6 healthy bowl recipes for dinner

If you use your bowls just for oatmeal or cornflakes, you are missing out on a lot of nutritious and delicious meals. You can combine loads of healthy ingredients in one bowl. Right from seasonal vegetables to chicken to noodles to eggs, you can thrown in many things into a bowl. Healthy bowls are a great way to have a meal that is easy to make and looks great to eat. It is the combination of colours that makes meal in a bowl visually appealing. Try some of the best healthy bowl recipes for dinner.

If you eat in a bowl, you can control the portion size. Along with the ingredients, choosing the correct bowl size is important. Bowl with a diameter of 8 inches is perfect for maintaining a healthy portion size, says clinical nutritionist Susmita N.

Healthy bowl recipes for dinner

Here are some bowl recipes you can try for dinner.

1. Quinoa chickpeas bowl

Ingredients

• Two cups of cooked quinoa
• One thin sliced cucumber
• Half cup of cherry tomatoes
• One diced avocado
• Fresh mint leaves
• One cup of drained, patted dry cooked chickpeas
• Two teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil
• Salt as per taste
• Ground cumin

Method

Mix all the ingredients and then dig in.

Chickpeas are packed with protein that is a good option for vegetarians. Quinoa and chickpeas keep the stomach full for longer time helping in weightloss. Quinoa is good for diabetes and helps lower cholesterol, says the expert.

2. Brown rice and tofu bowl

Ingredients

• Half cup of cooked brown rice
• Quarter cup of roasted broccoli
• Quarter cup of baked or grilled tofu
• Half avocado (diced)
• Carrot ginger dressing
• One teaspoon each of sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds
• Salt and red chili flakes as per taste

Method

• To make carrot ginger dressing, roast chunks of carrot drizzled with olive oil till they are tender.
• Add the carrots, olive oil, salt and ginger to a blender and make into fine puree.
• Put all the ingredients in a bowl and serve.

Tofu is a rich source of plant protein. It helps in diabetes, bone health, manage cholesterol. Broccoli is rich with vitamin C and helps as to improve cardiovascular function.

3. Sprouted moong and paneer bowl

Ingredients

• Fifty grams of grilled paneer (Indian cottage cheese) cubes
• Half cup of cooked sprouted moong (green gram)
• Five cherry tomatoes
• One small onion (diced)
• Half avocado (diced)
• One teaspoon of lemon juice
• Salt and chili flakes as per taste
• Olive oil for drizzling

Method

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and serve fresh.

This is a protein power-packed bowl with moong and paneer. Paneer is good source of calcium and proteins and helps in bone health, manage blood health and good for weight loss. Green moong is rich in magnesium, fiber and it helps in lower blood pressure, helps weight loss and good for brain health.

4. Quinoa egg bowl

Ingredients

• Half cup of cooked quinoa
• Two boiled eggs (cut in halves)
• Half cup of cherry tomatoes
• Cooked spinach
• Two teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil
• Salt as per taste
• Chili flakes and oregano as per taste

Method

Mix all the ingredients and then eat.

Quinoa is fiber rich which helps in weight loss, help maintains diabetes and helps lower cholesterol. Eggs are complete protein that nourishes the body and help in portion control which is good for weight loss, says the expert.

5. Chicken bowl

Ingredients

• One chicken breast
• Half cup of cooked brown rice
• Quarter avocado (diced)
• Half cup of cooked palak (spinach)
• Five cherry tomatoes cut in halves
• Quarter cup of boiled corn
• Two pieces of ginger
• Two cloves of garlic
• Two cups of curd
• Salt and pepper as per taste
• One teaspoon of lemon juice

Method

• Marinate the chicken in olive oil, lemon juice, salt, chili powder, ginger garlic paste and curd. Keep aside for two hours.
• On a heated grill or pan, cook the chicken evenly on both sides and then cut into strips.
• Mix all the ingredients and the cooked chicken strips in a bowl.

Chicken been a good source of protein help to maintain strong bones, build muscles, and manage weight, healthy heart. As corn contains insoluble fiber, it aids in constipation, gut health, carotenoids act as good antioxidant and help in eye health. However, if the blood sugar levels are high or you are diabetic, it is best to avoid corn or to maintain low portion size, suggests Susmita.

6. Sweet potato spinach bowl

Ingredients

• Chopped sweet potato (medium size)
• Quarter cup of onion cut in large pieces
• Two boiled eggs
• Half cup of mixed vegetables (peas, broccoli, corn, carrot)
• Salt, pepper, chili flakes and lemon juice as per taste
• Olive oil for drizzling

Method

• In a preheated oven, bake potatoes, onion, mixed vegetables after drizzling with olive oil.
• In a bowl combine the baked vegetables, add seasoning and lemon juice as per taste.
• Place the eggs on top, and enjoy.

Sweet potato is good with fiber and antioxidants. It support good vision, help manage cancer, enhance brain function. Vitamin A in it is food for eyes, kidneys and heart. If your blood sugar level is high or you are diabetic, don’t eat sweet potato much.