5-Minute Meals: Quinoa Bowls

I’m fairly new to the world of quinoa bowls, but my family has become totally addicted to them. I’ve added them to my weekly roster for weeknight dinners and I chow down on the leftovers for lunch throughout the week. I’ll be the first to admit that they have an unholy amount of carbs—but in their defense, they are complex carbs and contain a ton of protein, fiber, and amino acids. And, they’re quick and easy to make. If you do a little prep ahead of time, these savory bowls of goodness can come together in about 5-minutes.

Once or twice a week I use my Instant Pot to make big pots of black lentils and quinoa. I then store these in glass containers in the fridge to use throughout the week in various recipes. They are particularly handy for making quinoa bowls when you’re in a rush. Here is my go to recipe:

Quinoa Bowls

This is a quick, healthy version of quinoa bowls that comes together in a snap and is chock full of protein, vegetables and fiber.

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Prep Time 5 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Equipment

• Microwave
• Cutting board
• Sharp Pairing Knife
• Large Glass Bowl

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups savory cooked quinoa
• 2 cups cooked black lentils
• 1 10-oz package steamable frozen broccolli (I like to use organic)
• 1-2 ripe avocados

Instructions

 

• Dump cooked lentils and quinoa into a microwave or oven safe bowl. Gently stir and reheat using your favorite method: microwave, oven, stovetop, etc.
• Steam the bag of brocolli in the microwave according to the instructions on the package. Should take approximately 3-4 minutes on high. Let rest for a minute.
• Meanwhile, wash and chop avocados into little chunks.
• Combine all ingredients into large bowl and gently mix together.
• Serve by itself or with a dollop of mild salsa or some shredded paremsan cheese.

Notes

Note, for small children, you may find it helpful to chop the broccoli into smaller pieces after steaming but before mixing into the rest of the ingredients.

Keyword 5-minute meal, black lentils, broccoli, clean eating, quinoa bowls

I will say, that if you’re not dairy free, then freshly grated Parmesan cheese is divine on these, and makes it even more palatable to small children. It makes it gooey and cheesy, and who doesn’t love that? However, if you are dairy free then skip the cheese. The creamy flavor of the avocado combined with the salsa more than makes up for it.

One other thing to note: these bowls are extremely filling. In order to avoid waste, dish out significantly less than you think you want. As I write this, I’m about half-way through the bowl pictured at the top of the blog (which contains about 1/2 cup quinoa, 1/2 cup lentils, 1/4 cup broccoli and 1/2 an avocado) and I am completely full!