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Nutritious Green Goddess Bowls

Nutritious Green Goddess Bowls

I started making these bowls on busy weeknights when I needed something quick but didn’t want to fall back on takeout. What began as a “clean out the fridge” meal has turned into one of the most-requested recipes in my household.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 38 minutes
Servings: 2
Calories: 425
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups cooked quinoa or brown rice, farro, or cauliflower rice for low-carb
  • 2 cups mixed greens spinach, arugula, baby kale — use what you love
  • 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
  • 1 English cucumber thinly sliced
  • 1 cup frozen edamame thawed (or canned chickpeas, drained)
  • 1 avocado sliced
  • 1 cup broccoli florets lightly steamed or roasted
  • 4 radishes thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds or hemp seeds for crunch and extra protein
  • Fresh herbs for garnish parsley, dill, basil — whatever you have

Equipment

  • Blender or food processor
  • Large skillet or grill pan
  • Medium saucepan
  • Sharp knife and cutting board

Method
 

Step 1: Cook Your Grain Base
  1. Rinse 1 cup of dry quinoa under cold water (this removes bitterness). Combine with 2 cups of water or low-sodium broth in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let it sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
  2. Tip: Cooking quinoa in vegetable or chicken broth instead of water adds a noticeable depth of flavor that plain water just can’t match.
Step 2: Prepare Your Vegetables
  1. While the quinoa cooks, prep your vegetables: Steam broccoli for 3–4 minutes until bright green and tender-crisp. Slice cucumber, radishes, and avocado. Shred purple cabbage (a mandoline makes this quick, but a sharp knife works great). Thaw edamame under warm water if using frozen.
Step 3: Cook Your Protein
  1. Prepare your chosen protein (see detailed Protein Variations section below).
  2. For chicken: Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and a squeeze of lemon. Cook in a hot skillet with a little olive oil for 6–7 minutes per side until cooked through. Let rest 5 minutes before slicing.
Step 4: Make the Green Goddess Dressing
  1. This is the heart of the bowl. See the full recipe and instructions in the dedicated section below.
Step 5: Assemble the Bowls
  1. Start with a base of quinoa and mixed greens. Arrange your vegetables in sections around the bowl — this not only looks great but makes it easier to customize at the table. Add your protein, top generously with green goddess dressing, and finish with seeds and fresh herbs.