Are there any food trends you’re hooked on? Moi? I’ve flipped for bowling, aka   building a meal in a bowl.  I think this trend is here to stay. Sorry plate!  Bowls encourage smaller portions, and  combining  layers of veggies, along with whole grains, is ultimately what we hope more people embrace.  This concept inspired my Real California Breakfast Bowl, and  it’s also helping me cut back on food waste by  using leftovers in tasty bowls I create for lunch. So of courseRadishes aren’t just for salads, they make tasty sides and the greens are edible!, I was thrilled to see  the Recipe Redux theme this month focus on lunch:

 Limping Along with lunch: Ever get in a lunch rut? Need new ideas for packing your kids’ or your own lunch? Are packable noontime options dwindling? Surely you’ve met the ‘What shall I pack for lunch?” question head-on with creative ideas. Please share your healthy lunch recipe – so we can swap it into our own rotation.

Yesterday at noon,  I gathered up some leftovers from earlier in the week, added them to a bowl,  tossed it in the microwave,   and  then topped it off with some coleslaw and a bold barbeque sauce. Simple, right? You can use whatever you have on hand. Just think about  adding texture and flavor!

If you’re packing a lunch, this would be just as simple to pack into a portable bowl. Use one that’s  microwave safe,  if you plan on reheating the ingredients, and pack cole slaw and bbq sauce separately.

Oh, one more tip for an easy lunch this time of year…enjoy it in some fresh air.

IMHO, this bowl would be perfectly fine eaten cold. Would you eat this cold? Be sure to visit the links at the bottom of this post for more ideas to get  out of the lunchtime rut!

Easy Lunch Bowl

Stop wasting food; combine leftovers into a bowl for an easy lunch.

• Author: Diane Boyd
• Yield: 1 serving 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1/2 cup cooked brown rice , quinoa or other whole grain
• 1/2 cup cooked corn
• 1/3 cup canned black beans, rinsed
• 3 ounces cooked chicken breast or other lean protein source
• 1/2 cup cole slaw , salsa or relish
• fresh rosemary for garnish

• for the sauce

  • 1 tablespoons bbq sauce
  • 1 talbespoon cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

For the sauce

1. Combine bbq sauce, cider vinegar and olive oil in a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Set aside.

for the bbq bowl

1. Add brown rice, corn, black beans and chicken side by side to a single serving bowl or microwavable container. Place in microwave and heat on high for 2 minutes or until heated through.
2. Finish with cole slaw and garnish with fresh rosemary.
3. Serve with bbq sauce for dipping or dizzle over top.