Prepare this satisfying and nourishing Spinach Barley Protein Power Bowl, packed with protein, vegetables, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats, in under 20 minutes.
Want me to let you in on a not-so-secret when it comes to my dinners (and lunches for that matter)? 95% of the time they take me less than 20 minutes from start to finish. Yup. I have zero patience when it comes to making dinner. When I do make something that takes more than 40 minutes, I’m SO proud of myself and I usually feel like some kind of gourmet chef.
With this in mind, almost all of the recipes on this site are super simple to make, have a small number of whole food ingredients and they rarely take more than 20 minutes. This was less of a strategic decision more of a “ain’t nobody got time for that” kinda decision. While I certainly appreciate complicated dishes, and enjoy eating them, I just don’t like spending a ton of time in the kitchen. If I can help people realize they don’t have to be a gourmet chef to eat healthy fresh food every day then I can die a happy blogger.
Putting together a simple, satisfying dinner that you don’t need a complicated recipe for looks like this:
- Start with a veggie (or 2 or 3)
- Add some vegetarian or pescatarian protein
- Add a complex carb
- Add a healthy fat
- Optional – choose a homemade dressing like olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, balsamic vinaigrette or your favorite dressing.
These kinds of simple, nourishing, satisfying meals are so easy to make. To make it even easier on yourself, you can always try to prep batches of ingredients once a week. It’s kind of like making the puzzle pieces to use every night. Except you can eat that puzzle so it’s even better. This way you are saving money by not buying too much food, but allowing some variety by switching it up.
Today’s “Power Bowl” is filled with spinach (veggies), barley (complex carb), chickpeas (veggies/legume), sunflower seeds (healthy fat) and hard boiled eggs (protein). This satisfying mix of flavors, textures and macronutrients is easy to make, and leaves you feeling happy and nourished. Plus, with this basic formula in mind it’s easy to take this base and customize to your own taste, what’s on sale and what’s seasonal
Spinach Barley Protein Power Bowl
Prepare this satisfying and nourishing Spinach Barley Protein Power Bowl, packed with protein, vegetables, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats, in under 20 minutes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Total Time: 28 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 4 Cups of Spinach
- 2 Cups of Cooked Barley
- 1 Cup of Chickpeas
- ½ Cup of Sunflower Seeds
- Salt & Pepper to Taste
- 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil
- 4 hard boiled eggs
Instructions
- Pour olive oil into a large sautee pan over medium heat
- Add spinach to the pan and allow to wilt (3 minutes)
- Add cooked barley, chickpeas and sunflower seeds to the pan and sautee for 15 minutes
- Season with salt and pepper to taste
- Serve into bowls and top with 2 hard boiled eggs each
Your Turn
- Do you have any favorite “power bowl” combos?
- What’s your favorite healthy fat?