Brighten Your Plate with One-Bowl Meals
In April, the temperature rises, days get longer and outdoor activities increase. It’s also the time of year when the change in temperature often influences our behaviour, desires and moods. While comfort foods were favoured just a few weeks ago, fresh and colourful meals are now gaining ground! Among these, one-bowl meals are especially popular and are the perfect choice if you want to add variety to your lunches. Here’s how to easily create a healthy and tasty one-bowl meal!
The ideal one-bowl meal includes:
Grains + protein + fruits and vegetables + dressing and fresh herbs
|
Grains |
Protein |
Fruits and vegetables |
Dressings and fresh herbs |
|
Quinoa, millet, bulgur, barley, orzo, buckwheat, couscous, wild rice, basmati rice, etc.
|
Veg: chickpeas, lentils, tofu, tempeh, edamame, seitan, nuts and seeds, etc.
Sea: salmon, tuna, shrimp, scallops, crab, etc.
Land: chicken, beef, pork, etc. |
Greens: rocket, spinach, kale, mesclun, etc.
Veggies: carrots, radishes, cucumbers, peppers, Chinese cabbage, etc.
Fruit: mangoes, apples, pears, strawberries, etc. |
Vegetable oil and balsamic vinegar
Vegetable oil, lemon or lime juice, and Dijon mustard
Light Sesame Ginger Dressing (recipe below)
Fresh herbs: cilantro, basil, oregano, etc. |
Grains
Grains are the perfect base for the bowl! Choose whole grains ideally. Why not try new varieties? I also recommend that you cook big batches. Once cooked, the grains can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for five days.
Protein
Change up the featured protein to give variety to your bowls! Or combine two types of protein for a flavour boost! For a meal that is sure to fill you up, always include a protein.
Fruits and vegetables
Focus on colour and abundance! Remember, according to the latest version of Canada’s Food Guide, half of your meal should be made up of fruits and vegetables! Use a vegetable spiralizer to give your bowl some extra flare.
Light Sesame Ginger Dressing
Servings: 2
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: N/A
Ingredients
15 mL (1 tbsp.) natural peanut butter
15 mL (1 tbsp.) boiling water
30 mL (2 tbsp.) 0% plain Greek yogurt
5 mL (1 tsp.) low-sodium soy sauce
5 mL (1 tsp.) honey
5 mL (1 tsp.) sesame oil
2 mL freshly minced ginger
Juice from half a lime
Sriracha to taste
Preparation
Nutritional value
Calories: 68 | Fat: 4 g | Carbohydrates: 5 g | Fibre: 0 g | Protein: 4 g
Vanessa Daigle, RD
Nutritionist | Dietician
