BEGIN RANT: Can we just stop making up recipes for grain bowls already? If I see a recipe for ANOTHER grain bowl my head may explode. No, I’m not being over dramatic. The amount of recipes online for grain bowls is absolute banana land. Now hear me out- I love a good grain bowl as much as the next person trying to eat healthier, or just clean out the fridge and throw a bunch of random shit together and call it dinner- but we don’t need another recipe. No, WE.NEED.A.FORMULA.

I like to think of the ubiquitous grain bowl as the free form, no recipe breakfast/lunch/dinner easy weekday meal that anyone can throw together. It has no boundaries, just a basic set of requirements to maximize deliciousness.

1. A GRAIN: Pick your favorite. I don’t need to tell you which one to choose. Be a fucking adult.

2. SOMETHING ROASTED: Clear out that crisper drawer and roast the shit out of something. Bonus points for using 3 or more colors of the rainbow.

3. SOMETHING RAW: Variety is the spice of life and add some crunch with a raw vegetable- or fruit if you’re feeling fancy.

4. SOMETHING PICKLED AND/OR FERMENTED: Pickled onions, jalapeños, raisins, cabbage, kimchi, sauerkraut- go nuts.

5. A PROTEIN: Yes, lots of veggies and grains will fill you up, but adding a touch of protein will really round out the meal. Crispy tofu, grilled chicken, roasted fish, beans, lentils, or simply put an egg on it. Gold stars for runny yolks.

6. A SAUCE: No sauce = the Sahara Desert of grain bowls. This one has miso mayo, and I’m not mad at it.

7. EXTRA CRUNCH: Throw some toasty nuts or seeds on top to make you feel fancy and give your pallet something other than mush to chew on. Crispy chickpeas will also double as your protein. Extra points for a 2-in-1 combo.

8. HERBS: Don’t pass go on your grain bowl without some fresh herbs. You want herbs of the tender green variety, like cilantro, basil, mint, parsley, or chives. Mixing and matching has never been so fun.

Now that you have my not so secret formula for an epic grain bowl, you will never need another recipe again. Go forth and let your half empty fridges and pantries be your guide. Also, go rogue and put that shit on a plate. I like to live life on the edge.

END RANT.