This is part of a sponsored collaboration with Vive Mejor and DiMe Media. However, all opinions expressed are my own.
I’ve been winning so much at lunch lately. With meal bowls trending all over social media, it’s easy to come up with something quick, easy, good for you and not to mention pleasing to the eye.
A bowl consists of a few key ingredients. One: a bed of greens. The base where the rest of your ingredients will rest on. It can be kale, arugula, watercress and in my case, I chose chopped Romaine lettuce. Next, you need a grain. From quinoa to farro, to rice. Whatever your preference is, add it to your bowl. I had red rice at hand so I used it. A legume. I love black beans and I use them for just about anything. You can use pinto beans, lentils or edamame to name a few. I like to add some sort of protein. Whether it’s tofu, seen in this recipe, or chopped chicken, beef, fish or shrimp.
Next, I like to play with color. I pick beautiful, brightly colored vegetables such as grape tomatoes and red cabbage. It makes my bowl pop and it just makes me happy as I eat it.
The secret to a great bowl is the sauce that brings it all together. I chose to make a chimichurri sauce packed with aromatic herbs, garlic, red wine vinegar and olive oil of course. I was inspired by this Vivemejor.com recipe of Churrasco with Chimichurri Sauce. My bowl had to be full of flavor and vibrant in color. This was definitely the right sauce/dressing for it.
My favorite thing about this delicious lunch is that it travels well. I can store it in a plastic container or a jar. Pack it in my lunch box and it’s ready to go. There is no cooking involved. Just a whisk of ingredients and some fun salad arranging. That’s it!
Want more ideas? Find your meal inspirations one click away by visiting ViveMejor.com. Get more help with your menu planning by following the hashtag #MiCocinaViveMejor on social media or follow ViveMejor on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to take your weekly menu to another level.
Ingredients
- ½ cup (packed) flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- ½ cup (packed) cilantro, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons (packed) fresh oregano, roughly chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Knorr Chicken Flavor Bouillon
- 1 teaspoon Knorr Beef Flavor Bouillon
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 cups romaine lettuce, shredded
- 1 cup red cabbage, shredded
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 2 cups cooked rice (I used red rice)
- 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, drained
- 1 cup cucumber, thinly sliced
- 2 cups cubed tofu, extra firm and drained
- lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Combine parsley, cilantro, oregano, garlic, vinegar, Knorr and pepper in a food processor. Pulse until ingredients combine. Add olive oil in a slow stream. Pour onto a serving bowl and set aside.
- Arrange lettuce in the bottom of a large bowl. Top with cabbage, tomatoes, rice, beans, cucumber and tofu arranged in sections. Drizzle with chimichurri sauce and serve.
