Make a simple, delicious and healthy meal for any time of day with ingredients you have on hand and these mix and match ideas.
Mix and Match Grain Bowl
Ingredients
- (see Notes for ingredient ideas)
- 2 cups cooked grains
- 2 cups chopped vegetables (raw or cooked any way you choose)
- 12 ounces cooked protein, cut bite-sized (about 2 cups)
- ¼ cup topping
- ¼ to ½ cup sauce or dressing
Directions
- Wash hands with soap and water. Gather ingredients and 4 bowls.
- Rinse or scrub fresh vegetables under running water before preparing.
- Spoon about ½ cup of the grain into each bowl.
- Arrange ¼ of the vegetables and protein on top of or around the grains in each bowl.
- Drizzle 1 to 2 Tablespoons of the dressing over each bowl.
- Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of topping over the top.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Notes
Ingredient Ideas
Protein – try cooked chicken, beef, pork, seafood, tofu, tempeh, beans, lentils or eggs
- Food Hero Skillet-Braised Chicken, Baked Tofu, and Microwave Steamed Fish are great protein options.
Vegetables – use any mixture of fresh, frozen or canned
Grains – try whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat or oats
- For instructions on how to cook these grains, take a look at Food Hero Stovetop Brown Rice, Stovetop Quinoa, Stovetop Buckwheat, or Stovetop Steel Cut Oats.
Topping – try something crunchy or chewy like nuts, seeds, raw or pickled vegetables, microgreens or fresh or dried fruit
Sauce or dressing – use a prepared dressing or salsa, or try one of these Food Hero recipes:
- Oil and vinegar dressing from Food Hero Plant Part Salad or Spring Green Salad
- Orange ginger dressing from Food Hero Carrot Ginger Salad
- Food Hero Cucumber Yogurt Dip, Lemony Garbanzo Bean Dip, Hummus, Ranch Dressing or Peanut Sauce
- Food Hero Salsa Roja, Salsa Verde or Pico de Gallo and avocado (slice, dice or mash)
You might also like...
Meatball Soup
Meatball Soup
A hearty meatball soup loaded with veggies, Italian herbs, and rich broth.
Prepare:
20 minutes
Cook:
45 minutes
Makes:
9 cups
Prepare:
5 minutes
Makes:
2 cups
Salmon Salad Mix
Salmon Salad Mix
A delicious and vitamin-packed alternative to tuna salad, this salmon salad is made with tangy pickles, low-fat yogurt, and a bit of creamy mayonnaise.
Prepare:
10 minutes
Makes:
1 ½ cup
Green Beans with Onions and Almonds
Green Beans with Onions and Almonds
A healthy vegetable side dish that combines sweet, savory, crunchy, and tangy.
Prepare:
10 minutes
Cook:
20 minutes
Makes:
4 cups
Reduced-Fat Chorizo
Reduced-Fat Chorizo
Thanks to the OSU Extension Latin Heritage workgroup for this recipe. Using lower fat meats reduces saturated fat for heart health.
Prepare:
10 minutes
Cook:
10 minutes
Makes:
12 servings
Lemony Garbanzo Bean Dip
Lemony Garbanzo Bean Dip
Quick easy homemade bean dip, perfect for a party appetizer or afterschool snack.
Prepare:
5 minutes
Makes:
2 cups
Comments
We used this recipe for a "Cook Along" and enjoyed seeing the variety of yummy-looking bowls people created. Buckwheat was the whole grain of choice because it cooks quickly. Some mentioned how easy it would be to use this template for breakfast, subbing fruit for vegetables if desired. The template also works as a simple approach to planning a meal from what's on hand.