How to Make Greek Power Bowls
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Feeling up for healthy new recipes instead of the usual lunch? Treat yourself to greek power bowls instead! These nutrient-dense, all-in-one meals are quite popular not only because of their nutritional value but also because of how easy it is to make. You can prepare the ingredients ahead of time in order to enjoy power bowls throughout the week.
To learn how to make greek power bowls, read below for details.
What is a Greek Power Bowl?
If you’re not familiar with the term, a power bowl is essentially a healthy all-in-one meal in a small bowl. To make one, you’ll need whole grains or other pasta for the base, vibrant veggies, your choice of protein (plant-based protein such as beans are also great), a dressing, and your preferred garnish. As long as you use wholesome ingredients as the foundation of your power bowl, you can have a nutrient-dense meal.
Because there are so many various methods in preparing a power bowl, you can personalize it according to your preference. Depending on how you arrange your ingredients, the power bowls may even look beautiful enough to post on social media. You can make it a Pinterest icon and even post it and make this recipe tag on Instagram.
In this recipe, these delicious greek power bowls will contain a vinaigrette made from red wine vinegar, a healthy base of cooked quinoa/brown rice, and assorted vegetables that are both healthy and filling at the same time.
How to Make Greek Power Bowls: Recipe
Make a healthy lunch instead of having takeout recipes delivered, with these greek power bowls. Made with cooked brown rice, red wine vinaigrette, and a variety of fresh vegetables such as tomatoes, this greek power bowl recipe is an easy way to incorporate a healthy dish into your household meals. Cucumbers, tomatoes, and avocado add that fresh taste to this delightful dish.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients:
- 2 pcs boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup quinoa or brown rice
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives, halved
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 zucchini, sliced
- 1 avocado, thinly sliced
- 3/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp oregano, chopped
- Half a cucumber, chopped
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Juice of half a lemon
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 red onion, sliced (optional)
- Fresh cucumbers,sliced (optional)
- Fresh dill (optional)
Directions:
- Cook rice or quinoa according to package instructions. Set aside.
- Prepare the vinaigrette by combining red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp olive oil, mustard, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, and 1 1/2 teaspoons water in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Season the boneless skinless chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add remaining olive oil. Cook chicken for 15 minutes. Once done, cool and slice. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 425° F or 218 °C
- Arrange the zucchini on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Add garlic and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss gently. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the zucchini is well done.
- Separate the cooked quinoa or brown rice into bowls. In each one bowl, add kalamata olives, zucchini, cucumber, avocado, and tomatoes. Add the sliced chicken, zucchini, and feta cheese on top.
- Serve immediately with the vinaigrette. Garnish with parsley, fresh dill, red onion, and cucumber slices. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste if needed.
Cooking Notes and Meal Prep Tips
You can also use chickpeas as a base in this recipe. In a mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, herbs, and spice. Then add the chickpeas and combine them. Allow the chickpeas to settle while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Allow the chickpeas to marinate for at least 30 minutes. For the best results, you can prepare the chickpeas a day ahead and store them in the refrigerator overnight. Use in place of rice in the recipe above.
Not a fan of chickpeas? Use couscous instead.
If you’re preparing this dish ahead of time, put them straight into storage containers and label each with the corresponding date. Enjoy it throughout the week.
You can use thyme or basil instead of oregano. Similarly, you can use black or Gaeta olives if you don’t have kalamata olives available.
For a more vegetarian-friendly dish, you can simply remove the chicken altogether.
Final Note
Because you can prepare most of the components early on, power bowls are a great idea to have if you’re pressed for time but would love to still eat a delicious and healthy dinner. The method of meal prepping is as easy as throwing everything into a bowl and digging in.
For news and the latest recipes containing rice, you can visit our blog.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are other substitutes for feta cheese?
Aside from feta, you can also use ricotta, cottage cheese, halloumi, or even tofu in this recipe. However, ricotta would be the most ideal choice, as this cheese is an excellent complement to salads and pasta, while tofu is the go-to for vegetarians.
Is this recipe gluten free?
Gluten comes from dishes rich in wheat, rye, or barley. Considering the recipe doesn’t contain any of these, it is safe to assume that this greek power bowl dish is gluten-free.