4 Amazingly Delicious One-Bowl Dinners

When we plan our meals with plates in mind—one main alongside a couple sides—we often treat the ingredients separately. But thinking of each component as part of one overall dish instantly transforms the supper into something new and different—and there's no better way to do this than serving it in a bowl. Take, for example, this tofu/green bean/watercress/buckwheat noodle creation from the new book Nourish Bowls. When you pour the tahini dressing over the various parts and mix them gently with a fork, you get an exciting and delicious range of flavors and textures in every bite that you'd miss out on entirely if you served the meal as individual pieces.

Get the recipe: Sesame Tofu, Green Beans, Mixed Cress and Noodle Bowl

Bowls aren't complicated, yet you can make a good one great if you follow a few simple guidelines. If you're using grains, such as the puy lentils in this unexpected, gorgeous combination from Nourish Bowls, put them on the bottom. They're usually the least exciting ingredient, visually speaking (they tend to be brown), and they take up the most volume. Go by weight next; heavier pickled cucumber slices followed by grated or julienned carrot that you've dressed with grated fresh ginger and a squeeze of lemon juice. Finally, add the most delicate elements: a fried egg, a few sprigs of some sort of salad green and some chopped fresh mint.

Get the recipe: Fried Egg, Ginger Carrot, Pickled Cucumber, Lentil Bowl

Grapefruit-marinated tofu cubes aren't something we'd ever tried before—but now we're hooked on their sweet and tart taste. This colorful bowl, from Britt Brandon's new The Power Bowl Recipe Book, combines the protein with fresh mango, steamed asparagus and brown rice, for a simple meal that comes together in less than a half-hour and practically jumps out of the bowl with flavor.

Get the recipe: Citrus-Mango Tofu with Asparagus and Brown Rice

The conundrum of what to serve a crowd of picky eaters was never more beautifully solved than with this stunning bowl from Curtis Stone. He manages to offer something for everyone: spice-rubbed pork tenderloin, roasted Brussels sprouts and butternut squash and quinoa. There's a bright and zippy apple cider vinaigrette; and the garnishes include crumbled queso fresco, arugula and pumpkin seeds. You can let your guests build their bowls however they like.

Get the recipe: Curtis Stone's Quinoa Bowl with Pork Tenderloin and Butternut Squash