The Guide to Making a Nourish Bowl

A go-to recipe that’s a beautiful balance of nutrient-dense vegetables, fruits, carbohydrates, healthy fats and quality proteins.

I’m excited to share with you all one of my favorite go-to “recipes” that I’ve been eating for years. I’ve finally come up with the perfect way to describe it – the Nourish Bowl. When I first shared one of my Nourish Bowls on Instagram, it became one of my most popular posts for good reason… it’s easy and so delicious! The root of the Nourish Bowl is choosing nutrient dense veggies, fruits/carbohydrates, healthy fats, and quality proteins to make a filling meal in a bowl. It’s essentially a macrobiotic bowl or macro bowl, so keep reading to learn the nutrition of a macro bowl and how to make your own!

Without fail, this is one of my staple recipes I eat at least once a day. I think the rest of you will catch on and soon become lovers of this “recipe”, too! So first things first, what is a Nourish Bowl? Basically, it’s what I call a huge salad bowl with the base being dark leafy greens, topped with a protein, a carbohydrate, and a healthy fat. It’s a perfect meal-in-a-bowl and completely nourishing when you’re choosing your toppings wisely. Below is a breakdown of ingredients that you can start making for your own Nourish Bowl, and I also include a recipe for my very favorite one that I hope you’ll try as well! 

Pictured {shredded carrots, sliced cucumbers, purple sweet potatoes, quinoa, chickpeas, hemp seeds, avocado, roasted brussells sprouts, red onion, cherry tomatoes on top of romaine and spinach lettuce}

NOURISH BOWL INGREDIENTS

Greens

Spinach, romaine, arugula, kale, micro greens, sprouts, mustard greens, swiss chard, etc.

Proteins

Tempeh, beans, quinoa and lentils (starchy-proteins), hemp seeds, nuts/seeds, nutritional yeast (not a “protein”, but loaded with plant-based protein). Vegetarian-friendly (ovo-, pesca-, lacto-): farm fresh eggs and wild-caught fish. Animal proteins: quality sources only.

Healthy fats

Avocado, olive oil, olives, nuts, seeds, hemp seeds, grapeseed oil, sesame oil, truffle oil

Veggies

Carrots, bell peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, snap peas, peas, radish, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower; any and all veggies you enjoy!

Carbohydrates

Sweet potatoes, quinoa, millet, brown rice, wild rice, beans (starchy-protein), corn and peas  (starchy veggie).

Fruits:

Strawberries, pears, banana, papaya, mango, grapes, raspberries, apples, etc.

Add-ons

Fermented veggies like kimchi or sauerkraut, homemade salad dressings [try my favorite Sweet Tahini Drizzle], kelp/dulse granules and flakes for added iodine and minerals, nutritional yeast, homemade hummus, apple cider vinegar (a must!), fresh lemon juice

Dressings

My favorite is 2 tablespoons hummus + 2-4 tablespoon apple cider vinegar + 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast = a super thick and creamy dressing.

**BONUS recipe

Take my Nourishing Nut & Seed Bread, cut into cubes, toast until crunchy and golden brown = gluten free/ vegan-friendly salad croutons!

TIP: utilize your batch cooking day to prepare some of these Nourish Bowl ingredients ahead of time. I.e. washing, cutting, preparing other veggies or grilling/baking/preparing proteins of your choice. It’ll save you so much time during a busy week.

On my batch cooking day, I’ll always have tempeh, beans, sweet potatoes, massaged kale salad, and roasted veggies galore to use throughout the week. The Nourish Bowl is the exact dish I use many of these prepared “meal components”. You simply start with a big bed of dark leafy greens, add your favorite toppings, drizzle a delicious dressing or squeeze of fresh lemon, and you’re good to go! Literally, lunch or dinner in under 10 minutes.

I hope you all enjoy the Nourish Bowl as much as I do! Get creative, have fun and be sure to send me pictures of your Nourish Bowl creations. I want to see them so use the hashtag #nutritionstripped.

With a full belly,

xo McKel