POWER FOOD BOWLS MEALS

If you haven’t already heard of them, power bowls are the hot new food trend. Made from grains, greens and protein, they’re a nutritionally dense way to eat a meal that’s a lot more filling than just a salad. Trendy joints like Sweetgreen and Native Foods Cafe offer fast-casual grains and greens bowls to consumers, and you’ll find these on many sit-down restaurant menus as well.

In fact, research from the food-industry consulting firm Technomic shows that power bowls have become 29.7 percent more popular for entrees over the last five years. But if you don’t want to go out and spend money on a bowl, here are 13 power bowl recipes you can make at home. Bowl appetit (sorry).

1. Sweet Potato Chickpea Buddha Bowl

This recipe comes from Minimalist Baker, one of my favorite food bloggers out there. The combination of crispy roasted chickpeas with tender sweet potatoes and garlicky kale is unbeatable. And you’ll want to put this tahini sauce on EVERYTHING. Bonus points for being vegan! Get the recipe from Minimalist Baker.

Courtesy Minimalist Baker

2. Balsamic Chicken Salad with Lemon Quinoa

For the meat-eaters out there, this hefty bowl is packed with lean protein and tons of flavor. Plus, it’s gluten free thanks to the quinoa! A combination of fresh parsley and oregano would be killer mixed into this dish, and if you were wondering, feta is one of the healthiest cheeses you can eat. Get the recipe from Cafe Bites.

Courtesy Cafe Delites

3. Roasted Rainbow Winter Bowls

You’ll want to hang onto this recipe when the dead of winter hits, and you can’t stomach even one more beige meal. This combo of roasted mushrooms, roasted butternut squash, roasted delicata squash, white beans, wild rice, avocado and pickled red cabbage (all doused with a lemon tahini sauce) will keep you satisfied…without adding anything to your winter weight struggle. Find it on Keepin’ it Kind.

Courtesy Keepin’ it Kind

4. Middle Eastern Grilled Vegetable & Lentil Bowls with Falafel-Spiced Roasted Chickpeas & Tahini-Yogurt Sauce

If you can say all of that, you can cook all of it. Lentils are a great bowl base since they’re easy to cook in batches (hello, lunch all week) and are extremely versatile. Plus, they’re crazy healthy and packed with protein. Skip the same-old, same-old sandwich and whip up this delicious bowl. Then, close your eyes and pretend you’re on the shores of the Mediterranean. Recipe from Apples & Sparkle.

Courtesy Apples and Sparkle

5. Barbacoa Beef Bowls

Sometimes you want a healthy meal, but not too healthy. That’s where barbacoa beef comes in. Skip the sodium-heavy Chipotle and use this bowl as an excuse to get rid of any leftover veggies you might have lying around in the fridge. Sad cherry tomatoes? Three tablespoons of frozen corn? A handful of lettuce? In they go—welcome to your new and improved burrito bowl. Recipe from The Wanderlust Kitchen.

Courtesy Wanderlust Kitchen

6. 20-Minute Chicken Enchilada Bowls

Enchiladas are delicious but not super healthy when they’re covered in cheese. Also, they take forever to make. Enter the enchilada bowl—all the salty-spicy-acidic deliciousness of your fave entree but far more nutritionally dense. If you want to be really virtuous, you can even skip the sour cream. Get the recipe from Lauren’s Latest.

7. Quinoa and Roasted Broccoli Lunch Bowls

Oven-roasted broccoli is one of my favorite ways to spice up a bowl. Paired with sweet red grapes and satisfying quinoa (plus almonds for crunch), people will think you’re a total health guru. And let’s face it: with a lunch like this, you basically are. Get the details from Kristine’s Kitchen.

Courtesy Kristine’s Kitchen

8. Peanut Butter & Jelly Breakfast Bowl

Bowls don’t always have to be savory. This bowl, which uses Greek yogurt as a base, is a lot more tempered. Make sure to use unsweetened peanut butter and real fruit jam (or use raw cut up fruit!) to keep this as healthful as possible. Recipe from A New Bloom.

Courtesy A New Bloom

9. Crunchy Quinoa Power Bowl with Almond Ginger Dressing

We hope you’re not getting tired of quinoa, because it’s not going anywhere. Because it’s so high in protein and amino acids, quinoa is a great addition to your meals. And in this one, a dressing made with ginger, garlic and lime punch it up… just in case you’re getting quinoa fatigue. Recipe from Making Thyme for Health.

Courtesy Making Thyme For Health

10.  Farro Pilaf with Mushrooms, White Beans & Kale

Don’t be afraid of farro—this grain is not only delicious, it’s also a nutrition powerhouse. Paired with equally tasty (and healthy) ingredients like white beans and kale, this is a show-stopping bowl that will have you reaching for alt-grains like farro and amaranth from now on. Get the details from Natural Girl Modern World.

Courtesy Natural Girl Modern World

11. Chopped Chicken Sesame Noodle Bowls

I cook from Pinch of Yum all the time—the recipes always come out delicious, and this one is no different. Plus, it feels a little more indulgent to eat noodles instead of leaves or grains sometimes. But apart from that, this bowl is just as healthy as the rest, with tons of fresh herbs and veggies to go along with the soba noodles. Yum. Recipe courtesy of Pinch of Yum.

Courtesy Pinch of Yum

12. Grilled Chicken Kebab Bowls with Cucumber Salad and Tzatziki

Mmm kebabs… they’re greasy and filling and soul-satisfying and pretty much every other good thing I can think of, but they’re not especially healthy for you. Enter the kebab bowl—skip the pita and pack the bowl with tons of fresh veg and a light yogurt tzatziki sauce and you’re in business. Get the recipe from I Will Not Eat Oysters.

Courtesy I Will Not Eat Oysters

13. Blueberry Farro Yogurt Bowl

Remember that thing about farro being delicious? Well, it’s also amazing as part of a sweet bowl (think rice pudding-style versatility). This bowl is packed with warm and toasty farro and topped with creamy yogurt and a drizzle of sweet stewed blueberries. Get the recipe from Running to the Kitchen.

Courtesy Running to the Kitchen