California veggie bowl with quinoa, avocado and vegetables Recipe
A colourful bowl full of quinoa, crunchy vegetables, creamy avocado and a simple lemon dressing. Bowls like this are very popular in California as light yet filling lunches for office workers and café regulars. It’s something between a salad and a warm dish – healthy, but without being overly fussy.
This bowl combines different textures and temperatures – warm quinoa, crunchy vegetables and creamy avocado – in one simple, balanced meal. It’s easy to customise with what you have on hand and works equally well as a quick lunch or a light dinner.
Chef's tips
Rinse the quinoa thoroughly to avoid any bitter taste. If you want more flavour, cook it in vegetable stock instead of water. Add the avocado at the very end and sprinkle it with a little lemon juice to keep it from browning.
How to serve
Serve the bowl slightly warm, with the quinoa just cooked and the vegetables fresh from the fridge. It pairs nicely with sparkling water with lemon, kombucha or a light herbal tea.
Ingredients
- quinoa - 120 g
- water - 250 ml
- chickpeas cooked - 150 g
- avocado - 1 piece
- cucumber - 0.5 pieces
- carrot - 1 piece
- cherry tomatoes - 8 pieces
- lettuce - 40 g
- olive oil - 30 ml
- lemon - 0.5 pieces
- garlic - 0.5 clove
- salt - 0.75 teaspoons
- black pepper - 0.25 teaspoons
Preparation
- Place the quinoa in a sieve and rinse under running water for about 30 seconds to remove any bitterness. Transfer to a pot, pour in the water and add a pinch of salt.
- Bring the quinoa to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 12–15 minutes, until it absorbs the water and the grains are tender but slightly springy. Remove from the heat and leave covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
- Peel the carrot and grate it on a coarse grater or cut into thin sticks. Slice the cucumber into half‑moons. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
- Rinse the chickpeas in a sieve and drain well. Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, scoop out the flesh with a spoon and slice or dice it.
- In a small bowl, combine the olive oil with the juice of half a lemon, add grated garlic, salt and pepper. Mix with a fork until the dressing comes together and turns slightly cloudy.
- Divide a handful of lettuce between two bowls. Place a portion of warm quinoa in the centre of each bowl.
- Arrange the carrot, cucumber, tomatoes, chickpeas and avocado around the quinoa in separate “strips” so the ingredients stay visible and colourful.
- Drizzle everything with the lemon‑garlic dressing just before serving. Gently mix as you eat so the dressing coats all the ingredients.
Storage
Store the components separately in the fridge for up to 2 days: quinoa and chickpeas in airtight containers, vegetables and lettuce well covered. Add avocado and dressing only just before serving so they stay fresh and don’t brown or go soggy.
I like to add a pinch of chili flakes to the dressing and a handful of fresh herbs, such as coriander or parsley. Preparing all the ingredients in advance makes this my go‑to meal prep option for busy weekdays.
