You don’t have to be a Buddhist to enjoy a Buddha bowl. It is simply a plant-based meal served in a bowl that consists of small portions of several cold foods. These foods usually include whole grains like pre-cooked quinoa, farro or brown rice, raw or pre-cooked vegetables, plant proteins such as nuts, seeds, chickpeas, lentils, beans, hummus or tofu, herb sprinkles, and possibly a dressing. The portions are not mixed together but arranged separately so they look colourful and varied. Why eat it? Well, it is packed with nutrition because of the balanced proportions of food groups in it, as well as being rich in antioxidants because of the various coloured veggies. Also, due to the minimal cooking involved, it retains its nutrients. There is no right or wrong to creating a Buddha bowl – I even add fresh and dried fruit!
Serves 2
Ingredients for my typical Buddha bowl
- Almonds 30g, roughly chopped, ground or sliced (protein)
- Quinoa 100g, cooked (wholegrain and seeds)
- Beetroot 1 cooked, chopped and drizzled with balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper (veggie)
- Raisins 2 tbsp (dried fruit)
- Apples 2, chopped and sprinkled with lemon juice (fresh fruit)
- Carrot 1, thinly sliced julienne-style (veggie)
- Hummus 1 heaped tbsp (dressing and protein)
- Pumpkin seeds 1 tbsp (protein and seeds)
Method
Step 1
Cook the quinoa and beetroot (you can do this in advance as they will both keep in the fridge for days after cooking).
Step 2
Everything else is raw so simply arrange the ingredients in little piles around the bowl. Place the hummus in the centre and enjoy this delicious and fresh-tasting Buddha Bowl. Feel free to experiment with different ingredients.
