The Making of Buddha Bowls with Delightful Dishes Added

by Anouk Booneman

Danielle Maslowsky and I recently hosted a private group at Spring into Health, that had requested Buddha bowls. We cooked together and made beautiful plates that are very handy since they can be made in advance and kept in the fridge for a few days.

You have probably come across Buddha Bowls on Instagram. Curated pictures of bowls, filled with vibrant, colorful (mostly vegan) food. They contain whole grains, plant proteins and a lot of vegetables. If this reminds you a lot of a grain bowl, you are right.

There is no religious reference for a Buddha bowl, and it’s hard to trace back the origin of the term. We like them though, because they are so versatile. There is no general recipe for a Buddha bowl, ingredients can be swapped, with on-hand ingredients being used. Anything is possible, as long as the end result is healthy and colorful.

The following recipes can be made in advance and kept in the fridge for a few days.

Noodles and grains

Noodles and grains can be prepared in advance and will hold in the fridge for a few days. We love King Soba noodles. These are available on Amazon. There are different variations. These are one of the best gluten-free noodles that we have used.

We also like quinoa. Quinoa is a seed that is prepared and eaten as a grain. It is a great source of carb, protein and fiber. It does not contain gluten and is readily available in any supermarket. Follow the cooking direction on the packaging. Prepared in advance it will hold several days in the fridge. Quinoa can also be frozen.

Spiralized vegetable noodles are a great alternative for those who want to minimize grains. Use zucchini, butternut squash, carrots and spiralize away. The noodles will keep in the fridge for a few days and can be blanched or sautéed before use.

To spice up your Buddha bowl add Siracha, chiles, red pepper flakes or top with parsley, cilantro or basil for extra nutrition and color.

Here is some inspiration for your own signature bowl.

Carrot Coconut Dressing (makes 1 3/4 cup)

This coconut carrot dressing will hold most of the week in the fridge. It’s from the Wicked Healthy Cookbook authored by Chad Sarno, Derek Sarno and David Joachim.

Ingredients:

1cup fresh carrot juice
1/3 cup canned coconut milk
1 1/2 limes, juiced
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 1/2 tablespoon coconut vinegar
3 garlic cloves , sliced very thin
1 Thai chili , sliced very thin
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Mix everything together in a medium bowl or shake in a jar. Taste, add anything you think it needs.

Pickled Red Onion. One of my go to recipes. This will hold up to two weeks in the fridge.

Ingredients:

1/2 cups apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar (can be omitted)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 red onion , thinly sliced

Whisk first 3 ingredients and 1 cup water in a small bowl until sugar and salt dissolve. Place onion in a jar; pour vinegar mixture over. Let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour.

Carrot Salad

3/4 pound carrots, peeled and shaved with a vegetable peeler or grated
4 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted if desired
1/2 teaspoon lime zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Coarse salt and ground pepper

In a bowl, combine carrots, scallions, vinegar, oil, sesame seeds, and lime zest and juice. Season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine.

Ginger Marinated Butternut Squash.

We try to cook as much as we can with seasonal, local vegetables. In the winter that means a LOT of butternut squash. The following recipe is a favorite from the blog Food 52

Squash Ingredients:

1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper

Marinade Ingredients:

1 red or a green chile
1 shallot minced
1 inch of ginger peeled
1 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon honey (omit if needed)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
Herbs to taste

Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Spread the squash out on a rimmed baking sheet and evenly coat with oil, salt and pepper.
Roast in the oven until just tender for about 18 minutes. Meanwhile make the marinade.  
To make the marinade, a large bowl, combine the lime juice, chile and shallot. Use a microplane to grate the ginger and garlic into a bowl. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper and add your herb of choice.
When the squash is just tender, immediately transfer the hot squash to the bowl with the marinade, toss to combine and seal with foil. Let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes then transfer the container to the fridge to continue marinating. the squash will be ready at the 30-minute mark.

Cucumber and Poppy Seed Salad

An Ottolenghi favorite. We love his recipes.

6 small cucumbers (about 1 lb)
2 mild red chilies , thinly sliced
3 tablespoon coarsely chopped cilantro
4 tablespoon white-wine vinegar or rice vinegar
1/2 cup sunflower oil
2 tablespoon poppy seeds
2 tablespoon superfine sugar (can be omitted)
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Chop off and discard the ends of the cucumbers. Slice the cucumbers at an angle, so you end up with pieces 3⁄8 inch thick and 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches long.

Mix together all the ingredients in a large bowl. Use your hands to massage the flavors gently into the cucumbers. Taste and adjust the amount of sugar and salt according to the quality of the cucumbers. The salad should be sharp and sweet, almost like a pickle.

Oven Roasted Shiitake

Roasted mushrooms are game changers. Even mushroom haters might eat these.

8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
light mist of oil
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon tamari

Preheat the oven to 375°F then line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

In a large bowl, add the sliced shiitake and sprinkle with smoked paprika, salt and tamari. Lightly spray with oil then stir until all pieces are evenly coated. Arrange mushroom pieces on the baking sheet so that there is space between each. Bake in the oven for a total of 40 minutes, while stirring the pieces around every 10 minutes so that they cook evenly on each side. (You may need to cook them for less time depending on your oven or the size of your mushrooms. The mushroom pieces will shrink quite a bit and should look crisp on the edges when done.)

Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before serving. The pieces get crisper as they cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Tempeh Bacon

This recipe was adapted from Rouxbe, an online culinary school. Tempeh is a soy food with high protein content. It can be found at most supermarkets in the produce section.

1 8–ounce package tempeh
1 to 3 tablespoon oil for frying

To prepare the tempeh, in a steamer or steamer basket, heat the tempeh for 15-20 mins, then let cool. Slice into 1/4–inch strips, place in a shallow baking dish and set aside.

Ingredients Marinade:

1 tsp garlic, minced
1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce
2 teaspoon liquid smoke (mesquite preferred)
3 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon onion granules
pinch of sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

To prepare the marinade, in a small bowl add the garlic, tamari, optional liquid smoke, maple syrup, onion granules, sea salt and freshly–ground black pepper.

Whisk well and pour marinade over the tempeh strips. Allow to marinate overnight, or gently place in a seal-able bag, vacuum seal and allow to marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

Heat a fry pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the oil, followed by the tempeh. Let cook for a few minutes and then flip and cook on the other side until golden brown and heated through.

Anouk and Danielle run a program called Life on Track promoting wellness. They will be sponsoring some awesome events in March and April. To find out more, click here.

Saturday, March 14 @ 5pm 'GrateFULL Dinner with Chef David Kornell' A gathering over a meal centered around the spirit of gratitude with food, music, and conversation. Inspired by nature, ceremony, ritual, and artistic expression, Chef David Kornell curates a 5-course dinner celebrating multi-cultural rituals inspired by his own travels. https://gratefullliving.com/

Sunday, March 15 @ 10am 'GrateFULL Yoga and Brunch’ with Ellen Rook (meditation) and Sandra Kahlon. The yoga is full but you can join for brunch.

Sunday, March 29 @ 5pm 'Energy Healing with Jack Treiber' He has over 20 years of energy healing experience, utilizing the most advanced, deep and powerful energy techniques in the area to help clients feel better physically, emotionally and psychologically.

Thursday, April 9 @ 6pm 'Sports Nutrition with Theresa DeLorenzo' This is will a Q & A workshop so come prepared with your questions! She has been a Registered Dietitian (RD) since 2001. She is now working on her sports nutrition board certification and obtaining her 200 - hour yoga certification. She also has a sports nutrition private practice where she counsels athletes on optimizing their athletic performance with proper nutrition.

Friday, May 1 @ 6pm 'Inflammation and Mental Health with Donna Finn-Kuo' Donna will discuss the connection between mental health, chronic inflammation, and diet. She currently works as a psychiatric nurse practitioner and is routinely humbled to share in the success and challenges of her patients. She is the founder of The Brighter Side, PLLC, a practice created to provide personalized psychiatric services and consultations.

Donna is committed to raising mental health awareness and improving access to comprehensive services.

Archive

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Healthy Plant-Based Eating
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Vegan Cooking for Taste and Health

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