Here’s How to Build a Better Bowl
Making a big, beautiful, lick-your-fork-good bowl isn’t as hard as you may think.
All recipes in this post developed by Kate Sherwood, The Healthy Cook.
The Basic Formula
- 1-2 cups raw and/or cooked veggies
- ½ cup chicken, fish, tofu, or beans
- 2-3 cups salad greens
- 2-3 Tbs. dressing
Anytime extras: herbs, fresh fruit, whole grains, avocado, nuts, or seeds
Some-of-the-time extras: pickled veggies, egg, or cheese
In This Bowl (pictured above)
- ½ cup chopped roasted peppers
- 1 cup shredded carrot and cabbage
- ½ cup cooked lentils
- 3 cups salad greens
- ¼ cup mint and cilantro leaves
- 2 Tbs. roasted pumpkin seeds
- ¼ cup pickled red onion
Smoked Paprika Dressing
Makes 6 Tbs.
- ½ tsp. smoked paprika
- ½ tsp. brown sugar
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- 2 tsp. tomato paste
- 1 Tbs. mayonnaise
- 2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
- 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
In a large bowl, whisk together all the ingredients.
Per serving (bowl in photo with 3 Tbs. smoked paprika dressing):
- Calories: 470
- Total fat: 27 g
- Sat fat: 4 g
- Carbs: 44 g
- Fiber: 15 g
- Total sugar: 12 g
- Added sugar: 1 g
- Protein: 19 g
- Sodium: 590 mg
Or try your bowl with Creamy Sesame Dressing.
Creamy Sesame Dressing
Makes about 12 Tbs.
- ¼ cup plain greek yogurt
- 2 Tbs. tahini
- 2 Tbs. lemon juice
- 2 Tbs. reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
- 2 tsp. honey
- 1 clove minced garlic
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
In a large bowl, whisk together all the ingredients.
Per serving (3 Tbs. dressing):
- Calories: 90
- Total fat: 6 g
- Sat fat: 1 g
- Carbs: 7 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Total sugar: 4 g
- Added sugar: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Sodium: 470 mg
Enjoy these recipes? Salad Days!—the latest cookbook from Nutrition Action’s Healthy Cook, Kate Sherwood—will help you expand your repertoire with imaginative combinations of greens, vegetables, herbs, whole grains, and proteins. You’ll find healthy variations on classics like Chicken Caesar and Cobb, as well as more adventurous combos like Black Beans & Red Rice with Smoked Paprika Dressing and Sesame Shrimp with Caramelized Shallot Citrus Dressing.