5 Steps To Creating The Perfect Lunch Bowl.

Lunch bowls are a favorite of mine for many reasons. They are so satisfying and allow you to use up those leftovers in the fridge in the most stylish way possible. Plus, they are a great dish to make for just 1 person. For me personally, there are always a few essentials that I like to keep in mind when making my bowls. That’s why I thought some of you might like my 5 steps to creating the perfect lunch bowl:

1. Go green for the base: I always like to start my bowl with lots of greens as the base or filler. Usually this will be baby spinach or arugula. Kale is also great.
2. Protein: For a few months now, I have been leading a diet that includes protein in every meal. I noticed that the protein makes me feel full longer and is great for energy. Some of my go-to protein options for lunch are lentils or chick peas since we usually include meat in our dinners. Other than that a poached egg, smoked trout filet, greek yogurt or a bit of chicken breast are also great for bowls.
3. Eat the rainbow: Lots of colors usually mean lots of vitamins. That’s why I include at least 2-3 vegetables (additional to the green base) in my bowls. Chopped tomatoes, grilled carrots or red bell pepper are my favorites. Speaking of eating the rainbow – remember this healthy avocado pasta recipe?
4. Carbs for the win: In order to stay full and for our metabolism to work well, it is important not to starve ourselves. That’s why I started eating more (healthy) carbs lately. My absolute favorite for lunch bowls is quinoa! Of course, if you are having lentils or chickpeas, this can become a bit too filling. But when opting for just some egg or chicken, always make sure to include quinoa, potatoes or a slice of rye bread!
5. Fresh herbs + spices: To top off my bowls, I love fresh herbs and add a few spices. My top 3 herbs are parsley, cilantro and basil. Sometimes mint also works well (ie. for a Moroccan-inspired bowl). In terms of spices, try some Himalayan salt and cayenne pepper to give your bowl a little kick. Voilà!

With these 5 steps to creating the perfect lunch bowl your meal should be ready in no time! For today’s bowl, I used arugula (= green base), 200gr of cooked lentils (= 15 gr protein), grilled carrots, red peppers and beet root (= rainbow) oven baked potatoes (= carbs), as well as a bit of chopped parsley, sea salt + cayenne pepper and olive oil + fresh lemon juice as seasoning (= fresh herbs + spices). Yum!