Bowl Me Over

I secretly hold a desire to open a food truck and I’ve even picked a name – “Bowl Me Over”. Every item on the menu would be a variation on Buddha Bowls, those satisfying meals that are like a giant bowl of yummy goodness. Okay, the secret’s out, so if anyone steals my idea, be sure to at least name a menu item after me.

Buddha bowls are quick & easy to prepare and come in as many variations as your imagination will allow. And they’re super healthy for you! We have them at least once a week for dinner and use the leftovers at least once a week for lunch. Traditionally, it’s a vegan dish, but feel free to add a small amount of meat if you wish. Here’s the basic recipe:

• Start with a base of a grain: Brown Rice, Quinoa, Amaranth, Barley, Buckwheat Groats, Bulgur, Farro, Millet
• Add roasted potatoes: Sweet, Russet, Red, White, Purple, etc.
• Add roasted veggies: Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussells Sprouts, Carrots, Mushrooms, Onions, Asparagus, Tomatoes, Roasted Green or Red Cabbage, etc.
• Add greens: Sautéed Chard, Sautéed Kale, Fresh Arugula, Fresh or Sautéed Spinach, Butter  or Romaine Lettuce, etc.
• Add a protein: Chickpeas, Lentils, Black Beans, Pintos, Tofu, etc.
• Add any or all extras: Avocado, Seeds (hemp, sunflower, pumpkin, sesame), Nuts (almonds, walnuts, cashews, pecans), etc.
• Add a sauce: Lemon Tahini, Tahini Bar-b-que, Avocado Dressing, Vegan Green Goddess Dressing

Basically, use what’s in your fridge or in your veggie box for the week. Put the bowl together in the above order, not mixing – that’s up to whomever is doing the eating! Don’t be limited by the list above – get creative. In the mood for Mexican? Quinoa, russets, Mexican seasoned mixed roasted veggies, raw or roasted cabbage, pintos, pumpkin seeds, pickled jalapenos, guacamole – BAM, got yourself a fiesta in a bowl! Craving Asian? Rice noodles, mixed stir fry veggies, sautéed spinach, mung beans, sesame seeds, avocado, Asian peanut dressing. Easy, right?

Okay, now that you have the basics, here’s one of my favorite recipes to get you started:

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown rice, cooked
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red onion, cut in wedges
• 2 sweet potatoes, cubed
• 1 head broccoli, broken into bite sized pieces
• ½ pound Brussels sprouts, halved or quartered, depending on size
• 3 carrots, cut into 2 inch sticks
• 2 cups grape tomatoes
• ½ small head of red cabbage
• ½ small head of green cabbage
• 1 can Chickpeas
• ¼ cup your favorite barbeque sauce
• Avocado
• Hemp hearts
• Salt & Pepper

Lemon Tahini Sauce

• ¼ cup tahini
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 – 4 tbsp water to thin

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Add prepared onions and sweet potatoes in a pan and drizzle with 1 tbsp of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and spread evenly to single layer.
3. Add prepared broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, grape tomatoes and red cabbage to a large pan. Drizzle with 1 tbsp of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and spread evenly to single layer.
4. Pop both pans in oven for about 45 minutes, checking and stirring every 15 minutes until nicely browned. The pan with the potatoes may take a little more time that the other pan.
5. While the veggies are cooking, drain and rinse the chickpeas. Place in medium saucepan with the barbeque sauce. Heat until nicely coated, stirring often.
6. To make the sauce, add tahini, maple syrup and lemon juice to a small blender. Blend adding a small amount of water to make it a pouring consistency.
7. To serve: Start with a bed of rice, add potatoes and onions, roasted veggies, some raw green cabbage, a scoop of the chickpeas, a few slices of avocado and sprinkling of hemp hearts. There are a lot of different ingredient, so if you’re not careful, you’ll wind up with a mountain of food – kind of like what happens to me at a salad bar.
8. Drizzle with the sauce and dig in!