Three Bean Power Bowl (Printable)

Powerful blend of beans, grains, and fresh vegetables tossed in a zesty dressing for a nutritious meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Beans

01 - 1 cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 cup cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
03 - 1 cup cooked kidney beans, drained and rinsed

→ Grains

04 - 1 cup cooked quinoa or brown rice

→ Vegetables

05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
07 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
08 - 1 cup baby spinach or mixed greens
09 - 1 medium avocado, sliced
10 - 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced

→ Dressing

11 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
13 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
14 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
15 - 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
16 - 1 garlic clove, minced
17 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

18 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
19 - 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds, optional

# How To Make It:

01 - Wash and cut all vegetables into uniform sizes: halve cherry tomatoes, dice cucumber and bell pepper, slice avocado, and mince garlic. Set prepared ingredients aside on a clean work surface.
02 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until emulsified and smooth.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, add drained black beans, chickpeas, and kidney beans along with prepared cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, and spinach. Mix gently to incorporate.
04 - Fold the cooked quinoa or brown rice into the bean and vegetable mixture using a spatula or wooden spoon to avoid crushing delicate ingredients.
05 - Pour the prepared dressing over the mixture and toss gently using an upward folding motion to evenly coat all components while maintaining ingredient integrity.
06 - Divide the dressed mixture equally among four serving bowls. Top each bowl with sliced avocado distributed evenly across the surface.
07 - Sprinkle fresh cilantro or parsley over each bowl and add toasted seeds if desired. Serve immediately while ingredients maintain optimal texture and temperature.
08 - For meal preparation, refrigerate undressed components separately and combine up to 2 days prior to consumption, adding avocado and fresh garnish immediately before eating.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It actually keeps you full without the afternoon energy crash that comes from most grain bowls.
  • You can prep it Sunday and eat it straight from the fridge all week without it getting soggy or sad.
  • The dressing tastes so good you'll want to drizzle it on literally everything else you own.
02 -
  • If you're making this for meal prep, skip the avocado until you're actually about to eat it, because even the best intentions can't stop avocado from browning in the fridge.
  • The dressing tastes better when the garlic has had a few minutes to steep in the acid, so make it first and let it sit while you chop vegetables.
03 -
  • Make the dressing at least a few minutes before you assemble the bowl so the garlic has time to infuse into the oil and vinegar, which makes it taste more polished and less raw.
  • If you're feeling the bowl taste flat when you taste it plain, it's usually because it needs more salt and acid, so taste as you go and adjust those two things before you plate.
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