Buddha Bowls are so versatile and bright. And for a girl who is totally down to eat cold pizza out of the fridge while standing at the kitchen counter, sometimes it’s hard to want to make something that takes longer than a millisecond to “prepare”.
I’ll also settle for whip cream by the spoonful standing next to an open fridge, for real.
But, I swear to you that these gorgeous, bright and filling Buddha Bowls are a home run and you won’t regret trading in your cold pizza for them one bit. So for anyone that has read this far and thought “What the heck is a Buddha Bowl??”
Buddha Bowls or Hippie Bowls are all basically the same thing. They are bowls filled with roasted/raw veggies, greens, a ‘good’/ healthy grain, and can be topped with nuts and seeds and/or a healthy sauce/dressing if you’d like. I like to make mine stand out though!
Filling, delicious, and gorgeous. Almost too pretty to eat. Almost…
Why wouldn’t you want to fill your body with something that is wonderful for it anyway? Being a nurse I have a lot of patients who, for all different reasons, don’t take care of their health. Whether it’s excessive intake of sugar, carbs, alcohol, bad fats, — you name it. Everything in moderation, my dear. You only have one body, might as well take care of it!
I really wanted to give you guys a full serving of how fun and creative you can be with these bowls and how easy it is to navigate, and really make them your own!! And the best part is you can do this with any meal!! So here it is! THREE ideas for Buddha Bowls that will make your belly happy!
BREAKFAST BUDDHA BOWLS: Mean Green Machine
Ingredients:
½ sliced avocado
3 tbsp. Salsa Verde- store-bought is fine!
1 large poached egg
1 cup each of roasted broccoli and roasted brussel sprouts
Olive oil
Salt/ pepper
1/2 cup of Quinoa- I use a steamer bag from good ol’ Target that does the trick just fine
Instructions:
Pre heat oven to 400 F. Grab a pot and steamer basket to steam your brussels sprouts. Cut up your broccoli head into bite size pieces, slice your brussels sprouts in half and put your steamer bag of Quinoa in the microwave.
Steam your brussels sprout halves for 10 mins.
On a baking sheet coat the steamed brussels sprout halves and broccoli with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Bake for 25-30 minutes.
While baking, poach your egg.
Assemble your bowl. Quinoa and roasted broccoli/brussels sprouts on the bottom, poached egg and avocado placed on top, drizzled with Salsa Verde.
Lunch Buddha Bowls: Spring Roll
Ingredients:
A large carrot julienned
½ cucumber julienned
Thinly sliced red cabbage- about a handful or two
½ thinly sliced bell peppers – any color you’d like—I used the fire striped ones above and plain red
½ cup cooked brown basmati rice-seasoned however you like – salt/pepper
Half a sliced avocado
Spicy Peanut Roasted Chickpeas:
15 oz can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1 tbsp PB2
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp chili powder
Peanut sauce:
¼ cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1 ½ tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp brown sugar
Half of a lime juiced
½ tsp chili garlic sauce
Warm water to thin
Instructions:
Roasted Chickpeas:
Pre heat oven to 425 F
Drain and rinse your chickpeas and let dry on a paper towel for a half hour or so.
Transfer to pan and coat with olive oil.
Bake for 30-40 mins, tossing them every ten mins or so.
Once out toss with chili powder, cayenne pepper and PB2 and let cool.
Peanut Sauce:
Mix together all ingredients except water
With warm water add a tbsp. at a time until thin (thin enough to pour but not super runny)
For the Bowl:
Cook your rice according to the package-seasoned.
While the rice is cooking, slice all your veggies.
Assemble your bowls with your rice – I used a round measuring cup to make it pretty–your veggies, chickpeas and a side of your peanut sauce
DINNER BUDDHA BOWLS: Sautéed Spinach and Sweet Potato
Ingredients:
2 cups of raw spinach
1 medium size sweet potato
½ avocado, sliced
A large dollop of your favorite hummus- I used a taco inspired hummus that had pico!
½ a baked plantain
A handful of sliced jicama
Instructions:
Bake your plantain at 375 F for 20-25 mins covered and then uncover for 10 mins or so or until browned and crispy. Turn your oven up to 400 F for your sweet potatoes.
I skinned, cut up and microwaved my sweet potato in the microwave for 4 mins and then baked in the oven at 400 F for 20 mins for times sake but if you want to bake your potato the whole way through that works as well—bake until there is a nice crisp on the potato.
Sauté your spinach/ red onions until they are just wilted and still a pretty green and your onions are a little soft and fragrant.
Assemble your bowl—spinach/ sweet potato on bottom, topped with hummus, plantains, avocado and jicama.
Hey, Hi, HELLO!! My name is Elise!! I blog over at My Poached Egg (www.mypoachedegg.com) and I’m super excited to be a guest blogger this week.
I’m 25 years old - about to be 26 in August!- and I’m an ICU nurse in Minnesota. I love coffee, brunch, knitting, boxing, reading and watching re runs of my favorite show “How I Met Your Mother”. Also, I am a huge crossword fan. One every day or I go bonkers!
When I’m not blogging or at work taking care of my patients (or buying more Wonder Woman tee shirts) I’m reading my published children’s book at elementary schools. I hope that you all love my versions of Buddha Bowls and find yourself rubbing your bellies in satisfaction!
