Spring Green Bowl (Printable Version)

Fresh spring vegetables over grains with zesty lemon dressing

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa, brown rice, or farro
02 - 2 cups water
03 - ½ teaspoon salt

→ Spring Vegetables

04 - 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
05 - 1 cup asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
06 - 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
07 - 2 cups baby spinach leaves

→ Lemon Dressing

08 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
09 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
10 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
11 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
12 - 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
13 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Optional Toppings

15 - 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
16 - ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese, optional for vegan version
17 - Fresh herbs such as mint, parsley, or dill, chopped

# Steps:

01 - Rinse grains under cold water. In a medium saucepan, bring water and salt to a boil. Add grains, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until tender, approximately 15 minutes for quinoa, 35 minutes for brown rice, or according to package directions. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch peas, asparagus, and green beans separately for 2-3 minutes each until just tender and bright green. Immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking, then drain well.
03 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes until just wilted. Remove from heat.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, mustard, maple syrup or honey, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
05 - Divide cooked grains among four bowls. Top each with blanched peas, asparagus, green beans, and sautéed spinach. Drizzle with lemon dressing.
06 - Sprinkle with toasted seeds, crumbled feta if using, and fresh herbs. Serve immediately.

# Expert Insights:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like you spent all morning planning it.
  • The vegetables stay bright and crisp instead of turning into sad mush, which honestly changed how I cook green things.
  • You can prep everything ahead and assemble right before eating, making it perfect for a busy week.
02 -
  • Don't skip the ice water after blanching—it stops the cooking and keeps everything bright green and crisp instead of turning olive-colored and soft.
  • The dressing needs to sit for at least five minutes before serving so all the flavors marry together and the mustard can do its emulsifying work.
03 -
  • If you're adding protein like grilled chicken or tofu, warm it slightly before adding it to the bowl so the whole thing feels like a coherent meal instead of cold grains with warm protein.
  • The secret to a truly memorable lemon dressing is using both juice and zest—the zest brings brightness that juice alone can't deliver.
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