Through the ease and brilliance of the power bowl, cooks at every level can create beautiful meals tailored to their own preferences. Power bowls are made up of three main ingredients: a grain base, vegetables and a dressing, which can surprisingly add a lot of nutritional value. A choice of protein can also be added, such as chicken or tofu.

The beauty of the power bowl ingredients is that they can all be cooked ahead of time and stored in the fridge until it’s time to create and consume. Following are some ideas for you and your family, though the combinations are endless.

Eat Your Vegetables

Let’s first start with the vegetables. Choose from the variety vegetables that are now in season. By preparing them all at once you’re able to save time on cooking and clean-up. You can then refrigerate what you don’t use for later. First, clean each vegetable thoroughly and chop into the size you want. Then, you’ll mix them all together in a large bowl with a bit of salt and oil. Next, spread all your veggies out on a pan lined with parchment paper and cook in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Check to make sure they’re all cooked through and add more time if needed.

Vegetables offer an abundance of nutrition – for example:

• Summer squash (avg. $1.99/lb.)
• Ramps/wild leeks (avg. $2.99/lb.)
• Sweet potatoes (avg. $1.19/lb.)
• Cauliflower (avg. $3.99/per head)
• Bell peppers (avg. $1.99/each)

Waves of Grains

Now for your grain. Any whole grain choice is a healthy option for the base of your power bowl. These grains are inexpensive and usually come in large quantities. Similar to the vegetables, you can cook more than you need and save the rest for another power bowl later in the week. You can even use the cooked grain for other recipes like veggie burgers or risotto. Here are a few suggested grains that pack a nutritional punch:

Quinoa (avg. $3.72/pound)

Brown rice (avg. $2.75/pound)

Barley (avg. $2.99)

Last but not Least

Dressings are traditionally only thought of as flavor enhancers. However, when using the right ingredients, they can also add a lot of added health benefits. Try a homemade Green Goddess dressing by combining parsley, cilantro, lemon juice, cashews and olive oil. Another healthy option is a dressing that uses Tahini (sesame seed paste), lemon juice and olive oil, which provides protein and vitamins and minerals. Using a food processor, process your ingredients together for 1-2 minutes until you get the desired consistency. Add water, a tablespoon at a time, for a thinner dressing.

Once you add your homemade dressing to your grains and vegetables, you’ve successfully made your power bowl! Mix and match vegetables, grains and dressings for a variety of power bowl options that are sure to fill you up and keep you healthy, without breaking your budget.