A fancy name for something very easy & delicious...
I've no idea where the name came from but I like it. Sorry! I love the idea of a bowl of food that you craft for yourself - quite something if you're used to feeding the 5000 of a night - a delicious and tasty dish, in a warm bowl, that leaves you feeling nourished but not heavy, healthy but happy. Perhaps that's where the Buddha bit comes in. You don't even need to get a load of stuff ready. Leftovers can be a big factor here (think leftover rice, roasted veg, salad that needs eating..), and the best bit are the dressings. These you can plan in advance - I've listed a few recipes here, but a little olive oil and vinegar can be just perfect. If you like miso, or tahini for example, these can bring a subtle warmth to you bowl - as well as some welcome protein, healthy fats & more.
1. First choose your bowl.. one you truly love.. that fits your hands and make you happy! Warm it up, if it's a cold day.. or morning for that matter, a breakfast version is a wonderful thing, savoury (think beans, eggs, kale, mushrooms, tomato..) or sweeter (oats, buckwheat, berries, fruit, yoghurt, nuts/seeds)
2. Choose your grain, bean or similar: brown rice, quinoa, lentils, black beans, mixed pulses from a can, cous cous, barley, corn or buckwheat noodles; oats or buckwheat perhaps if this is your breakfast...warm them up, or cook them fresh, as you wish...add 2-3 tbsps to your warm bowl.
3. Choose your greens: This is very important as no Buddha Bowl is complete without greens: baby spinach, rocket, chicory, broccoli, mange tout, green beans, rocket, kale, lettuce, watercress or a mix of leaves.. it's up to you. Add a large handful at least, maybe two.. If this is a sweeter Breakfast Bowl you are excused..
4. Choose your Rainbow Veg: roasted, steamed or raw; peppers, tomato, cucumber, grated carrot/beetroot/radish/celery/cabbage, for crunch; avocado will add some essential fats as well..it's a great choice
5. Choose your protein: tinned/oily fish such as sardines, mackerel or anchovies, or smoked salmon or trout flakes are a great choice as they give you some lovely healthy fats as well as all important minerals & protein; cubes of smoked tofu work well, as does a hard boiled egg, feta cheese, halloumi, hummus, (roasted) chickpeas or felafel..
6. Choose your healthy fats: avocado, nuts, seeds (chia, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower, flax), a good splash of olive oil, or oily fish are great additions
7. Choose a flavoursome sprinkle - sauerkraut or kimchi are perfect (fermented veg are amazing for your gut microbiome), toasted seeds, nuts, olives or chopped fresh herbs are perfect, or why not try some pomegranate seeds for a wonderful colour blast...
7. Finally choose your dressing - pick one of these - or choose your dream combo:
The Classic: 3 tbsps olive oil +1 tbsp vinegar, 1/2 tsp mustard, a little grated garlic, S&P
Greek: 2 tbsps yoghurt, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 garlic clove, juice & zest of 1/2 a lemon, 2 tsps mint
Tahini: 4 tbsps tahini, juice of a lemon, small garlic clove grated OR
100g yoghurt, 2 tbsps tahini, 1 crushed garlic clove, juice of a lemon, 1/2 tsp sumac
Asian: 2 tbsps sesame oil, 2 tbsps soy sauce, 2 tbsp veg or olive oil, juice of a lime, pinch of chilli flakes, 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
Miso: 2 tsps rapeseed/ veg oil, 2 tbsps rice wine vinegar, 1.5 tbsps light miso paste, 1 tsp sugar, 2 tsps sesame oil, a splash of cold water
There are so very many combinations that work well together, the main thing is that the ingredients are bright & fresh, nutritious & nourishing and leave you feeling blissed out at the end. You can see my instagram video of an impromptu Buddha Bowl here!
Most importantly ....enjoy xxx