I was turned on to making healthy bowls a couple of years ago.

I got inspiration from my ‘go to’ order at Chipotle: the combination of fresh and crunchy ingredients with veggies, chicken, and guacamole…yum. The colors and textures just make it so inviting-you can’t wait to dig in!

I am very interested in following an anti-inflammatory diet due to my autoimmune disorder- see my post on this. I’m also trying to cook for my husband more (see my post Healthy Dinners for 2), and want our meals to be tasty and enjoyable, as well as healthy.

The simple and healthy ingredients in bowls is the solution I’ve been wanting. Bowls are perfect for anyone (like us) managing chronic diseases, but also anyone who just wants to promote their optimal health. You can customize them however you’d like, adding so many great flavors. And best of all, they are super easy to put together.

How To Make Bowls

Just throw together foods from each of these categories:

• Proteins. Because the objective is for the bowls to be easy, I suggest using packaged and/or pre-cooked proteins like chicken, steak and shrimp.
• Raw and cooked veggies
• Something pickled (onions, cucumbers, beets)
• Carbs like noodles, oats or rice (try purple or red rice for color)
• Something crunchy
• Sauce
• Fried egg (optional)

I suggest investing in bowls like in the photo below. They are quite large and shaped perfectly for layering ingredients.

We went to a restaurant that served salads in bowls like these, and my daughter asked for a set of them for Christmas. Ha. I love the shape, and that you can fit plenty of layers in there. I also like that they’re white- there’s something about using white dishes to set off all the colors of your food. See my post on serving dishes for more awesome serving ideas!

Our Top 6 Favorite Bowls

Make bowls for breakfast, lunch or dinner! These six dishes make the list, because they are so simple to make, yet incredibly flavorful and substantial.

1. Breakfast Bowls. An awesome way to start the day with high protein and deliciousness. We have two variations, cold and hot.

Cold Option. We love bowls that center around grains like chia seeds, oatmeal or granola. “Overnight Oats” are a thing lately and a super easy way to get your grains ready to eat the next morning. Add fresh and dried fruits, nuts and seeds, creamy yogurt, and a drizzle of honey. Top with some nutty wheat germ.

Hot Option. Make scrambled or hard boiled eggs the star. Add some ham, bacon or sausage, crispy fried potatoes, cherry tomatoes, avocado, pickled onions and sriracha.

2. Pulled Pork Bowl. We love to buy packaged and seasoned pulled pork. It’s so versatile and goes with just about everything. For this bowl, we add sushi rice, crunchy cabbage, pickled onions, and of course that beautiful egg!

My daughter makes, quite literally, the best fried egg, and when the bowls are topped with this yummy goodness, they just cannot be beat.

3. Ahi Poke Bowl. This is my favorite, although raw fish is not for everyone. I happen to love sashimi and any kind of seafood, cooked or raw. I had several of these bowls in Hawaii and absolutely got hooked on them.

Fresh raw ahi tuna, sliced avocado, pickled onions and ginger, sushi rice, cubed mango, green onions, sesame seeds and a dash of sauce like this wonderful Japanese Barbecue Sauce. Crunchy peanuts or tobiko (fish roe) is delicious on top.

4. Steak Bowl. Some packaged fajita steak is the hero in this bowl, and this combination is classic. To my steak, I added red onions, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, pickles and yellow peppers. I finish this with Japanese barbecue sauce or a creamy horseradish dip. (See an upcoming post on amazing home-made dips for your next party!)

5. Shrimp Bowl. One of my freezer staples is a bag of frozen, cooked shrimp. Keep this on hand, and you’ll be prepared for so many quick and tasty recipes: shrimp tacos, scampi, risotto, crab boil…we use shrimp in lots of creative and interesting ways.

This bowl calls for a generous portion of shrimp, purple rice, cabbage, shredded carrots, broccoli, pickled onions, and topped with the fried egg. YUM.

6. Thanksgiving Bowl. Have you tried one of these at KFC or Wawa? They are definitely perfect around the holidays but can be eaten any time of year, especially in the winter when you’re getting the urge for something totally satisfying. I like making these at home where I can control ingredients and make them a bit healthier.

To some cooked, sliced chicken breast (use rotisserie to save time) or turkey, add mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli, corn kernels, stuffing, and top with cranberry or applesauce. The heaviness of the potatoes is nicely offset by the sour sauce.

For a change to cranberry or applesauce, try this recipe for “Copper Penny Carrots”. My ex-mother-in-law loved making these at holiday time, and I just made them recently for Easter. They went beautifully with pork, potatoes and the whole meal.

Do you make any bowls at home that meet our criteria of being simple, fast and super tasty? Please share so we can add some new dishes to the lineup! 🥗