For runners seeking a quick and nourishing pre-or post-workout meal, rice bowls with sauce are an easy option packed with essential nutrients to replenish energy stores and aid recovery. These versatile bowls offer a harmonious blend of complex carbohydrates, protein, healthy fats, and micronutrients crucial for muscle repair and glycogen replenishment—best of all, you can tweak them to suit even the most particular eaters.
You’ll put your bowl together in three parts (plus fun extra toppings). For the base, opt for cooked brown rice or quinoa for a hearty dose of complex carbohydrates and fibre. Then layer on a variety of nutrient-rich toppings and finish with a flavorful sauce for added zest. If you’re serving a crowd, chopping up a variety of toppings and setting them out for a make-your-own style meal will be sure to keep everyone happy (and fuelled).
Quick and Easy Rice Bowls for Runners
Ingredients
Cooked brown rice or quinoa
Protein: Grilled chicken, tofu, tempeh, or edamame
Vegetables: Sliced bell peppers, shredded carrots, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, steamed broccoli or spinach
Healthy fats: Sliced avocado, toasted nuts or seeds (such as almonds, pumpkin seeds or sesame seeds)
Optional toppings: Sliced radishes, pickled red onions, shredded nori seaweed or microgreens
Sauce options
Tahini-Lemon Dressing
2 Tablespoons tahini
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons water
Salt and pepper to taste
Spicy Peanut Sauce
2 Tablespoons peanut butter (or almond butter for variation)
1 Tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
1 teaspoon sriracha or chili garlic sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
Water to thin, as needed
Instructions
Start by layering a generous serving of cooked brown rice or quinoa in a bowl.
Add your choice of protein, such as grilled chicken, tofu, tempeh or edamame.
Pile on a colorful array of vegetables, such as sliced bell peppers, shredded carrots, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, steamed broccoli or spinach.
Sprinkle with healthy fats, such as sliced avocado or toasted nuts and seeds.
For extra flavor, top with optional additions like sliced radishes, pickled red onions, shredded nori seaweed or microgreens. Drizzle your preferred sauce over the bowl just before serving.
