I stumbled upon Shannon’s instagram handle and immediately felt like I could actually achieve healthier meals in my home. This girl is not only a genius at making clean eating attainable, but she makes it all look incredibly delicious in the process. So excited to introduce her today as I continue to take a break with my new little one. You can check out her site, NutritionSimp.ly for more. Now read on for TWO recipes!

How to Make Wholesome Grain Bowls
Eating wholesome nourishing meals is really important to me. But between keeping up with my two littles and running a nutrition business, there’s just not time (or energy to spare) for elaborate recipes and long days in the kitchen. Not to mention grocery shopping, planning, you know, the works. Who has time for that? (Read: No one.) Which is why I am such a big fan of keeping things simple.

In fact, my dream for you is for you to fling open your fridge, whip out whatever you’ve got on hand, throw together something that surprises everyone (including yourself), and, of course, to look and feel like a total babe while you do it (wink, wink).

I’m thrilled to be sharing my easiest “recipe” with you today, that can be made with whatever seasonal ingredients you’ve got in the house, in no time flat.

FARMER’S MARKET GRAIN BOWL
The Template:

1. The Grain Base
   Choose from: quinoa, farro, wild rice, amaranth, buckwheat, etc.
   Portion size: 1 cup cooked or about the size of a baseball

2. The Veggie Toppings
   Choose from: dark leafy greens, crunchy cruciferous veggies, starchy root veggies (you can’t go wrong here)
   Portion size: 1 cup cooked or about the size of a baseball

3. The Fruit Toppings*
   Choose from: mangos, cherries, pears, and other soft, sweet fruits
   Portion size: ¼ cup or about the size of an egg

4.  The Cheese Toppings
   Choose from: soft cheese like feta, goat cheese, and Brie are my favorites, but hard, finely shredded cheese work as well (use nutritional yeast or goat’s cheese for dairy-free option)
   Portion size: 1 ounce or about the size of a pair of dice

5. The Nut Garnish
   Choose from: all nuts and seeds, but we tend to go for soft crunchy nuts like walnuts, peanuts, cashews, macadamia nuts and pine nuts
   Portion size: 1 ounce or about the size of a pair of dice

*I opt for sweetening my plates with fresh, cut fruit and a little olive oil if necessary versus salad dressings. The natural sweeteners bring out the rich flavors in the plate without overpowering them, and provide all the good-for-you nutrients your body needs without the harmful sweeteners, additives, and preservatives.

CHERRY, FETA & WALNUT GRAIN BOWL

Ingredients:

1 cup white quinoa, cooked
1/2 cup roasted kale
½ cup roasted Brussels sprouts
¼ cup cherries, pitted
1 oz. feta cheese
2 tb. walnuts, chopped

Directions:
This really comes together so simply. Put the quinoa on the stove to simmer while you roughly chop the veggies. Drizzle with olive oil and bake at 400 while you pit the cherries and chop the walnuts. Drain the quinoa and combine in a bowl with cherries, feta, and walnuts. Remove the veggies from the oven and add to the bowl. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper. Toss and serve warm.
Quinoa cooks in about 10 minutes (cook according to package) and the veggies should roast in about the same time, making this a 15-minute or less, truly simple and satisfying meal. Hope you love it!

I’ll be sharing more ideas over on instagram + Nutrition Simply blog!