I’ve called this recipe ‘fibre and protein lunchtime bowl your way’ because with this recipe, there are really no rules. We are building a bowlful of goodness to keep you full until dinnertime. I’ve provided suggestions for alternatives and additions to bring your bowl the necessary: fibre, protein, roast veg, and crunch. This is truly a bowl you can make your own. Whatever you have in the fridge and the cupboard – anything goes!
Fibre power and vegetables
We’re hitting almost 60% of your daily fibre needs in this lunchtime bowl! With a sprinkling of chia seeds, some chopped walnuts, chickpeas and edamame beans, we’re packing a fibre punch. Using butternut squash provides us with soluble fibre, which slows our digestion and keeps us fuller for longer. Whilst the broccoli also aids our digestion and is full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. I’ve included some quick-pickled red cabbage, which not only provides a contrasting crunch to the salad and a beautiful splash of purple colour, but we’re also adding in probiotics for our gut health and upping the fibre count.
Plant-protein: a match made in heaven
When building your salad bowl, it’s best to have a ‘complete’ protein mix. Most plant proteins are ‘incomplete’. But quinoa is a rare complete plant protein, and when used cold, it also brings prebiotics into the mix. When you pair it with legumes such as chickpeas and edamame, you create a powerhouse profile that supports muscle repair and sustained energy. Edamame beans are a heavy hitter, providing around 18g of protein and 8g of fibre per 150g. Keeping a bag of these frozen beauties in your freezer makes it easy to add a handful to your salads and dishes.
Brain-boosting Omega-3’s
Talking of ‘the crunch’ of the cabbage, let’s not forget the crunch-enhancing walnuts and chia seeds. We’re really creating a beautiful blend of flavours and textures in this bowl. The walnuts and chia seeds could be seen as just a topping, but they are giving us a real brain boost with their levels of Omega-3. Keeping you alert right through to the end of your workday.
Making it your own
Below are some suggestions on how you could make the bowl your own taking the various elements of the salad:
- The base: brown rice, buckwheat, cauli rice
- The fibre: think seeds, beans, and whole grains
- The protein: black beans, lentils, tofu, chicken, salmon
- The roast: sweet potato, carrot, celeriac, beetroot
- The crunch: radish, sauerkraut, raw pepper, nuts
When thinking of what you’re going to put into your bowl, also imagine how visually appealing it’s going to be. It’s true when they say we eat with our eyes first.
Other lunchtime salad bowl recipes
Looking for other lunchtime ideas, see below for further recipes on the blog:
To make quick and easy quinoa, add 85g of uncooked quinoa in a saucepan with 250ml of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes. At this point, the water should have been absorbed. Fluff the quinoa with a fork, pop the lid back on and leave for 5 minutes to steam.
If you’re not using a can of chickpeas, and are looking for a recipe for cooked dried beans, then click here for my Dried Chickpeas Recipe (no overnight soak).
I love walnuts and could eat them with my breakfast, lunch, and dinner – and sometimes I do! I buy broken walnut pieces, as there is no point spending money on whole halves when you’re only going to break them up! Note that you can swap the walnuts for almonds, macadamia, or hazelnuts.
The various cooked elements of this salad keep really well sealed and stored in the fridge. But keep them separate, and then construct the salad when you want to eat it again. Quinoa 4-5 days, roasted butternut squash, edamame and broccoli 2-3 days, chickpeas 3-4 days. It’s therefore great to double up on quantities or stretch it out through the week. I do like this salad warm, not straight out of the fridge. I therefore steam it quickly for a couple of minutes or warm it in the microwave.
The dressing is really tasty. The quantities won’t drown your salad, so if you like a little more, simply double up the ingredients, and whatever you don’t use will keep for a few days.
Fibre and Protein lunchtime bowl your way
Ingredients
Salad
- 1/2 butternut squash cut into 1.5cm/1/2" cubes
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 100 g edamame beans frozen
- 1/2 head of broccoli and the stem cut into small florets and cubes
- 100 g cooked quinoa see note below
- 250 g cooked chickpeas equivalent to 1 can
- 100 g quick pickled red cabbage click here for recipe
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 40 g walnuts
Tahini Salad Dressing
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp tahini
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small garlic clove grated
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- black pepper
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180 °C or you can do this in an air fryer.
- Place the cubes of butternut squash in a baking tray, sprinkle over 1/s teaspoon of sea salt and a good grinding of black pepper, and toss together with the tablespoon of olive oil (or the basket of the air fryer, adjusting timings as necessary) and roast for 25-30 minutes – turning halfway through.
- If you need to cook your quinoa, start now – see note below.
- In the meantime, make up the tahini dressing. Put everything in a jar and give it a really good shake. You want to ensure that the tahini has mixed well in the sauce. It might need a little encouragement by mushing it against the side of the jar.
- Boil some water in a medium saucepan, add your frozen edamame beans and cover. These take around 10 minutes to cook. Halfway through, throw on top your cut-up stems first and then the broccoli florets (note that the broccoli florets don't need to be submerged in the water). Put the lid on and continue to cook until the time is up.
- Take a large bowl, add in your chickpeas and quinoa. When your butternut squash and green veg are cooked, add these to the bowl. Finally, add in the pickled red cabbage, pour over the dressing and gently give everything a good stir and check the seasoning.
- Share out into 4 bowls and top with broken up walnuts and a sprinkling of chia seeds.
Notes
- To make quick and easy quinoa, add 85g of uncooked quinoa in a saucepan with 250ml of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes. At this point, the water should have been absorbed. Fluff the quinoa with a fork, pop the lid back on and leave for 5 minutes to steam.
- If you’re not using a can of chickpeas and are looking for a recipe for cooked dried beans, then click here for my Dried Chickpeas Recipe (no overnight soak)
- I love walnuts and could eat them with my breakfast, lunch, and dinner – and sometimes I do! I buy broken walnut pieces, as there is no point spending money on whole halves when you’re only going to break them up!
- You can swap the walnuts for almonds, macadamia, or hazelnuts.
- The various cooked elements of this salad keep really well sealed and stored in the fridge. Quinoa 4-5 days, roasted butternut squash and edamame and broccoli 2-3 days, chickpeas 3-4 days. It’s therefore great to double up on quantities or stretch it out through the week. I do like this salad warm, not straight out of the fridge. I would therefore steam it quickly for a couple of minutes or warm it in the microwave.
- The dressing is really tasty. The quantities won’t drown your salad, so if you like a little more, simply double up the ingredients, and whatever you don’t use will keep for a few days.
