Bread Bowls, Bean Bowls, and So Many Bowls of Oats

Today's random meal round-up is brought to you by bowls — those amazing vessels that can instantly turn any meal into comfort food!

Bowls made from dinnerware material are great and all, but you know what's better? Bowls you can eat. Like this Bread Bowl with Potato Corn Chowder from Imagine Vegan Cafe. 

Our friend Don (of Lulu's Baked) created some bread bowls for Imagine to use for last week's soup special. Imagine owner Kristie texted me that morning to let me know I should not miss the bread bowl special, so I made sure to dine there after yoga class. The bread was amazing. The soup was delicious on a cold, rainy night. Yes, I ate the whole thing.

Don't let anyone tell you that carbs are bad for you. Carbs are fuel. Sure, white bread isn't the most nutritious bread, but it's okay sometimes.

As I've mentioned here before, my favorite go-to meal when I'm in a hurry and have nothing prepared is a Bean/Grain/Green Bowl like this one — white beans, brown rice, steamed kale and broccoli, kraut, garlic tahini sauce.

I've been switching a few of my weekday breakfast smoothies out for oatmeal bowls lately. Like this one with almond butter, blueberry, banana, and flax.

And this one with strawberry, banana, blueberry, walnuts, and flax.

I've learned that Overnight Oats work best on mornings when I have gym classes and get home later than I do when I run. It's hard to eat a bowl of hot oats quickly, but you can scarf down cold oats. I've been making mine the night before with chia seed, maple, and almond milk. And then I top with fresh fruit, nuts, and seeds in the morning. Hey look, it's a jar! Not a bowl!

Here's something else not in a bowl — a pre-race (before the Crosstown 10K) slice of Sprouted Grain Toast with Peanut Butter, Blueberries, and Banana.