Midweek Meals: Five easy bowl recipes for when you don't have time to meal prep

Bowl food is comforting and can be eaten on the run

Make bowl food the focus of your midweek meals this week.

Quinoa power bowl

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

This power bowl is bursting with goodness, packing protein, fibre and nutrients like magnesium, iron and calcium into a delicious lunch option

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 15 mins

Total Time

 20 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• For the quinoa:

• 100g uncooked quinoa, rinsed under cold water

• 200ml low sodium vegetable stock or water

• 1 tbsp coconut oil

• 1 lime, juiced and zest finely grated

• salt

• pepper

• For the dressing:

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 lime, juiced

• 1 tsp honey

• To serve:

• 1 punnet of cherry tomatoes, halved

• handful of coriander, roughly chopped

• 4 scallions, sliced

• 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced (optional)

• 1 small bag of baby spinach

• 2 avocados, diced

Method

1. Add the quinoa and the stock (or water) to a saucepan over a high heat and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat, cover the pot and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed.

2. Stir in the coconut oil, lime juice, lime zest, salt and pepper.

3. Set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad.

4. To make the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice and honey. Set aside with the quinoa.

5. Stir the quinoa, halved cherry tomatoes, coriander, scallions and jalapeno pepper, if using. Season with salt and pepper.

6. Divide the spinach between four bowls, place the quinoa salad on top and drizzle with the dressing. Top with the avocado and serve.

7. This salad can be eaten immediately or stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Do not cut the avocado until just before serving as it may turn brown.

Salmon rice bowl

recipe by:Currabinny Cooks

Ideal for a quick midweek meal, use whatever greens are in season in this rice bowl

Servings

2

Preparation Time

 40 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 50 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Japanese

Ingredients

• 225g Japanese sushi rice

• 2 skinless salmon fillets

• 2 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tsp sesame oil

• 2 tbsp mirin

• 1 tbsp ginger, minced

• 2 garlic cloves, minced plus one more clove, sliced thinly

• pinch of dried chilli flakes

• 500g spring greens

• rapeseed oil, for frying

Method

1. Place the salmon in a shallow dish along with the soy sauce, sesame oil, mirin, ginger and minced garlic, leave to marinate for around 30 minutes.

2. Cook the rice as per packet instructions until, sticky but not over done to the point of mush.

3. Wash the spring greens and discard any tough stalks, leave aside.

4. Heat a little rapeseed oil in a large frying pan over a medium high heat. Take the salmon out of the marinade and add to the pan, frying on both sides for around two minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.

5. Heat a little rapeseed oil in a wok over medium high heat and add the spring greens. Season lightly with a splash of soy sauce, sliced clove of garlic and a pinch of chilli flakes. Fry until wilted but still very green. Heat the remaining marinade up in a small pan until hot.

6. Divide the rice between two bowls, top with salmon, spring greens and pour the marinade over.