These Low Calorie Rice Bowls for Weight Loss are hearty and filling, and they make a wonderful meal prep lunch or dinner! This healthy rice bowl recipe is just 438 calories for over 3 cups (that’s a lot!) and the recipe comes with 4 optional protein add-ins too.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Juice of 1 orange
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 garlic clove
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Low Calorie Rice Bowls for Weight Loss
Healthy ice Bowls for Weight Loss Meal Prep and Storage
Meal Prep: To meal prep a salad, add all the ingredients to individual meal prep containers, or family sized containers. Add the dressing to a separate container and do not add it until you are ready to serve.
Storage: Will hold in the fridge for 4-5 days, does not hold well in the freezer.
Serving: If you added the dressing and the salad gets soggy, add it to a sandwich wrap or large tortilla. It’s a great way to salvage leftover soggy salad.
Low Calorie Rice Bowls for Weight Loss
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Low Calorie Rice Bowls for Weight Loss
Ingredients
Rice Bowl Dressing:
- Juice of 1 orange
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 garlic clove minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Rice Bowl Ingredients:
- 2 cups cubed butternut squash
- 4 carrots peeled and sliced
- Olive oil spray
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ cup brown or white rice
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups kale cleaned and sliced
- ½ avocado sliced
- 2 tablespoons whole hemp seeds or hemp hearts (optional)
Optional Protein Add-Ins:
- 1 cup Cooked and Shredded Chicken
- 1 cup Maple Ginger Baked Tofu
- 1 cup Honey Sriracha Baked Crispy Tofu
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
Make the Rice Bowl Dressing:
- Add the orange juice, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, maple syrup, garlic clove, salt and pepper to a medium bowl. Whisk together until the maple syrup and mustard are dissolved.
- While whisking, slowly pour the olive oil to the bowl.
- Taste, add more salt or pepper as needed.
Make the Rice and Veggie Bowls:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the butternut squash and carrots to the prepared baking sheet. Spray with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until fork tender.
- Meanwhile, in a small pot, or rice cooker, add rice and water.
- Bring to a boil on high heat. Lower heat to low, cover and cook until the water soaks into the rice, about 30 minutes. (Or follow rice cooker directions)
- Remove the pot from the heat and fluff with a fork.
- To serve, divide the rice between 2 bowls, top with kale, cooked butternut and carrots and dressing.
- Lightly toss to distribute the dressing, then top the vegan bowls with avocado, hemp seeds, and any additional protein add-ins.
- Serve hot, or store in the fridge as meal prep lunches or dinners.
Nutrition
About the Author
Hi, my name is Audrey Johns and I am a 4 time best selling cookbook author! All 4 of my low calorie cookbooks are published by HarperCollins (the oldest publishing house in the US!) and have been featured on prominent TV shows like The Today Show, Rachael Ray and The Doctors. I am a low calorie and healthy recipe authority and my delicious recipes are tried and loved by thousands of readers.
After a one year 150 pound weight loss (and I’ve kept it off for 13 years!) I started sharing all of my low calorie recipes with the world. They are always all-natural and geared around weight loss and weight management. I have even made some of these recipes with my Biggest Loser pal Bob Harper! Check out my weight loss story, my best selling cookbooks, and my numerous TV appearances by clicking here.
Nutrition and Calories in Rice Bowls
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Article History:
- Originally written and published December 11, 2021 by Audrey Johns
- Updated on April 19, 2023 by Audrey Johns