When it comes to lunchtime staples in my kitchen, no dish deserves the title more than a grain bowl. With its flexibility and endless opportunity to customize, a grain bowl lends itself beautifully to being a go-to in any season. As we transition from cold, cozy weather to the fresh and bring spring season, this version has been making a weekly appearance at my kitchen table. My formula for a grain bowl includes a grain of choice, a protein of choice, one or two cooked vegetables, one or two fresh vegetables, leafy greens, something pickled, something creamy, and some fun extras.
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Maximize Flavor for Any Grain Bowl
Every element of a grain bowl comes together to make magic, so I like to treat and prep every part of it with extra flavor and texture to make the bowl as delicious as possible. Here are a few ways that I do that:
- For the rice, you could absolutely use regular cooked rice. But if you like some extra texture, I like to take cooked rice, drizzle with a little oil, and either cook in a stove top pan or on a sheet tray until the rice turns slightly golden with crunchy bits.
2. Add fresh herbs and lots of them. Fresh herbs are always my secret to getting the most flavor into a dish. Chopping up fresh herbs and mixing them in with any greens is any easy way to incorporate their flavor, and they also just make for the prettiest garnish too.
How to Make Crispy Tofu
To elevate tofu, my protein of choice, it’s really all about the texture. And the best way to get chewy and crispy tofu in my opinion, is to freeze it first. All you need to do is keep your tofu in the freezer until it’s frozen solid, and then when ready to use, thaw completely before squeezing out all the water. This is easier if you have thick slabs instead of a whole block! You can also microwave the tofu after taking it out of the freezer and squeeze the water out for a quicker process. Then just drizzle the tofu with a little oil and bake until golden brown.
A little prep at the beginning of the week means you have components ready to go at a moments notice, and can bring together a beautifully colorful and nutritious meal any time of the day!
Description
An easy to follow formula for a delicious grain bowl any time!
For the crispy rice:
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 2 – 3 tbsp oil
- Pinch of salt
For the vegetables:
- 1 sweet potato, chopped
- 6oz baby corn
- 2 cups lentils of choice, cooked
- 1 cup radishes, thinly sliced
- 1 serving microgreens
- 1 serving pickled onions
- 1/2 cup avocado
- Nuts or seeds of choice
For the tofu:
- 1 block tofu, frozen, thawed, and chopped
- 1 tbsp oil
- Seasonings of choice
For the dressing:
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 1 small bunch chives
- Juice of 1 large lemon
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp honey
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Prepare the rice. If preparing on the stove, add oil to a pan and bring to a medium heat. Add the rice to the pan and arrange into a single layer. Let cook for a few minutes until the rice begins to turn golden brown. Stir and let cook for another few minutes, then remove from heat. Season with salt and set aside.
- Prepare the roasted vegetables and tofu. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large sheet tray with parchment paper and add the sweet potatoes, baby corn, and tofu to the pan. Drizzle with oil, salt, pepper, and any seasonings of choice like dried herbs, umami seasonings, paprika, etc. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes, flipping vegetables and tofu halfway through, until golden brown. Pull from oven and set aside.
- Prepare the dressing while the vegetables cook. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings to preference. Store in an airtight container up to 3 days.
- Assemble grain bowl by adding grains, lentils, roasted vegetables, greens, pickled onions, avocado, and dressing. Add nuts and seeds of choice as well. Sprinkle with salt. Enjoy!
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