How to Build a Delicious Lunch Bowl (AIP)

You may have heard me rant about "the boring salad" a few days ago, and I'm still on a mission to banish the idea that eating healthy needs to be sad, boring and bland. You do not need to angrily chew carrot sticks and choke down iceberg lettuce and resent the person next to you with the delicious looking stirfy from the food truck down the road. You do not need to sacrifice flavor and enjoyment. You do not need to feel deprived. At all. If you deprive yourself all in the quest to be "healthy" chances are this will backfire and you'll find yourself mindlessly eating pop tarts (yes they are still a thing and were in the hospital break room yesterday) because you feel sorry for yourself, or feeling so hungry and unsatisfied that you crack and eat anything in sight. There is so much more available to us in our food supply that is nourishing and healthy besides tasteless boiled chicken and raw broccoli! 

What I think? Life is too short to eat boring salads. 

The way to be successful in this mission and get out of this boring, healthy eating rut is to get inspired and think outside the box. Next up in the list of inspired lunches is my all time favorite: The Lunch Bowl. Bowls are the best way to get variety and create satisfying, filling, nourishing lunches that you can take on the go. 

This week's guide is in line with the Autoimmune Paleo Diet.  Depending on your needs and preferences you can add or subtract different proteins, nuts, seeds, gluten-free grains etc. It's up to you! This AIP lunch bowl serves as a great base balanced with protein, good fats, fiber and carbohydrates from veggies for you to customize to your liking. 

How to Build Your AIP Lunch Bowl

1. Start with a base of leafy greens: spinach, kale, arugula, lettuce, endive

2. Add unlimited raw, roasted, steamed or grilled veggies: beets, roasted asparagus, brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, mushrooms, zucchini, cabbage, fennel, cucumber

3. Add a starchy vegetable for carbohydrates: sweet potato, squash, carrot, celeriac, parsnip, radish, rutabaga, turnip, yam, plantain

4. Include protein: salmon, tuna, grilled chicken, turkey meatballs, good quality lunch meat

5. Healthy fats: avocado, olive oil or coconut oil drizzled on top

6. Top with dressings and sauces (the best part!): guacamole, lemon/ lime squeezed on top, mango salsa, basil pesto, avocado dill ranch dressing, tzatziki

Here is the Green Goddess Lunch Bowl recipe from my Autoimmune Paleo Batch Cooking Meal Plan here >>

 

Green Goddess Lunch Bowl

Ingredients 

Makes 1 serving

Shredded rotisserie chicken (bought previously made)

Greens of your choice (spinach, kale, lettuce)

Roast root veggies (get the recipe here >>)

Green Goddess Dressing (Vegan) adapted from karalydon.com.

1 garlic clove

1 avocado

5 tablespoons olive oil

6 tablespoons water

3/4 cup basil

1/4 cup parsley

1/4 cup chives

1/2 cup scallions (white parts removed) Juice of 1/2 lemon

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

 

Directions 

Add greens to a bowl. Heat shredded chicken and root veggies and then toss into bowl. Add in any other veggies you have on hand! Drizzle dressing on top and enjoy.

Dressing

Add all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

Get the rest of the 7-day AIP meal plan for free by clicking here! >>

In my free Autoimmune Paleo Batch Cooking Meal Plan you will receive: 

+ 7 day meal plan
+ Step by step instructions for how to cook an entire week’s worth of food in just two, 2-hour sessions (life changing)
+ Grocery lists
+ Twelve of my favorite, easy, AIP compliant recipes!

Enjoy making delicious and nutritious meals in way less time.