Simple Mediterranean Bowls

Introduction

Whenever people ask me about the Mediterranean diet, where to start, what meals to prepare first, my mind immediately goes to my simple Mediterranean bowls. Nourishing, delicious, and satisfying, these bowls are so easy to make. And even if you are anti-meal prep, like I am, you can get a head start on these bowls with just one simple trick.

Why You’ll Love This

Nourishing, delicious, and satisfying, these bowls are so easy to make.
And even if you are anti-meal prep, like I am, you can get a head start on these bowls with just one simple trick.
Grains are a staple of my Mediterranean pantry and they are loaded with fiber, lots of nutrition.
They will keep you full.
It is everything in one big bowl, and it is just satisfying and delicious.
This bowl gives you protein, gives you fiber. It gives you a lot more in just one simple meal.

Ingredients

For the Grains:

• pearl barley
• water
• salt
• quinoa
• rice (optional)
• bulgur (optional)
• farro (optional)

For the Bowl:

• hummus
• Mediterranean salad:
  • tomatoes
  • cucumbers
  • onions
  • parsley
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • lemon juice
  • salt
  • pepper
• olives (two different kinds)
• artichoke hearts
• pickles
• feta cheese (optional)
• oregano
• extra virgin olive oil
• Greek private reserve extra virgin olive oil
• Greek oregano

Instructions

1. Cook pearl barley in some water with a pinch of salt.
2. Cook quinoa in some water.
3. Once they cooled, store them in your fridge.
4. Add some hummus to your bowl.
5. Prepare the simple Mediterranean salad: combine tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and a little bit of parsley, a little bit of extra virgin olive oil, and lemon juice.
6. Add the salad to your bowl.
7. Add olive oil, lemon juice, and a dash of salt and pepper for this party of veggies or my salad.
8. Toss this together.
9. Raid your fridge for other Mediterranean things that you already have on hand like your olives.
10. Add two different kinds of olives.
11. Add some artichoke hearts.
12. Add pickles if you have them.
13. Add a little bit of feta cheese, or you can keep it vegan.
14. Do a little bit of olive oil all over this.
15. Add a little bit of oregano to season.

Cooking Tips

One thing that I am religious about every single week is cooking one cup or two of grains.
Once they cooled, I store them in my fridge and they’re ready to use anytime this week.
Once the grains are ready, really you can make these bowls in less than 10 minutes or so with things that you already have on hand.
Any veggies you have that you need to use up, those sad veggies in the back of your crisper, go ahead and pull them out, chop them up, and add them to your bowl.
Quinoa is packed with protein as well. It has all nine amino acids, so it’s a good way to get in plant-based protein.

Serving Suggestions

You can just do this and let everybody make their own salad.
They can make their own bowl however they like.
I just love the idea of just free-form dinner with whatever you have on hand in the fridge.
You can keep it simple or add a little bit of a dressing to it or a sauce if you’ve made some.
You can use rice, you can use bulgur, you can use farro.

Oh, that was good. Let’s try a more sophisticated little bite. Mm. You get some of that feta cheese, some of the olives and hummus, the beautiful grains.