When it comes to weekday lunches, I want three things: I want it to be easy to prepare, nutrient-dense, and loaded with tons of flavor. A couple of years ago I developed three recipes that checked all of the boxes for me, and they have become my favorite go-to lunches.

I am going to share all three recipes this week, and today I am starting with the Roasted Sweet Potato and Black Bean Bowl With Lime Cream. This makes a delicious lunch, but honestly, it would be an incredible dinner as well. As written, the recipe will yield five bowls (enough for a week’s worth of lunches or dinner for four people) and can be batch-prepared on Sunday, which makes packing lunch in the morning a breeze!

This recipe calls for grilled or roasted chicken (which I purchase at the store), but you could easily substitute ground beef, ground chicken, or ground turkey cooked with taco seasonings for a different spin.

This bowl is packed with whole, nutrient-dense ingredients, designed to fuel your body and provide a balance of protein, fiber, healthy fat, and lots of vegetables. I have included notes in the recipe for how I package all of the components to make assembling lunch a snap!

Ingredients

for the vegetables…

2 bell peppers, any color (I like red, orange, or yellow), cut into large chunks
1 purple onion, cut into large chunks
1 large sweet potato, cut into small cubes
olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper

for the lime cream…

1/2 cup Greek yogurt
zest and juice of 1 lime
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

for serving…

fresh baby spinach
roasted or grilled chicken
avocado
1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
cilantro, chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Combine the peppers and onion on one sheet tray. Drizzle with olive oil and generously sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place the sweet potatoes on a different sheet tray. 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 chunks, the peppers may take from 20 to 45 minutes. The sweet potatoes may take a bit longer. Test one to make sure they are fully roasted and soft in the middle.
To make the lime cream, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl until combined.
I like to package the roasted vegetables and black beans in one container, the chopped chicken in another container, and the lime cream in a third container.
When it is time to assemble your bowl, fill a large bowl with baby spinach. Top the spinach with a portion of the roasted vegetables, a portion of chicken, as much avocado as you like, a sprinkle of cilantro, and several dollops of the lime cream. Mix gently and enjoy!

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!

Ingredients

fresh baby spinach
roasted or grilled salmon
avocado
chopped cucumber
goat cheese
sliced strawberries
a splash of white wine vinegar

Instructions

To assemble, fill a bowl with baby spinach.
Top with chopped cucumbers, sliced strawberries, roasted salmon, chopped avocado, salmon, and an ample splash of white wine vinegar.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Bowl with Lime Cream