Easy Greens and Grains Bowl
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Published Apr 10, 2020, Updated Sep 14, 2021
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Dinner doesn’t get much simpler than this greens and grains bowl. Made with kale, carrots, mushrooms and quick cooking rice for an easy meal that takes only 20 minutes.
With everything going on in the world right now, I tend to feel emotionally exhausted by the time dinner comes around and my new motto is “the simpler the better.” But let’s be honest, this has always been my motto. haha!
I really am enjoying being home with my family, but sometimes I feel like I spend all day in the kitchen either prepping for meals, cooking or washing dishes. Anyone else? Lucky for you (and me), this greens and grains bowl is easy peasy and requires minimal kitchen time. It’s made with just 10 ingredients, dirties up only one pan and is ready in about 20 minutes.
Ingredients You Need:
You only need a short list of ingredients for this recipe and many you’ll likely already have in your fridge or pantry. Of course I’m giving you guidance with this recipe, but please feel free to use what you have!
- oil of choice
- veggies – red onion, garlic, ginger, carrots, kale, mushrooms
- coconut aminos
- pouched rice – quick cooking rice in the pouch makes the recipe super easy. I used Seeds of Change Spanish rice. Of course, you can use a different flavor or cooked rice if you have that on hand. This recipe would be a great way to use up leftover takeout rice.
Packed with Nutrients
Yes, this is a super simple meal, but that doesn’t mean it’s short on nutrients! This vegetarian bowl is a nutritional powerhouse. Let’s walk through the veggies:
- Garlic – Small but mighty, garlic is an amazing immune-boosting ingredient. It has been shown to improve bone health, detoxify, combat chronic disease and reduce the severity of colds and flus. (Source) If you aren’t eating garlic, start now! Lately, I’ve been using pre-minced garlic because I’m all about shortcuts.
- Ginger – Another powerhouse! Ginger is packed with anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. It can help with nausea, muscle pain, indigestion and chronic diseases. (Source) Instead of buying a huge root of ginger and having half go bad before I use it, I’ve been using frozen ginger cubes. So convenient!
- Carrots – This bright, colorful vegetable has a ton of vitamins and minerals like vitamin A, K and potassium. They are low in fat and protein and high in fiber. They can help with eye and heart health as well as weight loss. (Source)
- Kale – One of the most nutrient dense vegetables around! Kale is low in calories and high in vitamin A, K and C. It is said to be one of the healthiest and most nutritious foods… I believe it! (Source)
- Mushrooms – Don’t let the bland coloring of mushrooms fool you – they’re nutritious! They’re surprisingly high in protein, vitamin D and B12 so are a great addition for plant-based meals. Studies have shown that mushrooms could help with gut issues, high cholesterol and even cancer. (Source)
Like I mentioned before, you can make this recipe your own. Prefer different greens? This dish would be good with a variety of different leafy greens. Same goes for the mushrooms. I use maitake, but any type will do! Have different grains on hand? They’ll still work in this recipe! Just be sure to use grains that are cooked or “instant” because with this recipe we’re just throwing the rice in at the end and heating the mixture until warm.
More Quick & Easy Recipes to Try
- Easy Tofu Stir Fry
- Mediterranean Lentil Salad
- Asian Chicken Sheet Pan Meal
- Simple Vegetable Curry
- Blackened Salmon
- Teriyaki Salmon Burgers
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Greens and Grains Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive or avocado oil
- ½ red onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
- 3 carrots, peeled and chopped into small pieces
- 4 oz fresh mushrooms, chopped (I used maitake)
- 12 oz bag chopped kale, about 6 cups
- ¼ cup coconut aminos
- 1 8.5 oz package of pouched rice, I used Spanish style*
- crushed red pepper or sriracha, for serving
Instructions
- Add oil to a large skillet. Add onion, garlic and ginger and cook for 5 minutes or until onion is translucent and fragrant.
- Add the carrots and mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes. Add coconut aminos and toss.
- Add kale to the skillet in batches until it wilts down. Add in rice and toss together, until it’s warm throughout, about 3-4 minutes. Taste, season with salt and pepper if needed and serve. I like it with sriracha.
Notes
- I used the Seeds of Change Spanish style pouched rice, but you can use whatever pouched rice you have on hand. I’m sure other flavors would be great.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Wow! The flavors in this simple bowl are superb! I added diced green pepper, edamame beans, and used a mixture of brown rice and quinoa. I also ate it at room temperature rather than heated, and I bet it’ll be great chilled, too. I may add sliced almonds and raisins next time, or even diced apple. Yummy!
While I LOVE the frozen ginger and garlic cubes, an alternative for using and storing ginger root is to freeze the whole root. When you need ginger just scrape off the peel with a knife and grate the frozen ginger with a micro plane. It looks like ginger snow!!
I tried this today. It was excellent! I added sweet potatoes as well. Thank you for this easy and fast recipe.
Yay! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Davis. Thanks for trying it and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I so appreciate it!
Swapped the kale for spinach! Super yummy ☺️
Love it! Where do you find the frozen ginger cubes?
In the frozen section of most grocery stores. I’ve seen them at Kroger, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods and Target.
Thanks for sharing these delicious recipes