If you’re looking to make some sustainable changes to your daily nutrition, these Healthy 4-Element Power Bowls are the perfect recipe for success. So, what goes into a balanced power bowl? With these four elements, you can build the perfect power bowl every time.
This recipe calls for chicken that is either grilled or poached and then tossed in an easy lemon marinade and served over quinoa (as shown). Fresh tomatoes, roasted sweet peppers, corn and black beans make up the bulk of the bowl before it is topped with a light avocado buttermilk dressing and fresh pickled onions. Easy, healthy and delicious!
Jump to RecipeTable of Contents
Healthy 4-Element Power Bowls – a balanced approach to better nutrition
Most power bowls have four key elements: grains, veggies, lean protein and healthy fats. This easy recipe for Healthy 4-Element Power Bowls takes the guess work of out building the perfect bowl for you. The beauty of a power bowl is that you can literally build it for success by packing it with all your favorites.
- GRAINS – A 1/2 cup serving of whole grains is all you need to begin building your perfect power bowl. If I’m meal prepping at home, I usually cook up farro and quinoa or a blend of quinoa and other grains for a little variety. If you prefer barley, brown rice or some other grain use them instead. Choose your favorites and you’ll be more likely to stick to your nutrition goals.
- VEGGIES – Veggies should make up approximately 50% of your power bowl. Fresh veggies deliver that satisfying crunch and texture we all crave in our food. They also provide lots of flavor, fiber and the nutrients our bodies need.
- LEAN PROTEIN – If you’re already physically active or have just begun a new exercise program, your body needs protein to rebuild muscle. A general rule for a serving of plant-based proteins such as beans is 3/4 cup and 4-6 ounces for animal-based proteins such as eggs, chicken or fish.
- FATS – You need a little fat in your diet. Fat helps our bodies absorb important vitamins such as A, D and E. Nuts, seeds, avocados and flavor-packed sauces round out a good power bowl. Aim for 1 Tbsp. of oils and 1/4 cup for solid items like nuts or avocados.
These are the four fundamental components of any power bowl and the foundation for these Healthy 4-Element Power Bowls. Now that you know what goes into a power bowl and in what proportions, the sky’s the limit. Choose your favorites and use your creativity.
Perfect pairings
Avocados are a good source of healthy fats, but sometimes I want something that’s a little lighter. In my recipe for Super Simple 5-Minute Avocado Buttermilk Dressing, I use nonfat buttermilk to cut the richness of the avocados. Lime juice, cilantro and parsley brighten this tasty dressing and the onion powder and garlic powder add a hint of Umami. A drizzle of this dressing delivers a lot of flavor and just enough fat to this easy power bowl recipe to help keep anyone on track.
Another one of my favorite toppings to serve with these power bowls is a generous portion of Quick and Easy 10-Minute Pickled Onions. They have a fresh, light, neutral flavor profile that lends itself to just about anything. I even caught my husband eating them straight out of the jar as a snack. They’re so good, you may catch yourself doing the same.
In this easy power bowl recipe, I also call for either marinating the chicken before grilling or tossing it in the marinade after poaching. Sometimes I want that added char flavor that you can only get from the grill. There are benefits to both methods. It really just comes down to personal preference.
If you’re looking for more ideas on how to build the perfect power bowl, check out this Beach Body post that’s packed with a long list of delicious ingredients. Let your taste buds guide you to better health!
Let’s Get Social!
Thank you for visiting MOstly Bakes! I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about this easy power bowl recipe. For more delicious recipes and creative baking ideas, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media via Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest. Thank you again, for visiting and I look forward to connecting with you there!
Healthy 4-Element Power Bowls
Course: MainCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings30
minutes20
minutesA perfectly balanced power bowl of grains, lean protein and vegetables, topped with a light avocado buttermilk dressing and fresh pickled onions.
Ingredients
- For the Easy Lemon Marinade
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Juice of two lemons (approximately 1/2 cup)
2 cloves of fresh garlic, minced (approximately 2 tsp.)
1 1/2 Tbsp. agave nectar or honey
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley or cilantro, minced
- Ingredients for building your power bowls
Four 6-oz. chicken breasts (one breast per person)
2 cups of quinoa or grain of choice, rinsed and cooked according to package instructions.
Chicken stock or poaching water for cooking the quinoa.
One 15-oz. can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1-2 large fresh tomatoes diced
1-2 large bell peppers, seeded, diced (charring the skins is optional but delicious)
1-2 fresh jalapeno peppers, sliced thin
2 cups corn (fresh or frozen), plus 1 Tbsp. olive oil and 1/2 tsp. salt for cooking
1 cup fresh parsley or cilantro, roughly chopped for topping the bowls
One batch of Super Simple 5-Minute Avocado Buttermilk Dressing
One batch of Quick and Easy 10-Minute Pickled Onions
Directions
- Prepare the marinade
- Mix all marinade ingredients together. Use the marinade to prepare the chicken according to your preferred cooking method outlined in the Perfect Pairings section and below.
- Prepare the chicken
- If grilling the chicken, place the chicken and the marinade in a bowl and toss to ensure all pieces are completely coated. Allow the chicken to marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes. Rotate the chicken to ensure complete exposure to the marinade.
Remove the chicken from the marinade. Transfer the marinade to a small sauce pan and bring to the boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
Grill the chicken until the breasts have reached an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. Remove from the heat and allow to rest for 15 minutes before shredding the meat. - Toss the shredded chicken in the boiled marinade for maximum flavor. Set aside until ready to serve.
- If poaching the chicken, place the chicken in a medium size sauce pan and cover with water. Bring the water to a gentle boil. Immediate reduce the heat to a simmer and allow the chicken to poach for 10 – 15 minutes until done.
Remove the chicken from the pot and allow to rest for 15 minutes before shredding. Immediately toss the shredded chicken in the marinade. Set aside until ready to serve. - Prepare the quinoa
- Cook the quinoa or other grain according to package instructions. Substitute the water for either prepared low-sodium chicken stock or the poaching water.
If using the water the chicken was poached in, strain it first to filter out any chicken pieces. - Prepare the vegetables
- Drain and rinse the black beans. Warm them in the microwave. Dice the tomatoes and slice the jalapeno peppers. Set aside until ready to serve.
- Dice the bell peppers. For an optional but delicious alternative, quickly char the bell peppers by placing them directly on the grill, under the broiler, or skin-side down in a dry hot pan until the skin starts to blister and blacken. Remove from the heat and dice once cool enough to handle. Set aside until ready to serve.
- Heat the corn in a skillet with 1 Tbsp. olive oil and 1/2 tsp. salt until cooked through. Alternatively, you can use grilled corn that has been removed from the cob.
- Roughly chop the parsley and/or cilantro. Set aside until ready to serve.
- Assemble your bowl
- Once all the ingredients are prepared, assemble your bowls as desired. Top with avocado buttermilk dressing, pickled onions and enjoy.
Notes
- What are some other toppings I can serve with these power bowls? Diced cucumbers, jicama, a wedge of lime and crisp lettuce are also delicious.
