Protein-packed bowl with three beans, crisp vegetables, quinoa, and zesty dressing for a satisfying meal.
# What You Need:
→ Beans
01 - 1 cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 cup cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
03 - 1 cup cooked kidney beans, drained and rinsed
→ Grains
04 - 1 cup cooked quinoa or brown rice
→ Vegetables
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
07 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
08 - 1 cup baby spinach or mixed greens
09 - 1 medium avocado, sliced
10 - 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
→ Dressing
11 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
12 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
13 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
14 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
15 - 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
16 - 1 garlic clove, minced
17 - Salt and pepper to taste
→ Garnish
18 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
19 - 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds, optional
# Steps:
01 - Wash and prepare all vegetables by halving cherry tomatoes, dicing cucumber and bell pepper, slicing red onion, and slicing avocado. Set aside on a clean cutting board.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until emulsified and well combined.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, and spinach. Toss gently to distribute ingredients evenly.
04 - Add cooked quinoa or brown rice to the bowl and mix gently until evenly distributed throughout the vegetable and bean mixture.
05 - Pour dressing over the mixture and toss gently to coat all ingredients uniformly without bruising the vegetables.
06 - Divide the mixture evenly into four serving bowls, creating a balanced distribution of all components.
07 - Top each bowl with sliced avocado, then sprinkle with fresh cilantro or parsley and toasted seeds if desired.
08 - Serve immediately while fresh, or refrigerate for up to two days for meal preparation purposes.
