I am unofficially hosting Bowl-A-Palooza on the blog this week and sharing three of my favorite lunch recipes (that will work equally well for dinner, if you wish). Today’s bowl features a ton of roasted vegetables including peppers, onions, tomatoes, zucchini, and Brussels sprouts, plus roasted chicken, lemony farro, creamy avocado, and a bed of fresh spinach. Who’s hungry?

Prepping lunch ingredients for the week is such a way to care well for myself. When fresh, nutritious ingredients are ready and waiting for me, it is so easy to make good choices during the week. I love the way I feel fueled and sustained when I prioritize vegetables and protein at lunch, and this bowl packs a hefty punch of both.

As a note on convenience, I do not cook my own chicken for these bowls, but you can. I like to buy pre-grilled chicken from my grocery store, but a rotisserie chicken works equally well. If you’d like to cook your own chicken, you can prep several portions on Sunday and use it throughout the week.

You will notice that this bowl does not have a traditional salad dressing. I find that by the time I add all of the roasted vegetables which have bits of olive oil clinging to them, plus the lemony farro with its acidic punch, and the creamy avocado, everything combines in a way that eliminates the need for an additional salad dressing. If you disagree, by all means drizzle on your favorite salad topper or do as I do and add another squeeze of lemon juice and a a final sprinkling of sea salt.

Ingredients

for the vegetables…

2 yellow bell peppers, cut into large chunks
2 pints cherry tomatoes
2 zucchini, chopped into large chunks
1 purple onion, chopped into large chunks
1 pound Brussels Sprouts, cut in half
olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper

for the farro…

8 oz farro
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice

for serving…

fresh baby spinach
roasted or grilled chicken
avocado
a final squeeze of lemon and a pinch of sea salt, if desired

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Evenly divide the vegetables on two sheet trays. Drizzle with olive oil and generously sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roast the vegetables until fully cooked, and the edges are beginning to char. Depending on the size of your vegetable chunks, this may take as little as 20 minutes, or as long as 45 minutes. Make sure each vegetable is sufficiently roasted and sweet, particularly the onions.
To make the farro, bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the farro according to the directions on the package, which is usually around ten minutes. Drain the farro, and then return it to the pot (off the heat). Add the olive oil and lemon juice to the hot farro. Stir to combine and allow to fully cool.
I like to store the roasted vegetables in one container, the farro in another container, and the chicken in a third container.
When it is time to assemble, add a handful of spinach to a bowl. Top with a portion of roasted vegetables, a portion of farro, some fresh chicken, and as much avocado as you like. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of sea salt to brighten the whole dish. Enjoy!

Lemon Farro and Roasted Vegetable Bowl