Bowls with Benefits
Apr 11, 2024
Bowls are a great way to get a variety of flavors, textures, and colors in your meals, and this means you're getting a lot of different nutrients too! They're fun, easy, and usually pretty quick to put together. In this article I feature three main bowls, all filled with delicious, nutrient-dense foods that help boost immunity, improve gut health, balance blood sugar, and reduce inflammation. What are you waiting for?
Anti-Inflammatory
This Roasted Vegetable Burrito Bowl is packed with ingredients that fight inflammation, and the cilantro lime dressing that goes with it is refreshing and light. It is vegan and gluten-free, for those with specific diet preferences or needs, but you can substitute the quinoa for rice (the quinoa provides more protein, though), or add some shredded cheese or greek yogurt on top.
Digestive Health
Looking to improve your digestive health? The fiber in this Miso Power Bowl helps regulate digestion and stabilize blood sugar, and provides important nutrients that your own good bacteria need to flourish. The miso (which is a fermented paste) contains minerals like vitamin K, zinc, protein, and calcium, and is high in probiotics, which help your body maintain healthy bacteria levels. It's also super tasty, so dive in!
Protein Boost
Need a little protein boost? Most people should aim for 20-30 grams of protein in each meal. Protein helps stabilize blood sugar, support lean muscle mass, increase metabolism, and promote satiety so you're not starving an hour after eating. It can be plant-based, or lean meats (turkey, chicken, lean cuts of beef or pork), or fish (not necessarily lean but high in healthy fats, like salmon, tuna, sardines, or cod). This Mediterranean Turkey Bowl with its roasted chickpeas and homemade tzatziki sauce has protein from both plant (chickpeas, greek yogurt) and animal (turkey) sources. Switch the couscous for quinoa and add some walnuts for even more protein and healthy fats. One of these bowls has about 28 grams of protein. The pickled onions on top add a super delicious flavor boost.
