Healthier ‘Cafe Yumm’ Bowls

Cafe Yumm Bowl

I think Sarah and I can both equally admit we’ve had a minor obsession with rice bowls lately. Whether it’s a quick dinner, easy to keep at work lunch or midnight health snack to sub for the pizza munchies, they are a delicious and nutritious choice. I find myself packing a fresh bag of veggies, cooked grains, the occasional protein and then hummus and/or salsa to top every Monday to unload at work. The variations are limitless, so much so that I cannot seem to get bored with these.

Check out Cafe Yumm’s menu and nutrition stats– Big fan of the Hot ‘n’ Jazzy (minus red beans, sub green soy beans) Skinny Tip: Careful on the sauce– Either ask for it on the side, limit the sour cream or reduce cheese.  Those are the main ingredients that up the calorie count for these bowls.

Healthier Yumm Bowl Guide:

Grains:

• Brown Rice
• Quinoa

Beans:

• Black beans
• White beans/Garbanzo
• Kidney beans
• Edamame

Protein: (I typically keep mine meatless since I do a grain and a bean most often)

• Shredded Chicken or turkey

Sauces: (This is key to the ‘healthier’ part

• Hummus (Trader Joes Basil and White Bean seems to work well with most of my mixtures)
• Salsa
• Buffalo sauce
• Café Yumm Sauce (can purchase in stores but higher in calories so light on the sauce)
• Fat-free sour cream or non-fat greek yogurt

Veggies:

• Avocado
• Cucumber (If not a cucumber fan—add celery to get the crunch)
• Tomato
• Olives
• Corn
• Nori
• Spinach
• Artichoke
• Bell pepper

Optional:

• Cheese
• Cilantro

I start by heating the beans and grain of choice it the microwave– while heating I chop the rest of the ingredients and add to mixture—top with sauces/hummus and stir—lastly I mix in the spinach or nori once well blended.

Examples:

• Mexican theme: Black beans, brown rice, corn, red bell pepper, tomato, avocado, salsa, optional: a creamier sauce like a light ranch, jalapeno or chipotle hummus, fat-free sour cream or non-fat greek yogurt.
• Mediterranean theme: Quinoa, white bean or garbanzo, cucumber, olives, fat-free feta, tomato, avocado, hummus.
• My go-to: brown rice, edamame or black bean, tomato, olives, cucumber, avocado, nori, salsa, hummus, buffalo sauce and since I love a little spice a jalapeno as well.

It ends up being one of those meals that no matter what food you have on hand, you can whip something together. I’m trying to find a good one to mix in pineapple… thoughts?!

❤ Jamie

Photo Credit: Via