Customizable Grain Bowl (Printable Version)

Build nourishing bowls with your choice of grains, proteins, fresh vegetables, and dressings for a perfectly personalized meal.

# List of Ingredients:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup cooked brown rice
02 - 1 cup cooked quinoa
03 - 1 cup cooked farro
04 - 1 cup cooked couscous, gluten-free if needed

→ Proteins

05 - 1 cup cooked and cubed chicken breast
06 - 1 cup baked tofu, cubed
07 - 1 cup cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
08 - 1 cup cooked shrimp

→ Vegetables

09 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
10 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
11 - 1 cup roasted sweet potato, cubed
12 - 1 cup steamed broccoli florets
13 - 1 cup shredded carrots
14 - 1 avocado, sliced

→ Toppings and Extras

15 - ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese, optional
16 - ¼ cup toasted seeds or nuts such as pumpkin seeds or almonds
17 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs such as cilantro or parsley
18 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

→ Dressings

19 - ¼ cup lemon-tahini dressing
20 - ¼ cup balsamic vinaigrette
21 - ¼ cup soy-ginger dressing
22 - ¼ cup green goddess dressing

# Directions:

01 - Prepare grains according to package instructions. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool slightly.
02 - Prepare chosen proteins by cooking, baking, or using leftovers as desired.
03 - Wash and chop vegetables. Roast or steam as preferred.
04 - Arrange a base of grains in each bowl. Top with selected proteins and vegetables.
05 - Sprinkle with toppings and extras of your choice.
06 - Drizzle with preferred dressing just before serving. Serve immediately or store components separately for meal prep.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You get to be the chef and the artist at the same time, building exactly what sounds good instead of following someone else's vision.
  • A single technique becomes four different meals depending on what you pull from your fridge, making grocery shopping feel less wasteful and more creative.
  • Meal prep shifts from tedious to genuinely enjoyable when you're composing rather than just reheating.
02 -
  • The dressing-to-components ratio is real—too little and the bowl tastes like sad separate ingredients, too much and it becomes mushy within an hour, so aim for that sweet spot where everything glistens without drowning.
  • Roasted vegetables actually improve over 24 hours because the flavors deepen, but delicate greens and raw vegetables should go in just before eating or they'll become a disappointing texture.
03 -
  • Cook grains in batches on the weekend and refrigerate them, which sounds boring until you realize you can assemble a fresh bowl literally anywhere in under five minutes on a busy weeknight.
  • Toast your seeds and nuts right before assembly because the smell and the warmth release their oils and flavors in a way that changes everything compared to cold toppings.
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