Spring Green Bowl (Printable)

Fresh spring vegetables and hearty grains topped with zesty lemon dressing for a light, wholesome meal.

# Ingredient List:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa, brown rice, or farro
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Spring Vegetables

04 - 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
05 - 1 cup asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
06 - 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
07 - 2 cups baby spinach leaves

→ Lemon Dressing

08 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
09 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
10 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
11 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
12 - 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
13 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Optional Toppings

15 - 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
16 - 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, optional for vegan
17 - Fresh herbs such as mint, parsley, or dill, chopped

# How-To Steps:

01 - Rinse the grains under cold water. In a medium saucepan, bring water and salt to a boil. Add grains, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until tender, approximately 15 minutes for quinoa, 35 minutes for brown rice, or as package directs. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the peas, asparagus, and green beans separately for 2 to 3 minutes each, until just tender and bright green. Immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking, then drain well.
03 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the spinach and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until just wilted. Remove from heat.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, mustard, maple syrup or honey, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
05 - Divide cooked grains among four bowls. Top each with blanched peas, asparagus, green beans, and sautéed spinach. Drizzle with lemon dressing.
06 - Sprinkle with toasted seeds, crumbled feta if using, and fresh herbs. Serve immediately.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 45 minutes, which means you can feed yourself something genuinely nourishing on a weeknight.
  • The combination of textures—creamy grains, crisp vegetables, the little pop of seeds—keeps every bite interesting.
  • It adapts to whatever you have on hand, so there's no stress about finding exact ingredients.
02 -
  • Don't skip the ice bath for blanched vegetables—that's what keeps them bright and crisp instead of turning them into soft, dull mush.
  • Make the dressing at least 10 minutes before serving so the flavors have time to settle and taste more intentional, not sharp.
03 -
  • Toast your seeds in a dry skillet for 2 minutes before serving—it wakes them up and makes them taste like they actually matter.
  • Keep the dressing slightly looser than you think it needs to be; it'll thicken as it sits and absorbs some of the grain's starch.
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