
They’re a new name for a very old idea…
Put some delicious ingredients in a bowl.
Add a sauce.
Dinner or lunch is ready.
I came across the term ‘abundance bowl’ in Sarah Wilson’s great book ‘Simpilicious’.
Since then I’ve been thinking of my lunches and simple dinners as Abundance Bowls.
Which as my friend Linda said…
“Sounds much nicer than leftovers.”
And when I got this email from one of my students, I was so happy.
“Jules,
Your abundance bowls are the bomb.
Such a good core idea that’s really helping me this week.
Thank you!”
Jenna
Ready to try an abundance bowl for yourself? It’s easy.

Abundance Bowls
Ingredients
- 200-400 g raw or cooked veggies see list below for ideas
- 100-250 g cooked protein see list below for ideas
- 1-3 tablespoons sauce see list below for ideas
Instructions
-
Place veggies in the bottom of your bowl.
-
Top with protein and sauce. Enjoy!
Variations & Substitutions
PROTEIN OPTIONS:
My most common faves are poached eggs or sardines for lunches and cooked fish or meat for dinner – either freshly cooked or prepared ahead. Here’s a list to get you thinking:
- Poached Eggs
- Boiled Eggs
- Nuts & Seeds
- Leftover Roast Chicken
- Poached / Quick Pulled Chicken
- Meatballs
- Easiest Baked Bolognese / Ragu
- Slow Cooked Lamb
- Perfect Pulled Pork
- Brisket
- Canned Sardines / Tuna / Salmon
- Smoked Chicken
- Smoked Salmon / Other Smoked Fish
- Ham / Salami / Prosciutto
- All Cheeses
- Cooked Bacon
- Poached Sausages
- Cooked Chorizo
- Cooked / Canned Chickpeas, Lentils, Beans
Or it can be a combo of any of the above.
VEGGIE OPTIONS
I use leftover salads / veg from other meals. Lately I’ve also been prepping a big batch of one or two veg on the weekend. My current faves are steamed broccoli and cooked greens (usually kale). If you eat grains, you can include them as part of your veggie component.
- Washed Salad Leaves
- Baby Spinach Leaves
- Cooked Greens / Kale / Spainch / Chard / Collards / Asian Greens
- Fresh Herbs (combined with other veg)
- Defrosted + Warmed Frozen Greens
- Any Roast Veg
- Any Steamed Veg
- Any Grilled Veg
- Shaved Raw Cabbage
- Grated Raw Veg / Carrots / Beets / Zucchini / Cauliflower / Broccoli
- Cooked Cabbage
- Cooked / Canned Chickpeas, Lentils, Beans
- Any other veg you’re happy to eat!
FAT / SAUCE OPTIONS
To make sure your abundance bowl is super delicious AND filling enough. It’s essential to include some fats in the form of a tasty sauce. You’ll notice some of these double up as proteins and veggies as well. So no need to stick to the tablespoon amount for those.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – either a drizzle or as a dressing
- Amazing Avo Sauce
- Tomato Almond Pesto
- Cashew Sauce
- Marco’s Chilli Oil
- Mayonnaise
- Pesto
- Pâté (great for minerals!)
- Tahini
- Tahini Yoghurt
- Hummus (not that high in fat so use liberally)
- Roast Cauliflower Hummus
- Miso Harissa Sauce
- Tahini Miso Turmeric Sauce (TMT Sauce)
- Nuts, Seeds + Nut Butters
- Cheese especially crumbled feta or goats cheese
- Sour Cream
- Blue Cheese Dressing
- Greek Yoghurt / Coconut Yoghurt (not very high in fat so use lots more than 3 tablespoons)
- Soft Butter (preferably Kerrygold Irish butter)
- Flavoured Butters
- Avocado + Guacamole (use as a vegetable as well)
- OR for more sauce ideas see my A-Z of Sauces
For more in depth ideas see the Abundance Bowls Bonus.
Problem Solving Guide
bland – more salt! more sauce. Or add in a flavour bomb.
too dry – more sauce!
Prepare Ahead
Yes! Just prepare as per the recipe. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 1-2 weeks. Depending on the veg and sauce they can be frozen.
For more specific examples see My Formula for a Perfect Weekday Lunch.
Have You Tried Abundance Bowls?
What do you think?
Let me know in the comments below…
Have fun in the kitchen!
With love,
Jules x
So simple! Just mix whatever you want! I am gonna love this recipe!
Enjoy Clementine!
I love your blog and recipes! Thanks for making our meals so much healthier and really delicious.
https://coolkitchenutensils.com
You’re welcome Linda!
This is what I do on a daily basis – but I love your name! Abundance Bowls is so much nicer than – “now, what have I got in the fridge today?”
Plenty of fresh/cooked veg, some walnuts/chopped dried apricots, chickpeas or tinned beans if there, hemp seeds, a mix of mayo & yoghurt, maybe a boiled egg or cheese, leftover salmon, tinned tuna or herrings, sliced pickled gherkins or capers to add a bit of acid; and a fresh dressing. Et voila! Fresh, tasty, healthy, and nothing left behind in the fridge to go off!
Yes Katie!