Three-Bean Power Bowl (Printable Version)

Protein-packed bowl with three beans, crisp vegetables, and zesty dressing over quinoa.

# What You Need:

→ Beans

01 - 1 cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 cup cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
03 - 1 cup cooked kidney beans, drained and rinsed

→ Grains

04 - 1 cup cooked quinoa or brown rice

→ Vegetables

05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
07 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
08 - 1 cup baby spinach or mixed greens
09 - 1 medium avocado, sliced
10 - 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced

→ Dressing

11 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
13 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
14 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
15 - 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
16 - 1 garlic clove, minced
17 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Garnish

18 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
19 - 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds, optional

# How To Make It:

01 - Wash and cut all vegetables including cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, and red onion. Set aside in separate containers for easy assembly.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, fresh lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine drained black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, and fresh spinach.
04 - Add cooked quinoa or brown rice to the bean and vegetable mixture.
05 - Pour prepared dressing over the mixture and gently toss to evenly coat all components.
06 - Divide the mixture into four serving bowls. Arrange sliced avocado on top of each bowl.
07 - Garnish each bowl with fresh cilantro or parsley and toasted seeds if desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to two days.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It actually fills you up without that heavy, sluggish feeling afterward.
  • Everything can be prepped ahead, so busy weeks become manageable.
  • The dressing is simple enough to memorize but fancy enough to make you feel like you've got your life together.
02 -
  • Don't mix the avocado into the bowl ahead of time—it browns and turns bitter, and you've lost the best part.
  • Rinsing canned beans isn't optional; it removes the weird starch coating that tastes like tin.
03 -
  • If your avocado is rock hard when you need it, wrap it in foil and stick it in a warm spot for an hour—it'll soften without turning brown.
  • Make the dressing a day ahead and let the garlic mellow out; it tastes rounder and less sharp than fresh.
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