Spring Green Bowl (Printable)

Fresh spring vegetables over wholesome grains with zesty lemon dressing for a light, satisfying meal.

# What You Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa, brown rice, or farro
02 - 2 cups water
03 - ½ 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 - ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese, omit for vegan option
17 - Fresh herbs such as mint, parsley, or dill, chopped

# Directions:

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 follow package directions. 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 thoroughly.
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 Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 40 minutes and tastes far more intentional than the effort you put in.
  • Every vegetable stays bright green and snappy, which honestly never gets old to see in a bowl.
  • The lemon dressing is tangy without being aggressive, letting the vegetables shine without needing a single animal product.
02 -
  • Blanching separately matters more than you'd think—each vegetable has its own perfect timing, and grouping them means something either stays hard or turns mushy.
  • The ice bath isn't optional; it's what stops the cooking process dead and keeps your vegetables from turning that sad, army-green color you get when they keep cooking off the heat.
  • Don't dress the entire bowl all at once unless you're eating it immediately—the grains absorb everything and the vegetables get soggy within an hour.
03 -
  • Blanch your vegetables in the order of longest cooking time to shortest, so you don't have to swap out water and the final batch stays the cleanest.
  • Save a cup of the grain cooking water before draining—it's liquid gold for loosening up leftover grains that have tightened up in the refrigerator.
  • Make the dressing in a jam jar, cap it, and shake it hard for 30 seconds instead of whisking—it emulsifies faster and you have fewer dishes.
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