Single Serve Quinoa Power Bowl
As a new Mom, I understand the “I don’t have time” excuse more than ever. Still, if I don’t make time, I’ll be left deprived of energy both physically and mentally, so I prioritize having nourishing staple meal ingredients ready to go, just like I always have. Then those ingredients can be transformed into a satisfying meal at anytime. Everyone needs fast, easy, delicious meals, so this is just the first of new power bowls I’ll try to post for you all. Quick is what we need, so we’re turning fast food around with this fast food quinoa power bowl.
Ingredient Prep for Meal Prep
Bowl-style food may be popular right now at quick serve restaurants (Sweetgreen and honeygrow for example), but its also practical at home and extremely versatile, so you’ll never get bored. While this particular lunch or dinner for one could require a tiny bit of meal prep, the reality is that with ready-to-eat grain options now in grocery stores, you could get by with no prep at all, too!
Meal prep never has to be complicated. It shouldn’t be the pairing of chicken + sweet potato + broccoli for every single meal all week and it doesn’t have to be getting ingredients ready for complicated recipes each week night, either. Whether you’re prepping your ingredients or just stocking them in your pantry, all you need for a successful, delicious and balanced bowl is:
- A cooked starch, such as quinoa, potatoes, farro, corn, etc.
- Cooked (or just canned) legumes or another precooked protein source
- Vegetables (cooked or raw)
- Your favorite dressing, sauce or condiment, such as this lemon garlic tahini dressing, sriracha, guacamole, etc.
I’ve posted about meal prep in the past, but I’m excited to now show you what that prep can turn into each week for real life meals that need to feed you quickly. Plenty of these meals have already been shared with my audience on Instagram, but I realize it’s not as intuitive for everyone to build them as it is for me. Here’s the guidance you need!
Pantry Staples for Meal Prep
You don’t need to prep everything. As I indicated above, pantry items like canned beans are adding nutrition in a pinch to your meals during the week.
For grains, if you don’t have time to prep them in advance, keep microwavable quinoa cups on hand. We love these ones from NOW foods (you can used KELLYNOW10 for $10 off of $40). Another pantry “emergency starch” option would be the quinoa & rice pouches that you just need to heat in the microwave. While I make my grains from scratch most of the time, especially in an effort to minimize plastic use, these score big with us when we have a busy week. Frozen is an option for these items, too, but I find that microwaving them means more of a wet texture than I might like vs. taking the time to heat in a pan. Finally, one of my new favorite things is microwaving potatoes!
For proteins, beans are where it’s at for me. Don’t be afraid of the sodium, just rinse and drain the can and know that if you’re eating adequate plant foods throughout the day, your potassium intake should balance it out. Lentils are also a favorite, and again, while I like to make from scratch more often, the precooked lentils from Trader Joe’s are a fantastic option and until you open them, are good in the fridge for months. Canned or jarred salmon and tuna are also easy protein options.
Lemon Garlic Tahini Quinoa Power Bowl
Lemon Tahini Garlic Quinoa Power Bowl
Ingredients
- 1-2 tbsp tahini
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (1/3 of lemon)
- ⅛ tsp garlic powder
- to taste salt & paprika
- 2 cups mixed greens
- ⅓ cup black beans rinsed and drained
- ⅓ cup garbanzo beans rinsed and drained
- ½ cup quinoa heaping half cup
- 1 tbsp hemp seeds optional
Instructions
- Heat a small pan over medium and spray with cooking spray.
- Add quinoa and beans, stir, reduce heat to low and cover.
- Mix all other ingredients except greens in a small dish before pouring over the quinoa mixture. Use just 1 tablespoon of tahini if you prefer a less creamy dressing.
- Stir until well incorporated, then pour entire mixture over greens in a bowl.
That looks like such a great power booster of a bowl! Perfect for a new mom 🙂
Thank you! Super simple for anyone!
Great post! Like you, I often post lunch ideas Instagram but don’t always post the recipe or formula, so I think this will be very helpful for people.
It’s hard to remember that everyone doesn’t put ingredients together as easily as we do even with the insta guidance!