I will be the first to admit that I have not been eating very well since Harvey struck. I told my students not to worry about their Freshman 15, because I think I put on the Harvey 20. During the storm, I ate from my “emergency” supply of nonperishable junk, and in the aftermath, I ate a diet of mostly takeout. This situation was partly unavoidable, but partly excuse-making on my part. But after spending a couple of weeks loading up on processed garbage and MSG, I am more than ready to get back to eating “real” food.
Part of how I kept myself on track prior to Harvey—and probably how I am going to get back on track in the days ahead—was by eating a lot of grain bowls. I don’t know if “grain bowl” is really the right term for what I make, since the grain is just one small part, but that is what I most often see them called. The reason I’ve been turning to grain bowls recently is twofold: (1) I’ve been trying to incorporate a lot more balance into my diet, and these bowls are a perfect way to do that. There is a little of everything in every bowl I make: vegetables, whole grains, protein, healthy fat, etc. (2) I need variety in my life. Lack of variety is part of what drives me to order takeout, because I get so sick of the food in the fridge and the monotony of eating the same dinner every night. I used to cook a big pot of something on Sunday with the goal of eating it all week, but I have realized that is unsustainable because it’s just so boring. Grain bowls are a great way to introduce more diversity into my meals. I can cook a protein (or just pick up a rotisserie chicken) and a grain on Sunday, and I can turn them into very different meals every day of the week. (Grain bowls are also an excellent way to use up random leftovers in the fridge, since almost anything can work in them.)
The very basic formula for a grain bowl is: Grain + Protein + Vegetables. Ideally, some of the vegetables should be cooked and some should be raw to allow for a variety of textures. There should be some kind of crunch. I also think there should be some kind of fat, whether that is avocado, a handful of nuts, or a healthy drizzle of oil. Something pickled is a nice touch, too, although I don’t always do that. Most online sources call for some kind of sauce or vinaigrette, but I don’t usually do that—I just make sure the components are well seasoned. In the end, it’s up to the cook assembler. For me, it depends on what I have on hand.
Here are some examples of grain bowls I’ve made in the past. Some are more boring than others, but at least I never eat the same bowl twice. But as you can see, there are certain components that I incorporate over and over again.
What do you want to kibitz about tonight?