Plant-based grain bowls are a simple meal to prepare for busy weeks. They’re loaded with nutrients, and can be customized to your liking throughout the week!

Grain Bowls, 2 ways
Although I don’t meal prep often, I like to batch cook a few things to keep in my fridge to make lunch time easier. Having 2-3 cooked grains, 2 proteins, and a variety of vegetables around make it easy to toss together these simple grain bowls.
The combinations are endless to what you can add in to your bowls, but these two combinations of crispy tofu with brown rice, and black beans & quinoa are two of my favorite ones that are both satisfying and delicious!

Spending about an hour at the beginning of the week or weekend to prepare the ingredients really comes in handy during busy weeks.
Grain bowls are simple to make, highly nutritious, and easily customizable.

How to make grain bowls
To assemble grain bowls of any kind, you can use any combination of ingredients you enjoy. Here are a few things I always make sure to include in my grain bowls:
Grains
This one’s an obvious one, but your grain bowl needs a grain! Some of my favorite add-ins are brown or wild rice, quinoa, farro or barley. The grains add a hearty, complex carb that provides nutrients like fiber, and essential B vitamins.
Protein
To keep these plant-based, I love adding tofu or any kind of bean. The protein adds that satiating factor to the bowls, and helps complete the meal. Some other options would be tempeh, chicken, or any variety of beans!
Veggies
The more variety of colors you include, the better. I first choose a base, like lettuce or kale, and add a few different colored vegetables to the top of the bowls
Fat
Avocados are usually my go-to fat for grain bowls, since they pair well with just about any flavor combination. They also provide heart-healthy omega 3 fats, and help keep you full
Sauce
The spicy tahini sauce brings all the flavors together, and is so delicious as a dressing or a dip. Another delicious dressing option would be my green goddess tahini sauce!
Something Crunchy
I love to add a little crunch to my bowls, like pumpkin seeds or slivered almonds

Preparing ahead of time
All of the ingredients can be prepared in advance and assembled when ready to serve. The grains and tofu will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days, and the beans can be rinsed ahead of time and stored for 4 days.
You can chop and prep your veggies and store them in individual containers in the fridge, or assemble them into your bowls so that they’re ready to go!
I suggest keeping your dressing in a separate small container and adding it once you’re ready to eat.

These bowls can be served cold or at room temperature, and are a delicious, nutritious meal prep for the week.
The recipe lists out toppings and veggies I personally like to combine, but feel free to make these your own and add in any combination of ingredients you prefer!