Simple Lentil Bowl with Tomato & Basil

This week i'm showing you how to make a simple lentil bowl. This bowl is minimalist inspired and features Trader Joe’s Vegan Creamy Dill Dressing. It is also packed with protein but also bright and creamy flavors, perfect for a mid day meal. 

Over the last few months, I have started to transition to eating a whole food plant based diet and it has been easier than I thought it would be. It has opened up my creativity in the kitchen and allowed me to think differently about the types of meals I can make. The one challenge I'll admit I have had is finding sources of protein to incorporate into my dishes. Lentils have been a recent addition, they’re pretty easy to make ahead in a batch and I find I can add them to just about any salad or bowl without changing the taste too much. In this post I'll share with you why I love bowl style meals as well as what you’ll need to make this bowl and the superpowers you can unlock by using lentils more! 

Why bowl style meals make life easy 

Bowl style meals have been around for a while, the buddha bowl, burrito bowls, you name it there’s a bowl for it. Have you ever thought about why bowls have become such a popular way to create a meal? I’ll tell you why, they’re easy, super customizable and a great way to make sure you’re eating well even if you’re busy or on-the-go. 

Simple bowls to me are like fridge clean out meals, if I want to plan ahead and have a specific style bowl, let’s use a chicken burrito bowl with mango salsa as an example, then I can prepare for that. If however I'm running around like crazy and suddenly realize it's past lunchtime, this simple lentil bowl can be easily whipped up with whatever you have in your fridge utilizing a simple formula. 

Now this formula is not mine, it actually comes to us from MyPlate.gov run by the US Department of Agriculture. This website aims to educate you on how to create a balanced plate with the right proportions of fruits, vegetables, grains and proteins. 

This visual helps me with every meal I make, giving me not only flavor variety but nutrient variety as well to make sure I'm fueling my body in the best way possible. 

Ingredients you’ll need for this simple lentil bowl  

To make this simple lentil bowl you'll need a few key ingredients some of which are best prepared in bulk for the week so you can simple grab and go. We'll get into that more later as I share how best to prepare your lentils.

• Quinoa 
• Green Lentils 
• Cherry Tomatoes 
• Basil 
• Trader Joe’s Vegan Creamy Dill Dressing 

The superpowers of lentils 

I had never had lentils until a few weeks ago and what I can tell you now is that they’re super simple to make ahead and can be added to just about anything! Not only that they’re packed with key nutrients like fiber but also polyphenols. The polyphenols in lentils, procyanidin and flavanols, are known to have strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects  that act like superpowers in your body. 

Lentils are a wonderful source of plant based protein, something I'm really digging into as I have moved to a more whole foods, plant based style diet. I know that muscle loss is something that will continue to occur as I age and as someone who lifts weights, I want to make sure I'm not only sustaining but gaining muscle the best I can and the best way to do that is through protein. 

What goes well with a simple lentil bowl?

Looking for pairing options for this recipe? Checkout some of my favorites below!

• Sun-dried Tomato Garlic Hummus - perfect with a side of pita!
• Parmesan Popovers - a crowd pleasing side

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