Make Your Own Grain Bowl

Make Your Own Grain Bowl

Whole grains have a lot to offer - balanced nutrition, delicious flavor, interesting texture and satisfying heartiness. To make your own grain bowl for a weekday lunch or family dinner, add whole grains to the base of a large bowl and top with complementary ingredients. Build a filling, satisfying and delicious grain bowl by following our formula below.

Pick whole grains:

Whole grains offer a variety of flavors and textures and require different cooking times. Whole grains include barley, bulgur, farro, wheat berries and freekeh. Gluten-free grains include quinoa, brown rice, wild rice, sorghum, amaranth and millet (including fonio). To easily serve whole grains, look for pre-cooked quinoa and brown rice in the frozen section or prepare a quick-cooking whole grain such as quinoa, bulgur or freekeh.

Pick vegetables/fruit:

Whether they’re cooked or raw, vegetables and fruit provide volume, crunch, color, flavor and nutrition to a grain bowl. Even leftovers work well!

Pick protein:

Protein options for grain bowls include lentils, beans, egg, tofu, salmon, edamame, chicken, tempeh and shrimp.

Pick something crunchy (optional):

Add crunch to a grain bowl with raw carrots, red onion, apple or pear slices, raw or toasted nuts and seeds, roasted chickpeas, toasted quinoa and cheese crisps.

Pick something creamy (optional):

Creamy ingredients such as avocado and soft or hard cheeses taste delicious in grain bowls.

Pick a dressing:

Make your own salad dressing with this customizable step-by-step formula. Double the batch to drizzle on other bowls.

Ideas for ingredient combinations:

• Wild rice + shredded kale + apple matchsticks + grilled chicken + chopped pecans + blue cheese + balsamic vinaigrette

• Quinoa + chopped romaine + shredded carrot + chopped cilantro + shelled edamame + sesame seeds + creamy peanut dressing

• Farro + arugula + roasted broccoli + white beans + sliced almonds + white balsamic vinaigrette

• Bulgur + spinach + chopped raw tomatoes and cucumber + chickpeas + red onion + feta cheese + red wine vinaigrette

• Brown rice + mixed greens + roasted vegetables + salmon + sunflower seeds + tahini dressing