Category: Veggie

Easy Power Bowls

This veggie power bowl makes an irresistibly healthy dinner or lunch! Serve roasted and fresh veggies with a whole grain…

A Couple Cooks – Recipes worth repeating.

This veggie power bowl makes an irresistibly healthy dinner or lunch! Serve roasted and fresh veggies with a whole grain and creamy sauce.

Power Bowl

The bowl meal isn’t revolutionary, but dang is it satisfying! There are millions of variations, but we think there’s always room for one more idea. Introducing our easy Veggie Power Bowl! This combination of whole grain, veggies, protein and a sauce makes dinnertime delicious. This one is irresistibly good, pairing quinoa with tender roasted broccoli and cauliflower, crunchy raw veg, and finished off with a creamy pop of tahini sauce. Serve it in a shallow bowl and well, it’s swoon-worthy.

Components in this power bowl

The formula for a great power bowl pairs a few key components to make a filling, healthy meal. When you construct it, you’ll want to think about contrasts in colors, flavors, and textures. You’ll also want to make sure that you have enough protein to keep it filling! This is a vegan protein bowl that goes big on plant-based protein. Here are the components of a great power bowl, then we’ll provide more details on each below:

  • Whole grain
  • Veggies, ideally roasted and fresh veggies for contrasts in texture
  • Protein, vegan, vegetarian, seafood or meat
  • Sauce
Veggie Bowl

Choosing your whole grain

In this power bowl we chose quinoa as the grain: but you can opt for whatever grain you’d like! Here are a few options:

  • Quinoa is a versatile whole grain that’s actually a seed, not a grain. It’s gluten-free and relatively quick to cook (about 20 minutes total).
  • Couscous is actually tiny grains of pasta: we like it because it takes 10 minutes! Use this if you have a need for speed. Keep in mind it’s not gluten-free.
  • Rice is an easy gluten-free whole grain. Try our Coconut Rice or Cilantro Lime Rice.
  • Farro is a chewy whole grain that’s similar to barley, but cooks faster. Keep in mind it’s not gluten-free.
  • Bulgur wheat is even quicker to cook: it takes 10 minutes (also not gluten-free).

For the power bowl veggies

When you think about veggies in a power bowl, it’s all about contrasts in colors, flavors and textures! That’s why we like a combination of roasted veggies and fresh veggies if possible. The hearty, savory vibes of roasted veg against the fresh crunch of fresh can’t be beat. In this power bowl we used a favorite combo of roasted broccoli and cauliflower. Here are a few other ideas in the roasted category:

Power Bowl

Protein in a power bowl

This power bowl is vegan, so it relies on a quick and easy plant-based protein: canned chickpeas! It’s our favorite idea for quick and easy vegan protein for a bowl meal. But there are lots of different ways to add protein here, including seafood. Here are a few protein options:

Sauces and drizzles

The best part of a power bowl? The sauce! Don’t overlook this aspect: it brings the dominating flavoring to your veggie bowl. Here we used our fan-favorite Tahini Sauce, a blend of lemon and creamy tahini that’s utterly irresistible (we think!). But there are many different options. Here are some favorite veggie bowl sauces:

And that’s it! Let us know what you think of this veggie power bowl and what you choose for your elements. We love this combination, but there are endless variations!

Tahini Dressing

More veggie bowl recipes

There are so many more different veggie bowl meal ideas! Here are some favorite bowl recipes:

This power bowl recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

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Power Bowl

Veggie Power Bowls

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Description

This veggie power bowl makes an irresistibly healthy dinner or lunch! Serve roasted and fresh veggies with a whole grain and creamy sauce. See above for more ideas for protein adders.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Start the Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower.
  2. Make the quinoa: Rinse the quinoa in cold water using a fine mesh strainer, then drain and shake out the remaining water. Place it in a saucepan with 1 ¾ cups water and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer where the water is just bubbling for about 15 to 18 minutes, until the water has been completely absorbed. (Check by pulling back the quinoa with a fork to see if water remains.) Turn off the heat and let sit with the lid on to steam for 5 minutes, then fluff the quinoa with a fork. 
  3. Meanwhile, prep the veggies: Drain and rinse the chickpeas, and mix them with the olive oil and kosher salt. Slice the radishes, peel and slice the kohlrabi, and shred the carrot.
  4. Make the dressing: stir together the Tahini Sauce or Sesame Ginger Dressing.
  5. To serve, place the greens in a shallow bowl, then top with the quinoa, roasted veggies, fresh veggies, and a drizzle of the sauce.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Category: Main dish
  • Method: Roasted
  • Cuisine: Vegan

Keywords: Power bowl, veggie bowl

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Grilled Veggie Kabobs

These grilled veggie kabobs skewer all the best vegetables and are easy to throw on the grill! They’re an ideal…

A Couple Cooks – Recipes worth repeating.

These grilled veggie kabobs skewer all the best vegetables and are easy to throw on the grill! They’re an ideal healthy side dish.

Vegetable kabobs

Ready for the best best, easiest summer side dish? Let’s make Veggie Kabobs! Perhaps you’ve made these before without a recipe. But you’ll know, the veggies risk coming out under-seasoned and over-cooked. Here’s our best method for making veggie kabobs with a simple seasoning blend. All the best veggies come out cooked to perfection! It’s the ideal summer side dish for a grilled dinner. Let’s waste no time and get right to it.

Best vegetables for veggie kabobs

Sure, you can mostly use any veggies you want. But some veggies are not ideal here. The trick? Use veggies that all cook in a relatively similar timeframe. That means no extra hard veggies like carrots or potatoes. Here are the best vegetables for veggie kabobs:

  • Bell peppers, multi-colored for a beautiful look
  • Red onion or white onion
  • Zucchini or yellow squash (or a combination of both)
  • Mushrooms, either baby bella (cremini) or white button
  • Cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes

Other ideas? Pineapple adds a nice sweet and savory combination. Small 1 to 2-inch sections of corn on the cob works, and so does diced eggplant. You can use cauliflower, but we recommend steaming them first (see Grilled Cauliflower).

What to avoid? Broccoli and asparagus are too hard to skewer. Carrots and potatoes should be avoided, or parboiled. Brussels sprouts also aren’t ideal for skewers, as they take slightly longer than the above veggies.

Veggie kabobs

Tips for chopping for vegetable skewers

Once you’ve selected your veggies, here’s what to note for the skewering process:

  • Chop the vegetables into relatively similar sizes. You’ll want them to be bite-sized for easy eating once they’re grilled to perfection. Keep in mind, they’ll shrink quite a bit once they’re cooked.
  • If using wooden skewers, soak them while you’re chopping. You only need 15 to 20 minutes for soaking, which is about the time it will take to preheat the grill and chop.
  • Or, use metal skewers! We purchased some metal skewers to save us from the soak. (Worth it.)

Seasoning for veggie kabobs

How to season veggie kabobs? You can make marinated veggie kabobs, but we prefer just throwing them on the grill with olive oil and seasonings. Here’s what we’ve found makes a killer seasoning blend. Throw on equal parts of:

  • Garlic powder
  • Onion powder
  • Dried oregano
  • Smoked paprika (a smoky version of regular paprika you should be able to find at your local grocery; see more info here)
  • Kosher salt
Grilled vegetable kabobs

Or, brush with BBQ sauce or teriyaki

A variation we often take on these veggie kabobs? Brushing the veggies with a sauce! Skip the seasonings above and just go with the sauce. You’ll want to do it twice: once before they go on the grill, and then a generous slather afterwards. Here are a few sauces we’ve tried and loved:

Heat and grill time for veggie kabobs

Once you’ve cut and seasoned the veggie kabobs, throw the them on the grill! Here are the specifics on timing and heat level (or jump right to the recipe):

  • Preheat a grill to medium high heat. That’s about 375 to 450 degrees.
  • Chop and skewer the veggies and season. See the recipe below.
  • Grill on the grates for 10 to 12 minutes. Cook until charred and tender, turning every few minutes.
Vegetable skewers

Make it into a grilled meal!

These vegetable kabobs (aka skewers) are a fantastic side to round out a grilled meal. Here are a few ways to pair it!

More grilled veggies

Of course, there are lots more grilled veggies to throw on too! These vegetable skewers are part of our grilled vegetable series, which has all of our favorites:

These grilled veggie kabobs are…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

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Vegetable kabobs

Grilled Veggie Kabobs

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

These grilled veggie kabobs skewer all the best vegetables and are easy to throw on the grill! They’re an ideal healthy side dish.

Ingredients

  • 1 red onion
  • 3 multi-colored bell peppers
  • 1 small zucchini
  • 8 ounces baby bella (cremini) mushrooms (or button mushrooms)
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon each* garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, smoked paprika, and kosher salt
  • Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
  • Optional: lemon wedges

Instructions

  1. Preheat a grill to medium-high heat (375 to 450 degrees).
  2. If using wooden skewers, soak them at least 20 minutes.
  3. Chop the onion into large pieces. Cut bell peppers into chunks. Slice the zucchini into rounds 1/4-inch to 3/8-inch thick. Add the sliced veggies to a bowl with the whole mushrooms and tomatoes toss everything with the olive oil, spices, and salt.
  4. Skewer the vegetables and place each skewers on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with a few more pinches kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper.
  5. Place the skewers directly on the grill. Grill 10 to 12 minutes until tender and blackened, turning every few minutes. If desired, spritz with lemon wedges before serving.

Notes

*You can also brush the skewers generously with BBQ sauce or teriyaki sauce before grilling and then after grilling.

  • Category: Side dish
  • Method: Grilled
  • Cuisine: Grilled

Keywords: Veggie kabobs, grilled veggie kabobs, vegetable kabobs, veggie skewers, vegetable skewers, grilled vegetable skewers

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.