What’s Cooking Wednesday: My CAVA-Inspired Mediterranean Bowl at Home
As part of my wellness journey this year, I’ve been focusing more on protein, healthy fats, and cutting back on excess carbs. Not in an extreme way — just being more intentional about building meals that actually fuel my body and keep me feeling good.
One of the easiest ways I’ve found to do that is with simple Mediterranean-style bowls. They’re fresh, flavorful, and really easy to throw together on busy weeknights.
Lately I’ve been loving this CAVA-inspired bowl that I can make at home in about 10 minutes. It has the perfect balance of protein, veggies, healthy fats, and bold flavor.
My CAVA-Inspired Mediterranean Bowl
This combo has been on repeat lately and it’s so good.
Ingredients
Grilled chicken
Mediterranean quinoa and veggie blend
Chopped tomatoes
Chopped cucumbers
Tzatziki
Red Pepper Hummus
Harissa Sauce
Zhoug sauce (Trader Joe’s)
Feta cheese
Kalamata olives
Lemon garlic vinaigrette
How I Build It
I start with the Mediterranean quinoa blend as the base, then layer on:
• grilled chicken for protein
• tomatoes and cucumbers for freshness and crunch
• feta and olives for that classic Mediterranean flavor
Then I add a small scoop of tzatziki & red pepper hummus, a drizzle of Trader Joe’s zhoug sauce and harissa sauce, and finish it off with a little lemon garlic vinaigrette.
The combination of creamy, tangy, and herby flavors makes this bowl taste like something you’d order out — but it’s incredibly simple to make at home.
Why I Love This Meal
This bowl fits perfectly into the way we’ve been trying to eat lately:
balanced protein
healthy fats
lots of fresh ingredients
simple and satisfying
Meals like this help keep energy levels steady and make it easier to stay on track with healthier habits — especially during busy weeks.
Busy Mom Hack
The key to making meals like this easy is keeping a few shortcuts on hand.
Some of my favorites:
Pre-cooked grilled chicken
Trader Joe’s Mediterranean quinoa blend
Boar’s Head tzatziki & red pepper hummus
Trader Joe’s zhoug sauce
With those ready to go, dinner becomes more of an assembly situation than actual cooking — which is always a win during busy mom life.
A Healthy Dinner That Doesn’t Feel Boring
This bowl has quickly become one of my favorite quick, nourishing weeknight meals. It’s packed with flavor, comes together fast, and feels like something you’d order at CAVA — without leaving the house.
If you try this combo, let me know what you think… or tell me your favorite bowl ingredients so I can try a new version next week.
xoxo,
Katie