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Easy Sunday Meal Prep Lunch Bowls for Teachers

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A quick, healthy, and flavorful meal prep recipe perfect for busy teachers or professionals, featuring a balanced mix of grains, protein, and fresh veggies with a tangy dressing.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup quinoa (uncooked)
  • 1 cup brown rice (uncooked) or substitute with farro
  • 2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced (or rotisserie chicken)
  • 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup cucumber, diced
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped (optional)
  • 3 tbsp olive oil (extra virgin preferred)
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped
  • 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled (optional)

Instructions

  1. Rinse 1 cup quinoa and 1 cup brown rice separately under cold water.
  2. In separate saucepans, combine each grain with 2 cups water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer. Quinoa takes about 15 minutes; brown rice about 40 minutes.
  3. Fluff grains with a fork and let cool for 10 minutes.
  4. If using raw chicken breasts, season with salt and pepper and pan-sear over medium heat for 6-7 minutes each side until cooked through (internal temp 165°F/74°C). Let rest 5 minutes, then dice. Alternatively, shred rotisserie chicken.
  5. Drain and rinse black beans thoroughly.
  6. Halve cherry tomatoes, dice cucumber, shred carrots, chop bell pepper, and finely dice red onion.
  7. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, honey, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until emulsified. Adjust seasoning to taste.
  8. In a large bowl, combine cooled quinoa and brown rice, chicken, black beans, and all chopped veggies.
  9. Pour dressing over mixture and toss gently to coat evenly without overmixing.
  10. Sprinkle chopped parsley or cilantro and crumbled feta cheese on top.
  11. Divide into meal prep containers and seal tightly. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Notes

To keep veggies crisp, toss them with dressing just before eating instead of during prep. Use pre-cooked grains to save time. Rest cooked chicken to retain juiciness. Store delicate veggies separately if desired. Freezing is not recommended due to fresh vegetable content.

Nutrition

Keywords: meal prep, lunch bowls, healthy lunch, easy recipe, teacher lunch, quinoa, brown rice, chicken, black beans, gluten-free, vegetarian option

Find it online: https://coracooks.com/easy-sunday-meal-prep-lunch-bowls-for-teachers-perfect-healthy-ideas/