduce food waste.
Christina Bauer says
I can't get enough of those Avocado roses!!!! Gorgeous garnish on a delicious bowl.
sonaliruder says
Aww, thanks Christina!
Julie Wunder says
I adore these salads and buy them every week! I wish our grocery store stocked more than two types!
sonaliruder says
I hear ya! My local store only stocks two as well!
Rebecca Pytell says
O yes! You can't go wrong there!
sonaliruder says
Thanks Rebecca! 🙂
Jessica Levinson says
That avocado rose is gorgeous! I wouldn't want to cut into it! Love your breakdown of how to make the perfect grain bowl and of course your example looks perfect!
sonaliruder says
Thanks, Jessica! I had no problem diving right in as soon as the photos were taken, lol!
anne@cravingSomethingHealthy.com says
I'm so gonna try that rose ASAP! Pinned!
sonaliruder says
Awesome! Thanks, Anne!
Dixya says
i am heading over to her blog right now..i have been wanting to make that rose soo bad.
sonaliruder says
Great! I was surprised at how easy they were to make!
Rebecca says
Grain bowls are my favorite for simple, easy meals. I love how gorgeous this one is!!
sonaliruder says
They really are so versatile! Thanks, Rebecca!
Shashi at RunninSrilankan says
Oh Wow - Sonali that's such a pretty avocado rose! Thanks so much for posting the video - now I know what I am doing this weekend! BTW - I adore Eat Smart salads and this is one tasty AND BEAUTIFUL way to enjoy them!
sonaliruder says
Thanks Shashi, I was very proud of myself, haha! Aren't Eat Smart salads great? I was so excited to try all of them out!
Lisa Lin says
Sonali, your roses turned out beautifully!!! This is a wonderful dish for dinner, one that I know my husband and I will love. Thank you SO much for mentioning my video!
sonaliruder says
Thanks for the inspiration, Lisa! I think I'm going to be topping all of my dishes with avocado roses now, lol!