Anti-Inflammatory Breakfast Bowl I Can't Stop Making

Anti-Inflammatory Breakfast Bowl image — Credit:
Heami Lee, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christine Keeley

Active Time:

40 mins

Total Time:

55 mins

Servings:

Nutrition Profile:

No Added Sugar Gut Healthy Anti-Inflammatory Mediterranean Diet Weight Loss Nut-Free Dairy-Free Healthy Pregnancy Soy-Free High-Fiber Healthy Cholesterol Vegetarian High-Protein Gluten-Free

Black beans and quinoa provide protein for energy and a healthy start to your day.
Broccoli and squash add nutrients like vitamin K and magnesium for bone and heart health.
Roast the vegetables on two baking sheets for even cooking and better texture.

Start your day off on the right foot with this Anti-Inflammatory Breakfast Bowl. It’s packed with legumes and veggies that have a wealth of health benefits to help fight inflammation. Quinoa, along with a jammy egg on top, delivers plenty of protein to keep you full and energized. It’s the perfect cool-weather weekend breakfast to make when you have guests in town. And if you can’t get around to making it in the morning, it can double as a nourishing dinner. Read on for our best advice for making this delicious breakfast grain bowl, including ingredient swaps you can make.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too!

We use two baking sheets to cook the vegetables in this recipe because the squash and beets need a longer time in the oven to roast. To make keeping track of the cooking easier, start roasting the broccoli when the squash and beets have 15 minutes left. That way, the broccoli and the root vegetables will all finish up at the same time.
If you have leftover roasted veggies from dinner the night before, use them in place of the ones here.
We love what we call a “jammy” egg in this recipe. The whites are completely set, but the yolk is soft and spreadable. If you like a harder yolk, cook the eggs for an additional two minutes.
Swap out the acorn squash for any other winter squash in this recipe. If you don’t care to work with red beets, yellow or chioggia beets work well, too. If you want to swap out the broccoli for something else, cauliflower or Brussels sprouts are both good options.
You can make quinoa using our Basic Quinoa recipe, or use any leftover quinoa you may have on hand. Just reheat it in the microwave right before you’re ready to assemble the bowls so it stays hot.

Nutrition Notes

Black beans (or any beans!) are a great addition to this bowl and your diet overall. They’re loaded with heart-friendly plant protein, and they provide resistant starch, a unique fiber linked to better gut health. A healthy gut can also help reduce systemic inflammation in the body.
Beets’ dark red color isn’t just stunning. It’s also an indicator of their antioxidants called betalains. These red pigments may help reduce body-wide inflammation to protect against chronic illnesses like heart disease and cancer.
Acorn squash is packed with nutrients for better blood sugar. In addition to digestion-slowing fiber, this winter squash is a fantastic source of magnesium, which plays a pivotal role in glucose metabolism.
Broccoli could be the ultimate vegetable for better bone health. This member of the cruciferous vegetable family delivers multiple nutrients that help bones stay strong and sturdy, like vitamin K, calcium and potassium.

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Ingredients

1/2x

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Original recipe (1X) yields 6 servings

1 small acorn squash, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped (about 4 cups)
2 small red beets, peeled and cubed (¾-inch; about 2 cups)
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1½ teaspoons salt, divided
¾ teaspoon ground cumin, divided
¾ teaspoon smoked paprika, divided
¾ teaspoon pepper, divided
1 medium head broccoli, cut into florets (1½-inch; about 4 cups)
6 large eggs
6 tablespoons tahini
¼ cup lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
2 tablespoons water
2 cloves garlic, grated
3 cups cooked quinoa
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F with racks in top and bottom third positions. Toss chopped squash, cubed beets, 2 tablespoons oil and ½ teaspoon each salt, cumin, smoked paprika and pepper together on a large rimmed baking sheet until evenly coated; spread into an even layer. Roast on the bottom rack, stirring once, until lightly browned and tender, about 30 minutes.

Heami Lee, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christine Keeley
Meanwhile, toss broccoli florets with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, ½ teaspoon salt and the remaining ¼ teaspoon each cumin, smoked paprika and pepper on another large rimmed baking sheet until evenly coated; spread in an even layer. Roast on the top rack until browned and tender, about 15 minutes.

Heami Lee, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christine Keeley
Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over high heat and set a medium bowl of ice water next to the stove. Gently use a spoon to lower 6 eggs into the boiling water; reduce heat as needed to maintain a steady simmer. Simmer, gently stirring occasionally, for 6 minutes. Transfer the eggs to the ice bath; let cool for 2 minutes. Drain the eggs and set aside.
Whisk 6 tablespoons tahini, ¼ cup lemon juice, 2 tablespoons water, grated garlic and ¼ teaspoon salt together in a small bowl until creamy and smooth.
Stir 3 cups cooked quinoa and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt together in a medium bowl; divide among 6 bowls. Top with black beans, roasted squash mixture and roasted broccoli. Peel the eggs under running water, discarding shells; cut each egg in half lengthwise and place on top of the breakfast bowls. Drizzle each bowl with the tahini mixture.

Heami Lee, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christine Keeley

To make ahead

Make the eggs (Step 3) and refrigerate in their shells in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Gently reheat in warm-hot (not boiling) water. Make the tahini sauce (Step 4) and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are grain bowls good for breakfast?

Grain bowls are an excellent first meal of the day. You’ll get a jump-start on your veggie servings and a healthy dose of fiber. With the addition of both plant-based protein from quinoa and protein from an egg, this breakfast will keep you satisfied and energized throughout the morning.
What other grains can I use?

You can try brown rice, wheat berries and even old-fashioned rolled oats. Opt for whole grains over refined grains, which have been stripped of some of their fiber and nutrients.

EatingWell.com, December 2024

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

534	Calories
24g	Fat
64g	Carbs
21g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 6
Serving Size 1 bowl
Calories 534
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 64g	23%
Dietary Fiber 16g	59%
Total Sugars 5g
Added Sugars 0g	0%
Protein 21g	42%
Total Fat 24g	31%
Saturated Fat 4g	21%
Cholesterol 186mg	62%
Vitamin A 136Âµg
Vitamin C 72mg	81%
Vitamin D 1Âµg
Vitamin E 3mg	23%
Folate 231Âµg
Vitamin K 69Âµg
Sodium 679mg	30%
Calcium 197mg	15%
Iron 7mg	37%
Magnesium 188mg	45%
Potassium 1465mg	31%
Zinc 3mg	31%
Vitamin B12 0Âµg
Omega 3 0g

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.

Additional reporting by

Alex Loh

and

Hilary Meyer