Cooking with Karina: Healthy Bowl Recipes

Vegan Quinoa Taco Bowl (Photo: Karina Arnold)

Karina Arnold is a sophomore at the University of Oklahoma who’s passionate about healthy cooking. She provides creative, healthy recipes and tips on clean eating.

The Greeks used them to depict myths. Native Americans used them for sacrifices. I use them to hold ice cream. Bowls have been and are the most important, multi-purpose holding vessel.

Although the plastic bowls at Ikea do not compare to ornate china, both can hold a variety of foods, from a bowl of Butternut Pear Soup or a Smoothie Bowl. One of my favorite and my mom’s usual order at her favorite Tex-Mex spot is a taco bowl. This may seem like the healthier option compared to a loaded burrito; however, many taco bowls are just as high in calorie and have similar nutritional content to a cheesy fajita. The greasy chip bowl, coupled with a pile of cheese and sugary salsa cover the vegetables and their nutrition. Also, restaurants often sauté the ground beef with copious amounts of butter, sauce and heavy seasonings.

I decided to fix a taco bowl worth ordering but half the calories and double the nutrition. In addition to this Breakfast Taco Oatmeal Bowl, I made this Vegan Quinoa Taco Bowl using ingredients that you probably already have in your refrigerator.

In addition to cuisine south of the border, I sought inspiration from the far East. I recently ordered his Poké Bowl while dinning with friends. Next time you get sushi, ask if they serve poké bowls, because they are often not listen on the menu. You can try to make your own using cooked crab, white rice, seaweed and soy sauce.

Quinoa Curry Bowl (Photo: Karina Arnold) 

Want another way to implement curry into your diet after reading Recipes that will Curry Your Favor? Try this Quinoa Curry Bowl, loaded with veggies, pistachios and sautéed golden raisins to add a sweet flavor. This fiber-full bowl is full of vitamins will keep you full. I threw this bowl together using leftover steamed veggies and plain quinoa I mixed with curry powder and lemon juice.

Bowls have and will continue to make a presence on kitchen counters around the world. What do you usually put in your bowl? Comment below!