These breakfast-friendly, grab-n-go vegan power bowls are served two ways: sweet + savory. The sweet variation includes coconut yogurt, strawberry-raspberry chia jam, 10-minute pistachio granola, juicy blood oranges, potassium-rich banana, and a drizzle of maple syrup to pull it all together. The savory version includes a protein-packed "parmesan" quinoa porridge, roasted salt-n-pepper cauliflower, garlicky greens, and a creamy cashew hollandaise sauce.
If you've been following along with Blissful Basil over the years, then you're quite familiar with this whole
"power bowl" thing.
There's been the Grab-N-Go Sweet Potato, Cranberry & Quinoa Power Bowl; the Green Pea Patty, Roasted Radish & Lemony Hummus Bowl; the Comforting & Cozy Fall Power Bowl; the Green Goddess Revitalization Bowl; the Roasted BBQ Vegetable Bowl; the Curried Sweet Potato Bowl; and many, many more.
I love power bowls. So much, in fact, that there's an entire chapter dedicated to them in my cookbook.
Power bowls—sometimes referred to as "rainbow bowls"—are meals made up of several small energizing dishes and/or ingredients. These chosen elements are then nestled into the confines of one roomy bowl.
In a way, it's kind of like a salad whose components are kept separate. Typically, there's also a unifying element such as a jam, a compote, a sauce, or a mash (e.g., avocado mash, hummus, etc.) that serves as the common thread, weaving together seemingly unrelated elements.
To give you an idea of the types of elements that go into these bowl-bound meals, think:
An array of colorful fruits, raw or roasted veggies, tasty salads or slaws, flavor-packed sauces, sweet berry compotes and super-seeded chia jams, warming curries and stews, fluffy grains, creamy plant-based yogurts, crunchy granola, fresh herbs, garlicky mashed avocado, spicy salsa, smoky hummus, crackers, falafel patties, etc.
The options are truly endless though. No veggie left unturned, no craving left unsatiated. Mix and match and pair to your heart's content, creating an energizing, power-packed dish that nourishes your body just as much as it delights your senses.
Perhaps the best part of all is that most power bowl components can be prepped // prepared ahead of time (e.g., Sunday evening), stored separately, and then tossed together in a jar or transportable container before heading out the door throughout the week. Satisfaction meets convenience.
Now that we've established a few general guidelines, let's talk specifics. This particular power-packed duo includes two grab-n-go recipes.
If you're feeling sweet, dive into this coconut yogurt, pistachio granola, strawberry-raspberry chia jam, blood orange, banana, and maple syrup abyss...
But perhaps you're feeling savory today.
If that's the case, then lean into this warmer, salt-kissed version with parmesan quinoa porridge, salt-n-pepper cauliflower, garlicky greens, and vegan cashew hollandaise...
The elements of both bowls are designed to be prepared ahead of time and then assembled before heading out the door.
Then, just before serving, you'll quickly reheat and add a finishing touch or two.
SWEET GRAB-N-GO VEGAN BREAKFAST POWER BOWL
Ingredients
- 4 cups unsweetened vanilla coconut yogurt
- 2 to 3 citrus fruits (e.g., oranges, blood oranges, grapefruit, etc.), peeled and sliced
- 1 recipe Strawberry-Raspberry Chia Jam (see recipe below)
- Pure maple syrup, to taste (for drizzling)
- 1 recipe 10-Minute Easy Vegan Pistachio Granola
- 4 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced into coins just before serving (optional)
Instructions
- Before serving or heading out the door in the morning, spoon 1 cup of the yogurt into a bowl or jar.
- Top with a few slices of the citrus fruit, generous scoop of chia jam, and a drizzle of maple syrup.
- If serving immediately, finish with a handful of the pistachio granola and freshly sliced banana (if using). If enjoying later, wait to add the granola and banana until just before serving.
Notes
STRAWBERRY-RASPBERRY CHIA JAM
Ingredients
- 10 ounces frozen strawberries
- 10 ounces frozen raspberries
- 3 to 4 tablespoons pure maple syrup or to taste
- 3 tablespoons filtered water
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)
- 2 tablespoons ground chia seed*
- Pinch fine sea salt
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, stir together the frozen strawberries, frozen raspberries, water, maple syrup, and vanilla (if using) over medium heat.
- Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, uncovered, for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the berries begin to break down into a sauce, stirring occasionally.
- Turn off the heat and use the back of a fork to thoroughly mash any remaining pieces of fruit.
- Whisk in the ground chia seed and sea salt, turn the heat on low, and continue to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, or until it thickens slightly, stirring constantly.
- Remove from the heat and transfer to the refrigerator for 5 to 10 minutes to cool slightly. Set aside.
SAVORY GRAB-N-GO VEGAN BREAKFAST POWER BOWL
Ingredients
Roasted Salt 'n' Pepper Cauliflower
- 1 small head cauliflower (6-inch diameter), trimmed and cut into bite-size (½-inch) florets
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- Sea salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper
Parmesan Quinoa Porridge
- ½ tablespoon olive oil or 2 tablespoons vegetable broth
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 ¼ cups)
- 1 cup white quinoa, thoroughly rinsed
- 2 ½ cups plain unsweetened plant-based milk (e.g., almond or cashew milk), divided
- 1 cup filtered water
- ¼ cup raw cashews, almonds, or pepitas
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, divided, plus more to taste
- 1 ½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Garlicky Greens
- ½ tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or 2 tablespoons vegetable broth
- 1 bunch rainbow chard, washed, stemmed*, and roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Cashew Hollandaise Sauce (Optional but Recommended)
- ½ cup raw cashews, soaked overnight or boiled for 10 minutes to soften
- ½ cup filtered water
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon black salt (i.e., "kala namak") or sea salt (I recommend black salt because it adds an eggy flavor)
- Dash cayenne pepper
Instructions
For the Roasted Salt 'n' Pepper Cauliflower
- Preheat oven to 375F. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
- Add the cauliflower florets to the lined pan, drizzle with the olive oil, and toss to coat.
- Spread evenly over the pan and season with sea salt and black pepper.
- Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, or until tender and flecked with a rich golden-brown hue.
For the Parmesan Quinoa Porridge
- Meanwhile, heat a large pan over medium-low heat. Add the olive oil and onion, and cook for 6 minutes or until just beginning to turn translucent, stirring occasionally.
- Add the quinoa and cook for 2 minutes, or until slightly toasted.
- Stir in 2 cups of the milk and all of the filtered water. Increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. (Certain plant-based milks will separate at this point and that's completely okay.)
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until most of the milk has been absorbed and the quinoa is very tender, stirring occasionally at first and with greater frequency toward the end of cooking. Keep a watchful eye on it and stir as needed because the milk has a tendency to boil upwards.
- Meanwhile, add the cashews, nutritional yeast, and ¼ teaspoon of the sea salt to a small food processor, and process for 20 seconds, or until the mixture resembles finely grated parmesan cheese. Set within reach of the stove.
- Once the porridge is ready, remove it from the heat and stir in the remaining ½ cup almond milk or as much as needed to thin into a porridge-like consistency. Then, stir in the almond mixture, remaining ½ teaspoon sea salt, black pepper, and lemon juice. Taste and season with more sea salt and black pepper, if desired.
For the Garlicky Greens
- Heat the olive oil over medium-low in a large pan. Add the chard and cook for 2 minutes, or until just beginning to wilt.
- Add the garlic and continue to cook for another 2 minutes, or until the greens are tender and wilted, stirring frequently.
- Remove from the heat and generously season with sea salt and black pepper. Set aside.
For the Cashew Hollandaise Sauce (Optional but Recommended)
- Add the cashews, filtered water, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, ground turmeric, black salt, and cayenne pepper to a high-speed blender.
- Blend on high for 2 to 3 minutes or until completely smooth.
Notes
Normally I am a savory breakfast person, but the sweet bowl is calling my name! Probably because of the granola---I'm obsessed with pistachios! Thanks for the awesome recipe(s), I can't wait to try them out!
Ohh I love that you have a sweet and savory version of this! I'm all about the bowls this winter and love taking them to go to work this time of year :)
Mmmm Love both versions and I'm most curious about the cashew hollandaise and the pistachio granola, can't wait to try these power bowls! :-)
I just made the Sweet Power Bowl this morning, and it was fantastic! This is one of my favorite breakfasts!