Make this satisfying, nourishing Spinach Barley Protein Power Bowl, filled with protein, veggies, complex carbs and healthy fats in less than 20 minutes.
Want me to let you in on a not-so-secret when it comes to my dinners (and lunches for that matter)? 95% of the time they take me less than 20 minutes from start to finish. Yup. I have zero patience when it comes to making dinner. When I do make something that takes more than 40 minutes, I’m SO proud of myself and I usually feel like some kind of gourmet chef.
With this in mind, almost all of the recipes on this site are super simple to make, have a small number of whole food ingredients and they rarely take more than 20 minutes. This was less of a strategic decision more of a “ain’t nobody got time for that” kinda decision. While I certainly appreciate complicated dishes, and enjoy eating them, I just don’t like spending a ton of time in the kitchen. If I can help people realize they don’t have to be a gourmet chef to eat healthy fresh food every day then I can die a happy blogger.
Putting together a simple, satisfying dinner that you don’t need a complicated recipe for looks like this:
- Start with a veggie (or 2 or 3)
- Add some vegetarian or pescatarian protein
- Add a complex carb
- Add a healthy fat
- Optional – choose a homemade dressing like olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, balsamic vinaigrette or your favorite dressing.
These kinds of simple, nourishing, satisfying meals are so easy to make. To make it even easier on yourself, you can always try to prep batches of ingredients once a week. It’s kind of like making the puzzle pieces to use every night. Except you can eat that puzzle so it’s even better. This way you are saving money by not buying too much food, but allowing some variety by switching it up.
Today’s “Power Bowl” is filled with spinach (veggies), barley (complex carb), chickpeas (veggies/legume), sunflower seeds (healthy fat) and hard boiled eggs (protein). This satisfying mix of flavors, textures and macronutrients is easy to make, and leaves you feeling happy and nourished. Plus, with this basic formula in mind it’s easy to take this base and customize to your own taste, what’s on sale and what’s seasonal.
- 4 Cups of Spinach
- 2 Cups of Cooked Barley
- 1 Cup of Chickpeas
- 1/2 Cup of Sunflower Seeds
- Salt & Pepper to Taste
- 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil
- 4 hard boiled eggs
- Pour olive oil into a large sautee pan over medium heat
- Add spinach to the pan and allow to wilt (3 minutes)
- Add cooked barley, chickpeas and sunflower seeds to the pan and sautee for 15 minutes
- Season with salt and pepper to taste
- Serve into bowls and top with 2 hard boiled eggs each
Looking for more easy dinner ideas? Try:
Rainbow Veggie Super Salad Bowl
Avocado Quinoa Harvest Bowl
Winter Kale Salad with Almond Butter Dressing
Your Turn
- Do you have any favorite “power bowl” combos?
- What’s your favorite healthy fat?
Yummyyy! I am totally the same way. I am so tired by dinner time that anything easy is good with me. I’ve only had barley but a couple times, this looks so full of flavor!! Can’t wait to try!
I always forget about barley, then I have it and where it’s been all my life.
Meals like these are the ones that make my body the happiest!! I’ve been LOVING eggs for the past few months, especially in bowls. Gorgeous photos as well Georgie! <3
Thank you so much! Yes, eggs just are the perfect little ball of nutrition and whenever I’m stumped I just throw an egg on it.
i eat mostly out of a bowl too and basically follow the same formula – complex carb + protein + veggies. my last combo was black rice, roasted veggies, and salmon.
Ooo that sounds great. Salmon is my favorite kind of fish!
If there’s one thing you know how to do it’s make a bowl beautiful! This looks so good and I’m all about simple ingredients that come together to make a power meal. I also love the warm/cold elements to this and that hard boiled egg is perfection!
Aww thanks girl! That’s the best compliment. Love having some kind of warm element to a salad but the cold egg is a nice change-a-roo.
I’m with you! Simple and fast meals are always the way to go. I just don’t have time to be in the kitchen for an hour. Who does really?
For real! It’s nice once in a while, but often I’m already ravenous when I’m cooking so I have little to no patience to start with haha.
I love making bowls as well because it looks pretty and feels like a complete meal, but takes very little time especially if you food prep beforehand for a supply of already boiled eggs, cooked quinoa, and such 🙂
Exaaactly! All the flavor/satisfaction none of the stress.
Easy dinners are the way to go for sure. Hahah and I agree, I always feel like a chef when I cook for a long time (rarely) and feel like I need to announce it to the world. This looks so good and filling!
Haha right? I demand some sort of praise for at least 10 minutes after.
power bowls have been my dinner of choice lately, it just so much easier and more delicious to throw everything in a bowl and top it with some kind of sauce! I have been loving the combo of white sweet potatoes, roasted eggplant, broccoli and some kind of protein topped with a teriyaki sauce from ti’s, so good!
Heck yes! No stress, just all the things your craving/your body needs in a bowl with some damn good sauce. Then, boom! you’ve got yo dinner.
Isnt everything just better in a bowl??? I almost never eat on plates anymore. haha! Ive got this AMAZING power bowl with turkey meatballs, beet noodles, kale and spinach, toasted pine nuts, and some homemade garlic and herb dressing! I devour it in 2 minutes or less.
Recipe here FYI 🙂
http://simplefitfoodie.com/recipe/spinach-and-kale-power-salad/
Something about how the ingredients all mix up together, I don’t know, but it’s just so satisfying!
love this super simple quick meal, Georgie! You nailed it. I think I need to start doing some more meal prep in the grains and veggies dept so I can have a different bowl every night.
fav fat= AVO. Or cashew butter, that’s a pretty hard choice for me
Oo every time I see a pic with your cashew butter it reminds me how much I want to make my own. Yours just looks so dreamy. Yeah nut butter vs. avo is a toughie fo sho
Love how easy this is! Looks delicious as well.
Thanks girl, easy meals is my thang 😉
This looks so delicious! I love the addition of the hardboiled egg. Genius. I will be making this soon. Pinned for later!
Aww thanks Carly, I go through phases of loving/hating hard boiled eggs but they’re such a great addition to salads.
First favorite fat is obviously nut butter…then comes avocados! XOXO
Haha yes! Definitely my favorite too in that order
Yup yup yup! I basically live by that formula for all my lunches (and often dinner too!)
Don’t fix what ain’t broken right? Love it!
Yummm! I love barley! Everything is better in bowls 🙂
Life motto right there! Bowls make everything better.
I really need to learn this. I feel like all my meals other than breakfast and dessert are complicated AF -_-
Omg girl, these photos are GORGEOUS!! This looks amazing. My favorite fats to eat are (obviously) nut butters and avos 🙂
Thank you SO much! <3 Yes nut butter and avo are the ultimate foods <3
This bowl is just perfect. I totally take the same approach to making dinner – I usually have similar components prepped to throw together throughout the week. The easier it is to put together a healthy meal = the less likely I am to eat junk.
Exaactly! Preparing makes healthy waaay easier and the less decisions I have to make the better.
I’m ALL about the power bowl! I swear I make these kinds of bowls 3 times a week a. because they’re so easy b. because they’re super quick to make c. because I can use basically anything in my fridge and turn it into some nourishing and delicious! Love the combo! So glad I found your blog 🙂
Yes! All those reasons make them one of my favorite meals. Feels great to eat something good that didn’t take a million years to make.
“If I can help people realize they don’t have to be a gourmet chef to eat healthy fresh food every day then I can die a happy blogger.” You are so right Georgie! Wise words. This recipe looks amazing! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thank you so much Cailee!!