Vegetarian Greek Rice Bowl
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup rice cooked
- 1/2 cup chickpeas
- 1 oz feta cheese crumbled
- 1/4 cup cucumber diced
- 1/4 cup tomato diced
- 2 tbsp red onion finely diced
- 1/4 cup tzatziki
Instructions
- Assemble bowl by spooning rice into a serving bowl, then topping with remaining ingredients. Feel free to add any other desired toppings, like olives, hummus, or greens.
Nutrition
Here is another fun, budget-friendly recipe as our protein base for this recipe is the chickpeas. A can of chickpeas cost less than dollar and they have an incredible nut-like flavor with incredibly versatile application. Chickpeas is the primary ingredient in the Vegetarian Greek Bowl recipe.
One important recommendation for those on conditions specific diet is to begin replacing animal proteins with plant-based proteins, such as chick peas. Plant-based proteins have a lower amount of saturated fat and are higher in fiber – the fiber content of legumes is higher than most other foods and since all Americans needs at least 25 grams of fiber per day, this is an awesome addition to your diet. Plant-based proteins provide an increased amount of antioxidants (which help protect cells from damage), phytates (which bind phosphorus, see Navigating Nutrients for CKD for more information), and reduces the amount of acid that the body produces during digestion. Plant-based proteins have also shown to help lower blood pressure levels, cholesterol, and weight to prevent diseases from progressing into heart disease. We are huge fans of chickpeas, and you can click here to check out our baked hummus recipe and learn more!
A couple other nutrients we want to highlight in this recipe include the calcium and phosphorus from feta cheese, both of which are essential to ensuring proper bone as well as gut health. Tzatziki, a traditionally Mediterranean spread, is also great for gut health as it is made from a Greek yogurt and cucumber base to provide both probiotics and prebiotics. Finally, tomatoes – an often-overlooked vegetable, tomatoes are a major source of antioxidants that reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer by providing vitamin C, potassium, folate and Vitamin K.
If you like this recipe, take a look at our popular recipe collection of 8 Healthy BBQ side dishes to make this summer.
An award winning recipe developer, Dietitian Kaitlin’s mission is to empower others to reach their health goals by encouraging them to get back into the kitchen. Co-author of Nourished: 10 Ingredients to Happy, Healthy Eating and Cooking with Diabetes.
