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Four grain bowls are pictured.

These bowls are full of seasonal produce and hearty ingredients to keep you warm as the weather turns cooler. You can even prep the ingredients ahead and enjoy healthy lunches throughout the week.

Kale and Cranberry Quinoa Bowl With Rosemary Dressing

Quinoa and kale grain bowl

Makes six servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 cups water
  • 1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained
  • 1 bunch of kale, any variety
  • 1 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup fresh cranberries, thinly sliced

Dressing

  • 3 large sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 2 tbs. honey
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp. sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa has absorbed all the water, about 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool.
  2. Remove kale stems and roughly chop the leaves. Place kale in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Use your fingers to massage kale for about one minute, until the leaves appear wilted and darker in color.
  3. Strip the rosemary leaves from their stems and mince them. Whisk dressing ingredients together until combined.
  4. Divide quinoa, kale, and cranberries between six bowls. Toss ingredients together or leave separate as desired. Drizzle with dressing. Enjoy warm or chilled.

Prep ahead: If you plan to enjoy chilled, prepare grain bowl as noted above. If you plan to reheat, store quinoa, kale, cranberries, and dressing individually, and reheat the quinoa before combining with other ingredients. Store refrigerated for up to six days.

Spiced Pumpkin and Kamut Bowl With Garlic-Thyme Dressing

Kamut and pumpkinseed grain bowl

Makes six servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 cups water
  • 1 cup kamut, rinsed and drained
  • 1 small pie pumpkin and its seeds
  • 2 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. sea salt

Dressing

  • 6 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add kamut, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the grains are tender, about 50 minutes. Drain excess liquid and allow to cool.
  3. Meanwhile, peel pumpkin skin with a sharp knife or vegetable peeler. Slice pumpkin in half and scoop out seeds and pulp. Reserve seeds for later. Cube pumpkin and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, cinnamon, and ½ tsp. sea salt. Roast for 15 minutes. Once pumpkin is roasted, remove from the oven and lower the heat to 325 degrees F.
  4. While the pumpkin roasts, rinse the seeds thoroughly to remove the stringy pulp. Bring a pot of water to a boil and boil the seeds for 20 minutes. Strain pumpkin seeds and spread them on a dish towel, gently patting the seeds to dry them. Once the seeds are dry, sprinkle them with remaining ½ tsp. sea salt, and transfer to a baking sheet. Bake until toasted, about 20 to 30 minutes more, stirring halfway through.
  5. Strip the thyme leaves from their stems and mince them. Whisk dressing ingredients together until combined.
  6. Divide kamut, pumpkin, and pumpkin seeds between six bowls. Toss ingredients together or leave separate as desired. Drizzle with dressing. Enjoy warm.

Prep ahead: Prepare grain bowl as noted above, but keep pumpkin seeds separate from other ingredients until after reheating. Store refrigerated for up to six days.

Farro and Roasted Broccolini Bowl With Mushrooms and Sage

Farro, mushroom, and broccolini grain bowl

Makes six servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 cups water
  • 1 1/2 cups farro, rinsed and drained
  • 2 bunches broccolini
  • 4 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
  • 4 tbs. chopped fresh sage
  • 20 oz. white button or cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 large shallots, diced
  • Shaved or grated Parmesan cheese, to taste

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add farro, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the grains are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain excess liquid and allow to cool.
  3. Place broccolini in a medium bowl. Drizzle with 1 tbs. olive oil and ½ tsp. sea salt, and toss to coat. Spread on baking sheet and roast until just fork tender, about five to seven minutes.
  4. Place a pan over medium heat and add remaining 3 tbs. olive oil. Add sage to the pan and sprinkle with remaining 1 tsp. sea salt. Cook until aromatic, about one to two minutes, stirring frequently.
  5. Add half of the sage, salt, and oil mixture to the farro and stir to combine. Leave remaining half in the pan. Add mushrooms and shallots to that pan and cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are tender and shallots are translucent, about five to seven minutes.
  6. Divide the farro, broccolini, and mushroom-shallot mix between six bowls. Toss ingredients together or leave separate as desired. Top each serving with Parmesan. Enjoy warm.

Prep ahead: Prepare grain bowl as noted. Store refrigerated for up to six days. Reheat before topping with Parmesan.

Beet and Wild Rice Bowl With Zesty Citrus Dressing

Grain bowls with wild rice, golden beets, and pomegranate

Makes six servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30–50 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 1/2 cups water
  • 1 1/2 cups wild rice, rinsed and drained
  • 4 medium golden beets
  • 2 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp. sea salt
  • 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

Dressing

  • 4 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 tbs. fresh squeezed orange juice
  • 1 tsp. orange zest
  • 1 tsp. sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add wild rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until rice is done to your liking, between 25–45 minutes depending on your preference and the age of the rice. You can tell it’s done when most of the grains have popped open. Drain excess liquid and allow to cool.
  3. While the rice cooks, remove the beet greens and root tips from each beet. Wash the beets and peel the skin with a vegetable peeler. Cube beets and place on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast for 20 minutes.
  4. Whisk dressing ingredients until combined.
  5. Divide wild rice, beets, and pomegranate seeds between six bowls. Toss ingredients together or leave separate as desired. Drizzle with dressing. Enjoy warm.

Prep ahead: Prepare grain bowl as noted above, but keep pomegranate seeds and dressing separate from other ingredients until after reheating. Store refrigerated for up to six days.

Maddie
Maddie Augustin

Maddie Augustin is a Minneapolis-based recipe developer.

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