This is my go-to dinner. This is definitely a far cry from a real recipe where there are exact measurements and ratios. Instead I say make it your own with what you might have in your kitchen. Think of this almost like an idea or blueprint to what you could make with what you have in your pantry.

The Base. I think bowls should always have a base. Often times I’ll use brown rice, quinoa, farro or wheat berries.

Greens! Next up are the greens. Think sautéed kale, swiss chard or collard greens.

Pickled things! I love adding pickled things to my bowls. In this case I quick-pickled some radishes but kimchi or pickled carrots or turnips would be delicious.

Legumes! I love adding beans to my bowls. This makes them a bit more filling. In this bowl I added a spoonful of black beans, but garbanzo, cannellini or black-eyed peas would be great, too.

Avocado! I think it’s a full-on must.

Additions! You can add a piece of salmon or chicken or in my case, a boiled egg. I also love adding other stragglers in my fridge like a half of a sweet potato, or a sautéed leek for some bite or even a few dashes of hot sauce for good measure.

The possibilities and combinations are endless. If you’ve made a bowl before, what have you put in it?!

Kale Quinoa Bowl with Plantain and Avocado

This Kale Quinoa Bowl recipe features plantains, avocado, pickled radishes, and a hard-boiled egg for a nutrient-dense meal. (Recipe Credit: Adrianna Adarme of the Fresh Tastes blog)

Ingredients

• 1 small bunch of kale, chopped
• Salt
• Juice from 1/2 lime
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1/2 cup cooked quinoa 
• 1/2 brown plantain, sliced
• Pickled radishes
• 1/2 avocado, sliced
• 1/2 cup black beans
• 1 boiled egg

Directions

1. Start by adding a teaspoon of olive oil to a sauté pan set over medium low heat. When the oil is hot, add the kale, a pinch of salt, the lime juice and sliced green onions. Saute until kale is wilted and a bright green color, about 2 minutes.
2. To your bowl, add the cooked quinoa and sautéed kale. Meanwhile, to the same saute pan, add an additional teaspoon more of olive oil. When hot, add the sliced plantain and cook on both sides until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to the bowl with the quinoa and kale.
3. Add the pickled radishes, avocado, black beans and egg. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve with a side of hot sauce. Of course, this is just a bit of a blueprint to accomplish the bowl you see pictured; the combinations are endless!

Yield: 1 bowl

Adrianna Adarme is a food blogger and author living in Los Angeles, California. She writes the blog A Cozy Kitchen, where she shares comforting, everyday recipes from her kitchen. She recently authored her first cookbook, PANCAKES: 72 Sweet and Savory Recipes for the Perfect Stack. She’s a lover of breakfast, pie (and sometimes even pie for breakfast), corgis and cute things. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.