Three-Bean Power Bowl (Printable Version)

Hearty protein bowl with beans, quinoa, fresh vegetables and zesty dressing

# Components:

→ 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 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 pepper to taste

→ Garnish

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

# Directions:

01 - Dice all vegetables and slice avocado. Set prepared ingredients aside.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until well combined.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, and spinach.
04 - Stir cooked quinoa or brown rice into the bean and vegetable mixture.
05 - Pour dressing over the mixture and toss gently until all components are evenly coated.
06 - Divide the mixture equally among four serving bowls and arrange sliced avocado on top of each portion.
07 - Sprinkle fresh cilantro or parsley and toasted seeds over each bowl. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 days.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's genuinely filling without feeling heavy, so you won't crash an hour later.
  • Everything can be prepped the night before, turning a busy morning into one less thing to worry about.
  • The dressing is tangy and bright enough that you'll actually look forward to eating your vegetables.
02 -
  • Don't dress the avocado until you're actually eating—the acid in the lemon juice will turn it brown if it sits too long, which won't hurt it but changes the visual appeal.
  • If you're meal prepping, keep the dressing separate and add it right before eating, or the vegetables will weep and everything gets soggy by day two.
03 -
  • Toast your own seeds in a dry pan for two minutes—they go from forgettable to deeply nutty and make the whole bowl feel elevated.
  • If you're serving this to guests, assemble the bowls in front of them so they see all the layers and colors; it's more impressive than it has any right to be.
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