Rainbow Salad Bowl (Printable)

Vibrant bowl featuring fresh vegetables, grains, beans, nuts, seeds, and zesty dressing for nutritious meals.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup cooked quinoa, cooled

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
04 - 1 cup grated carrots
05 - 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 cup baby spinach leaves
07 - 1 small cucumber, sliced

→ Legumes

08 - 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
09 - 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed

→ Nuts and Seeds

10 - 1/3 cup roasted cashews or almonds, chopped
11 - 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
12 - 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds

→ Dressing

13 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
15 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
16 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
17 - 1 garlic clove, minced
18 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Garnish

19 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

# Directions:

01 - Prepare quinoa according to package instructions, then transfer to a plate and allow to cool completely before use.
02 - Arrange all prepared vegetables, cooled grains, drained beans, nuts, and seeds in a large salad bowl or on a platter in colorful sections for visual appeal.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until fully emulsified.
04 - Drizzle the dressing over the salad just before serving and toss gently to combine, or serve dressing on the side for individual preference.
05 - Top with chopped fresh parsley or cilantro and serve immediately while vegetables retain their crispness.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It turns meal prep into something that actually looks exciting on your counter instead of sad little containers.
  • You can double the grains on Sunday and have most of the work done for days.
  • Every bite tastes different depending on what you scoop, so it never gets boring halfway through.
  • It makes you feel ridiculously virtuous without tasting like punishment.
02 -
  • If you dress this more than ten minutes before serving, the cabbage will bleed and the nuts will go soft, so wait until the last second.
  • Rinsing canned beans under cold water for a full thirty seconds removes the weird sliminess and makes them taste fresher.
  • Do not skip cooling the grains or you will end up with warm, wilted greens and a bowl that looks tired before anyone takes a bite.
03 -
  • Toast your seeds in a dry skillet for two minutes before adding them and they will taste five times better.
  • If your dressing breaks or looks oily, add a tiny splash of cold water and whisk again until it comes together.
  • Use a wide shallow bowl instead of a deep one so every ingredient stays visible and does not get buried under quinoa.
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