Hi all! It’s been a while since I’ve posted (kids take up a lot of time!) but I’ve come back to share a great recipe with you. I’ve recently been asked to consider allergen-friendly recipes and this came to mind as a super versatile and very healthy recipe: power bowls! They are modifiable to accommodate almost any allergy or diet, and with just a change of spices you can change the flavor profile significantly to keep it interesting. Another huge bonus- they often end up being sheet-pan meals that come together in 30 minutes! Here are the building blocks:

• 1 cup instant brown rice or quinoa (or 2 cups cooked brown rice, wild rice, quinoa, or any other whole grain you prefer) – you can cook this in water or stock and can add spices as desired
• Veggies of choice: I like using sweet potatoes, red onion wedges, broccoli, and cauliflower for roasting, and frozen peas, carrots, edamame, broccoli, and green beans for sauteing. You can also include kale or another hearty green for extra texture.
• Protein: I love using chickpeas, edamame, or black beans, but I have used chicken and salmon as well (much to my husband’s happiness and relief) with great results.
• Healthy fat: Avocado is my go-to here, but you could also include nuts for added crunch, or a drizzle of olive oil. Using a fatty fish like salmon is also a great way to get healthy fats into the dish.
• Sauce: Greek yogurt-based, soy-sauce based, chili-based, lime juice-based… this is a great opportunity for rounding out the flavors and bringing the dish together.

Here are a couple of my favorite examples:

• Sweet chili salmon bowl: Saute frozen veggies (listed above) with salmon fillets until cooked through; mix with brown rice and top with jarred sweet chili sauce, sesame seeds, and peanuts (as desired)
• Turmeric chickpea bowl: Roast veggies (listed above) tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper at 375 degrees for 30 minutes; toss chickpeas in olive oil, turmeric, cumin, and a dash of salt and roast alongside other veggies. Combine with quinoa, massaged kale, and avocado. Mix plain yogurt with garlic powder, a dash of salt, and a splash of milk to loosen the texture; drizzle sauce over the top.
• Taco bowl (pictured below): Roast veggies tossed with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and olive oil at 375 degrees for 30 minutes; meanwhile, sprinkle thin-cut chicken breast with taco seasoning and bake or grill until cooked through. Layer quinoa or brown rice with roasted veggies, avocado, and thinly sliced chicken breast. Mix plain Greek yogurt with lime juice, garlic powder, cumin, and salt and drizzle over the top.

Power bowls are a great option for pleasing any palate and are very easy and user-friendly. Try it with your favorite grains, veggies, protein and spices, and see what you can come up with! Happy cooking!