Body Beautifying Vegan Buddha Bowl

By Guest Blogger @DopamineChef

The Easy Way to Eat Well Every Day

One of the most common excuses for not eating healthily is lack of time. I get it. You’re rushed off your feet between work, family time and social life, it’s much easier to throw something ready-made into the oven. But what if I told you there’s a way you can eat well every day without spending hours in the kitchen? Well, there is: Buddha bowls. You don’t even really need to know how to cook to create colorful, flavorful meals that will keep you satisfied and boost your health.

The trick to a great Buddha bowl isn’t your kitchen skills (breathe a sigh of relief here) - it’s getting the balance of components just right so that your taste buds and your tummy feel completely satisfied. I first discovered Buddha bowls at my local vegan café. I felt SO GOOD after I’d eaten it, that I vowed to recreate it at home. And now I want to share it with you. What Makes the Perfect Buddha Bowl?

For me, the perfect Buddha bowl is one that contains all the major nutrients you need for optimum health.

These are:

Carbohydrates: Essential for energy, you’ll want to choose complex carbohydrates that are rich in fiber to keep your digestive system healthy and regular. o Think grains like brown rice, Venus rice, quinoa, buckwheat, millet, potatoes, sweet potatoes, butternut squash.

Fats: Vital for your cell membranes, brain health, and glowing skin. o Think nuts and seeds, vegan cheese, coconut oil, olive oil, tahini, peanut butter, avocado.

Plant protein: The building block for your cells, helps keep you satisfied. Think beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh.

Antioxidants: Vegetables vegetables vegetables! They contain plant phenols that scavenge free radicals from the body, helping you fight oxidative stress and pollution. o For the easiest buddha bowl, choose veggies you can eat raw: carrots, celery, radish, kale, spinach, tomatoes, peppers, beetroot, cucumbers.

Flavor enhancers: The dressing is what pulls all components of the Buddha bowl together into a party for your taste-buds. o Lemon juice, tamari sauce, miso, a handful of toasted seeds, a pinch of smoked paprika… these ingredients will lift your vegetables to new heights.

So, what does that look like in practice? I like my Buddha bowls to contain: o 1/3 cup beans (protein) o 1/3 cup grains or starchy veg (complex carbs) o 1 cup raw crunchy veg (antioxidants) o 3 tbsp seeds, nuts, dressing (healthy fats)

#1 Tip for the Quickest Buddha Bowl

To go fast in the kitchen, you only need to remember one thing: batch cook. If one day a week you spend a couple of hours cooking some grains, making a couple of different dressings and toasting some seeds, then all you’ll need to do the rest of the week is chop a few veg and assemble your meals - easy! You can also layer the different components into a jar and voila: you’ve got lunch ready for the next day too. Below, you’ll find an easily customizable Buddha bowl recipe, as well as recipes for a super quick dressing and a tasty seed sprinkle.

Everything you need to start eating well effortlessly.

Vegan Buddha Bowl Recipe Serves 1

Ingredients: 2 medium new potatoes (cooked and cooled)

1/2 can cooked garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)

1 stick celery

3 radishes

1 rainbow carrot

1 piece of vegan cheese

Method:

• Slice the new potatoes.

• Chop the celery and radish into small pieces - the smaller you chop them, the more enjoyable it is to eat them.

• Grate the carrot.

• Place the garbanzo beans, potatoes and vegetables in a bowl - do not mix.

• Top with a piece of vegan cheese or half an avocado.

• Drizzle with dressing and toasted seeds (see below for recipes).

Change it up:

Instead of potatoes, use roasted sweet potatoes, or 1/3 cup cooked quinoa, brown rice, millet, rice noodles, couscous, quinoa.

Instead of garbanzo beans, use kidney beans, black beans, black eyed beans, cannellini beans, lentils, split peas, tofu or tempeh. o Instead of celery, radish and carrot, use tomatoes, cucumber, massaged kale, baby spinach, peppers, grated beetroot, sauerkraut, steamed cauliflower or broccoli.

Instead of vegan cheese, use half an avocado.

Toasted Seed Sprinkle Recipe

Makes 1 cup Ingredients:

1/3 cup sunflower seeds

1/3 cup pumpkin seeds

1/3 cup buckwheat

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp maple syrup

1 tbsp smoked paprika

1 tsp pink salt

Method:

• Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until all seeds are evenly coated.

• Spread on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

• Bake at 400F for 8-10 minutes.

• Allow to cool, then place in an airtight container.

• Will keep for 2-3 weeks.

Miso Dressing Recipe Makes approximately 1/3 cup

Ingredients:

3 tbsp white miso paste

1 lemon, juiced

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp rice syrup (optional)

Method:

• Place all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until combined.

• Taste. Some miso brands are saltier than others. If needed, add the rice syrup. o Store in an airtight jar, in the fridge.

• Will keep for 3-5 days.

You can make the dressing and the seed mix in advance so you always have some on hand to boost the flavor of whatever you decide to put into your Buddha bowl. There you have it - a tasty, filling, health-giving vegan meal, made simple. Don’t forget to share your Buddha bowl pictures with us below!