One of my family’s favorite meals is Mediterranean Meatball Bowls. Make it with chicken using a marinade like this. I double or triple the spices. Chicken breasts are one of the most bland foods on the earth so don’t be afraid to spice them up! Bonus if you have fresh herbs. Because the family likes this meal, I try to make a large quantity so we can eat it for lunches. Leftovers are rare with a teenage swimmer.
Lentils
With food supply issues, I’ve begun making this meal with the easier to find green lentils. Black lentils are my favorite texture because they’re firmer. The first time I made lentils (which was in college), I was like “meh - what’s all the hype?” I cooked them in water and no salt. Humble, simple foods need flavor additions. Don’t be stingy with the salt. Cook them in homemade broth. Press a few cloves of garlic. Sprinkle red pepper flakes on the top. Now we’re talking flava. Bonus (not crucial but more nutritious): soak lentils in water 2-8 hours before cooking. They will double in size, cooking time reduces, and you’ve jump started germination. This increases nutrition and decreases anti-nutrients. Soaking makes for easier digestion.
Rice
I prefer jasmine or basmati. Always rinse rice until the water runs clear to remove extra starch and gumminess. I like to use InstantPot: set it and forget it. Sort of like a rice cooker, except it will cook more than rice. Recipe? Rinse measured amount of rice until water runs clear. Add 1 1/4 cups of broth (or water or coconut milk) per cup of rice. Two cups rice = 2.5 cups broth. High pressure for 4 minutes. Natural release for 10 (or 15 if you get busy). Quick release. Fluff with a fork. I’ve used up to 8 cups dry rice with 10.5 cups broth in my 6 quart InstantPot.
Toppings
Sky's the limit here. Clean out the produce drawer. Use the abundance of your garden or FarmShare. I try to always keep cucumber around and a fermented veggie. Olives add a nice salty umami effect. Quick pickled red onions are a crowd pleaser.
Sauce
Please don’t forget the sauce. Sauce can make this dish sing. If you don’t want to make a sauce, drizzle your favorite salad dressing on top. I usually keep harissa in the fridge and tzatziki comes together almost effortless if you’re already chopping cucumbers for the bowls. Recipes for both sauces at the end of this post. We like the combination of sweet heat and cooling cucumber.
Wanna Geek Out More?
The Lazy Genius breaks down food in bowls in three podcasts episodes 107, 108, & 109:
She has a blog post: 5 Quick and Easy Dinner Bowls with Rice and Ground Beef.
Bonus
Unrelated - I promised a link to the crispy cashews yesterday on Instagram, here’s the recipe for Thai Basil Cashew Chicken. It’s a make it in one skillet kind of meal. Use up your garden basil and be sure to double the cashews. Just sayin’.
What are you cooking this weekend?
Julie