Healthy Mediterranean Grain Bowl

This Mediterranean grain bowl is a staple in our household and my go-to meal whenever I don’t feel like looking up new recipes for the week. It’s just a meal that feels fresh and healthy – with the antioxidants from the veggies, fiber from the quinoa and beans, and healthy fats from the olive oil and chopped walnuts. {Gluten-Free}

Ingredients

💕Raw Quinoa (one cup): Quinoa is a healthy whole grain that is also considered a “complete” protein. You could also substitute with rice, farro, barley.

💕Red Onion (1/2 cup, diced).

💕Garbanzo Beans/Chickpeas, rinsed (15.5 oz. can)💕Chicken Breast (1/2-1 pound). Use rotisserie or already cooked chicken for convenience. Lean chicken breast increases the protein content of this bowl, however, salmon would make a great substitute. I ensure the chicken is cut thinly for faster cooking. Omit the chicken and add some hemp hearts for a vegetarian option.

💕Cucumber (one whole cucumber).

💕Red Bell Pepper (two whole peppers).

💕Chopped walnuts (1/2 cup). The walnuts add nice texture and crunch to this dish, while also being high in healthy fats including the omega-3 fatty acids alpha-linoleic acid.

💕Feta Cheese (~3/4 cup).

💕Olive oil and vinegar: Any olive oil based dressing would work with this recipe – I have used Greek and Italian dressing and it’s delicious.

Step-By-Step Directions

1. Assemble all ingredients along with a cutting board, knife, pot for cooking the quinoa and pan to roast the chicken. I love using this vegetable chopper to ensure all the veggies are in small, bite-sized pieces!

2. Season the chicken with garlic powder, salt and pepper.

3. Cook quinoa according to package directions.

While quinoa is cooking, heat a pan over medium-high heat. Add a little olive oil or avocado spray to the pan and sear the chicken breast on both sides until cooked through. This should be about 6 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the chicken. I often air fry the chicken for about 25 minutes for less dishes and mess.

4. As the chicken and quinoa are cooking, use the vegetable chopper to dice red onion, cucumber, and red bell pepper. The bell peppers could also be chopped and cooked at the same time with the chicken, if you prefer.

5. Measure 1/4 cup of olive oil and 1/2 cup of red wine vinegar. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Whisk until combined. Substitute with Italian or Greek dressing for an easy substitute.

6. For each bowl, place about a 1/2 cup of cooked quinoa in a bowl and top with diced chicken breast, red onion, cucumber, bell pepper, feta cheese, chickpeas and chopped walnuts. Drizzle 1/4th of the dressing over the bowl and combine.

Full recipe at link in bio. Or, google “Moderstely Messy RD Mediterranean Grain Bowl”.