Balancing Bowls

Balancing Bowls Balancing Bowls is the product of a slightly chaotic life, a need to make and grow things, and a love of creative cooking.

Balancing Bowls shares my recipes, kitchen tips and tricks, transforming a daily chore into moments to savor and enjoy.

05/31/2026

I didn’t have a plan. I had a can of butter beans.

Some nights aren’t for experimenting. They’re for getting dinner on the table without overthinking it. This easy canned butter beans recipe comes together in about 30 minutes with olive oil, onion, garlic, white wine, and lemon.

One can drained. One can with the liquid. Let it simmer until the sauce turns creamy and coats the beans.

No plan. No problem. Just a reliable pantry dinner that works.

https://balancingbowls.com/easy-butter-beans-simply-sauteed/

05/28/2026

If you’re looking for one thing to prep on Sunday that gets used all week, make this sauce.

It’s a Mediterranean yogurt sauce with fresh dill, cucumber, garlic, and lemon, made with thick Greek yogurt. I keep a container of it in the fridge and it shows up at almost every meal. On wraps, alongside grilled chicken, over brothy beans, drizzled on roasted vegetables, or just with pita when lunch needs to be fast.

This is not a meal prep project. It takes about fifteen minutes and the flavor gets even better after a day in the fridge.

https://balancingbowls.com/easy-tzatziki-sauce/

05/24/2026

Chipotle peppers and adobo sauce. That is what separates these refried black beans from every can I have ever opened.

Chipotle peppers are smoked, dried jalapenos packed in a tangy, slightly sweet sauce. You chop them up, stir them into a skillet of black beans with sauteed onion, garlic, and cumin, and the whole thing transforms. The smokiness comes through first, then a warmth that builds, then that tangy depth from the adobo that makes you stop and pay attention.

I use four peppers for a batch, which gives moderate heat (start with two if you are cautious, you can always add more). Do not skip the adobo sauce itself. That is where a lot of the flavor hides.

The rest is two cans of black beans, a potato masher, and twenty-five minutes. Finish with lime juice. These chipotle refried beans are the ones I reach for when I want refried beans that taste like I put thought into them. For the record, barely any thought was required.

https://balancingbowls.com/refried-black-beans-with-chipotle/

05/22/2026

These are the kind of meatballs I make at the beginning of the week and end up reaching for over and over again.⁠
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Everything gets mixed in one bowl, rolled out, and baked on a sheet pan. About 30 minutes later, you’ve got a batch of tender chicken meatballs ready for dinners, lunches, or quick bowls throughout the week.⁠
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There’s also a small upgrade built in. A can of mashed white beans gets mixed right into the meat, which keeps them tender and quietly adds fiber without changing the flavor.⁠
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It’s a simple way to make meal prep feel a little more useful without adding any extra steps.⁠
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Comment “send recipe” and I will DM you the link.

https://balancingbowls.com/high-fiber-chicken-meatballs-with-white-beans/

05/21/2026

Let’s add a little extra staying power to our cozy bowl of soup.⁠
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These crispy butter bean croutons bring protein, fiber, and that crispy, salty snap that makes a creamy soup feel complete. The outside gets golden and crisp from the Parmesan, while the inside of the butter beans stays soft and creamy.⁠
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It’s a small upgrade that makes dinner feel balanced and satisfying without changing the whole meal.⁠
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Perfect for soup night. Add this to your next bowl.⁠
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Comment “send recipe” and I’ll DM you the link. ⁠

https://balancingbowls.com/roasted-pepper-and-white-bean-soup/

05/20/2026

These are the kind of meatballs I make at the beginning of the week and end up reaching for over and over again.

Everything gets mixed in one bowl, rolled out, and baked on a sheet pan. About 30 minutes later, you’ve got a batch of tender chicken meatballs ready for dinners, lunches, or quick bowls throughout the week.

There’s also a small upgrade built in. A can of mashed white beans gets mixed right into the meat, which keeps them tender and quietly adds fiber without changing the flavor.

It’s a simple way to make meal prep feel a little more useful without adding any extra steps.

https://balancingbowls.com/high-fiber-chicken-meatballs-with-white-beans/

05/19/2026

This is one of my favorite ways to build a quinoa garbanzo bean salad.⁠
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Start with cooked quinoa and chickpeas, then add crunchy vegetables, fresh herbs, and a lemony dressing.⁠
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It will look generously dressed at first, but after an hour of resting, the quinoa and beans absorb the dressing and the whole salad becomes really well balanced and satisfying.⁠
⁠
Comment “send recipe” and I’ll DM you the link.⁠
⁠
https://balancingbowls.com/quinoa-garbanzo-bean-salad/

05/18/2026

This is the five-minute layer that changes everything.⁠
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I don’t love repetitive meal prep. I love cooking components. A batch of beans. A pot of grains. A tray of roasted vegetables. Then I change the flavor throughout the week.⁠
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This lemon herb sauce is one of my favorite ways to do that. The base stays the same, but the flavor shifts. Monday it’s spooned over white beans. Wednesday it’s tossed with farro. Friday it’s drizzled on grilled fish.⁠
Same base, different dinners.⁠
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It keeps meals interesting without extra work. It supports flexible, mix-and-match cooking. And it makes simple food taste balanced and bright.⁠
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Save this for your next meal prep week. And comment “send recipe” if you want the full instructions.

https://balancingbowls.com/herb-sauce/

05/17/2026

My kids declared Tuesdays to be Taco Tuesday, and on a night when we’re running between wrestling practice and baseball, whatever I make needs to be fast. These baked black bean tacos are what I’ve been reaching for.⁠
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The whole thing starts with homemade chipotle refried beans. One can of black beans (drained, not rinsed), half a diced onion, a couple cloves of garlic, cumin, and one to two chipotle peppers in adobo with a little of the sauce. Cook the onion until golden, add garlic and cumin, then the beans with a quarter cup of water and the chipotles. Mash to your preferred consistency and simmer until thick. Finish with lime juice and salt.⁠
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Spread the beans on 6-inch flour tortillas, top with shredded Mexican cheese, and fold in half. Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil on parchment paper and press each taco into the oil so the outside gets coated. Bake at 450 for seven minutes, flip, then seven more minutes. You want both sides golden and crispy with the cheese fully melted inside.⁠
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We eat these with pickled onions, cilantro garlic sauce, sour cream, avocado, and a squeeze of lime. The refried beans can be made a day or two ahead, which makes assembly even faster. If you don’t have time for homemade beans, canned refried black beans work with the same baking method. Either way, this is a satisfying, high-fiber weeknight dinner that the whole family will eat.⁠
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Comment ‘send recipe’ and I will DM you the link.⁠
⁠

https://balancingbowls.com/baked-black-bean-tacos/

05/17/2026

This is one of my favorite ways to build a quinoa garbanzo bean salad.

Start with cooked quinoa and chickpeas, then add crunchy vegetables, fresh herbs, and a lemony dressing.

It will look generously dressed at first, but after an hour of resting, the quinoa and beans absorb the dressing and the whole salad becomes really well balanced and satisfying.

Comment “send recipe” and I’ll DM you the link.

https://balancingbowls.com/quinoa-garbanzo-bean-salad/

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