Buddha Bowls are a staple in vegetarian cuisine. They are a bowl consisting of five compoenents (more or less): greens or vegeteables, a grain, a protein (such as beans, lentils, tofu), a dressing, and sprinkles (nuts, seeds, olives, herbs, etc). In my understanding, they really have nothing to do with Buddha though, so it’s more appropriate to call them something else, such as a grain bowl, power bowl, etc. I chose the name Nourish Bowl because they are so nourishing! Whole, plant foods at their finest.
I love a bowl like this! Here are some reasons why:
- You can use up random ingredients in your fridge. Say you have some leftover rice or beans, or one sweet potato and frozen corn. Throw it in a bowl with a sauce and it all fits!
- Everyone can customize their own and everyone’s happy! My family leaves the olives off of this recipe, but this is the one time I actually like olives because they add saltiness and tanginess.
- They are super nutritious as they are made of whole foods.
- Have lots of variety of texture and flavor.
- You don’t need a recipe, you can improvise. (Although a recipe does help you to nail it!)
A few ingredients, and you have the makings of this delicious meal.
This is the only cooking required: quickly season and saute your chickpeas with tons of anti-inflammatory, healing and yummy spices.
I got the inspiration for this bowl from a meal I ordered at my favorite vegan restaurant in St. George, Gaia’s Garden Cafe. I came home and replicated it, and even served it to a lot of family as they passed through town. It was well-recieved and enjoyed by all.
Be creative and enjoy your bowl! Stay tuned for two more Nourish Bowl recipes coming soon!
Mediterranean Grain Bowls
Ingredients
Quinoa
- 1 cup dry quinoa
- 2 cups water
Tahini Sauce
- 1/4 cup tahini (sub hummus if desired)
- 2 TBSP maple syrup
- 3 TBSP lemon juice
- 4 TBSP water
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Curried Chickpeas
- 1 can chickpeas, drained
- 1 tsp coriander
- 2 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp salt
To serve
- spring mix (or other salad greens such as romaine lettuce)
- 1 large tomato, chopped
- 1 cucumber, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 handful cilantro or parsley, chopped
Optional toppings
- kalamata olives
- vegan feta cheese
- chopped red onion
- golden raisins
Instructions
- Start cooking the quinoa by putting the quinoa and water into a pot. Bring to a boil, then turn heat to the very lowest setting and set the timer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat once timer rings and set aside.
- Meanwhile, whisk dressing ingredients together. If you don't like the taste of tahini, use hummus instead. Taste and add more lemon juice, salt, etc. to your liking.
- Make the chickpeas by adding drained chickpeas to a skillet, and tossing with the spices. Cook on medium heat until warmed and spices stick to chickpeas. If you prefer crunchy chickpeas, you can air fry them for about 10 minutes, or bake them at 400 for 15-20 minutes.
- Chop the vegetables and toppings you plan to use.
- Let everyone assemble their own bowl with greens, quinoa, chickpeas, sauce, and whatever toppings they choose.
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