How To Build a Nutritious, Delicious, and Simple Be Healthier™ Bowl

By now most of us have heard of Buddha Bowls. If you haven’t, these one-bowl meals are typically served as a vegan or vegetarian dish which began flooding Instagram feeds and Pinterest boards a few years back, gaining in popularity with the be healthier crowd. At ReadtheLabl we believe in a balanced, mostly plant-based diet. Following the same structure as buddha bowls, but occasionally incorporating sustainable animal products, we’ve created our own version we call ‘Be Healthier Bowls’.

 At the core of creating a perfect one-bowl meal is balancing the types of foods we need without eating too much of any one thing. There’s no right or wrong way to build a one-bowl meal and no true recipe that you have to follow. The only “rule” is to use whole, natural foods that incorporate 5 essential food elements. All you need is a handful of greens, a sustainable protein source and some nutritious grains, carbs and fats and you’re ready to dig in!

We created the bowl pictured below by taking some spinach and romaine leaves, chickpeas and a boiled egg, tri-color quinoa and sweet potatoes and then paired it with our Veggie Soirée vinaigrette recipe that uses extra virgin olive oil for a nutritious fat alternative. We topped this bowl with some broccoli sprouts and pickled red onions for added nutrients and flavor!

Build your Be Healthier™ Bowl Suggestions:

Greens

• Spinach
• Kale
• Romaine
• Mixed greens
• Arugula

Protein

• Pasture-raised, antibiotic-free chicken
• Whole, boiled eggs
• Ground beef
• Steak
• Wild-caught salmon
• Shrimp

Nutritious Grains

• Quinoa (gluten-free)
• Brown Rice (gluten-free)
• Barley
• Whole-wheat couscous
• Whole-wheat orzo
• Farro 

Nutritious Carbs

• Sweet potatoes
• Pulses - Legumes (beans/lentils) and peas
• Fruits like berry’s (blackberry, strawberry, blueberry, raspberry), peaches (low fructose fruits) & veggies are a good source of nutrients.

"Good" Fats

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Avocado
• Chia seeds (High in Omega 3 fatty acids)
• Hemp seeds
• Flax seeds (High in Omega 3 fatty acids)
• Nuts (especially almonds, pistachios, walnuts, cashews, pecans, brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, and walnuts)
• Coconut or Avocado Oil (avoid vegetable oils like palm, canola, sunflower, safflower, and especially any oils hydrogenated)
• Yogurt (full-fat with no added sugar or other bad stuff)
• Peanut or almond butter

Topping suggestions

• Sauerkraut (digestion aid)
• Pickled Onions
• Olives
• Pumpkin or Sunflower Seeds
• ReadtheLabl Sauces

Build your own Be Healthier™ Bowl and share with us how being healthier helps you be more!