Healthy Mediterranean Grain Bowls

A few months ago, Hubby and I went on a date to Panera and the movies. (Thank you, Mom and Dad, for watching the kiddos!) While at Panera, we were both drawn to their Mediterranean Grain Bowls, and each ended up ordering one. They were delicious: full of quinoa, rice, cucumbers, kalamata olives, hummus, feta cheese and greek yogurt. But they were heavy. Neither of us could finish the meal. Nonetheless, they inspired me to make my own version of a Healthy Mediterranean Grain Bowl, but lighter and with more veggies.

If you’re like me, and make a big pot of black lentils and a big pot of quinoa in your Instant Pot at the beginning of the week, it makes this recipe come together in about 5-10 minutes. It’s literally just reheating the quinoa and lentils, and chopping a few veggies. And who doesn’t love an easy meal on hectic weeknights?

Healthy Mediterranean Grain Bowl

a cross between a greek salad and a grain bowl, healthy, savory and delicious

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Prep Time 10 mins

Total Time 10 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 4

Equipment

• Knife
• Cutting board
• kitchen shears

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1 cup cooked black/beluga lentils
• 4 cups baby spinach
• 2 tomatoes
• 2 baby cucumbers
• 8-10 dried figs
• 16-20 kalamata olives
• ½ cup hummus
• ¼ cup feta cheese

Instructions

 

• If quinoa or lentils are chilled, reheat in microwave, on the stove-top or in the oven.
• Divide quinoa equally into 4 large bowls, placing ½ cup in each bowl.
• Divide black lentils equally into the 4 large bowls, placing ¼ cup in each bowl.
• Chop the baby spinach using a large knife and cutting board or kitchen shears.
• Place 1 cup of chopped spinach in each bowl.
• Wash and dice 2 tomatoes.
• Add half a diced tomato to each bowl.
• Wash and dice 2 baby cucumbers.
• Add half a diced cucumber to each bowl.
• Add 1-2 TB of hummus to each bowl and mix.
• Chop 8-10 dried figs.
• Garnish each bowl with 4-5 kalamata olives, 2 chopped figs, and a tablespoon of feta cheese.

Notes

Enjoy!

Keyword black lentils, easy healthy meal, grain bowl, Greek Salad, quinoa

This meal is very versatile: vegans can just skip the feta cheese, and carnivores can easily add grilled chicken or another meat.

Another thing I love about this meal is that it’s a cross between a grain bowl and a Greek salad, but it doesn’t need any dressing. The hummus combines well with the juice from the diced tomato to form its own dressing and it’s absolutely delicious.