Buddha Bowls

I cannot remember where or how the whole Buddha bowl thing started but if I had to try my best to remember I would say that it started back during our days of Rico being on the practice squad when we had to make our dollars stretch. Meaning= we didn’t have the means to purchase all of the ingredients that I wanted all of the time so we had to make do with what we had… and with leftovers.

One of the many things that I love about this recipe is that it is literally so easy, and the possibilities are endless. aka, you cannot mess this up. There are so many variations to what you can do with this kind of recipe and that is great part about it– especially if you have a family. Husband doesn’t like broccoli? Toddler won’t eat tomatoes? All good, roast the heck out of all the veggies that you have, prepare a base of either quinoa or brown rice and let them build their own bowl 🙂

WHAT YOU NEED:

• Base Ingredient: Quinoa, Brown Rice, etc
• Veggies: Sweet Potatoes, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Fingerling Potatoes, Kale, Spinach, etc
• Beans: Garbanzo, Black, Kidney, etc
• Toppings: Avocado, Sunflower Seeds, Toasted Pine Nuts, Cilantro, Jalepeno, etc
• Additional Toppings (sauces): Hummus, Srircha, Pesto, Kimchi, Roasted Garlic, Sundried Tomatoes, etc

WHAT TO DO:

• Preheat your oven to 375. While oven is preheating start washing and preparing your vegetables. Lay in a single layer on roasting pan, drizzle with coconut or avocado oil, salt and pepper. Roast anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour (depending on type of veggie).
• Next, start preparing your base. For Quinoa, be sure to rinse it thoroughly before cooking. Also, I have found that cooking quinoa in broth instead of water is a total game changer. Follow the directions on your base package.
• Finally, rinse your beans/protein of choice. I like to toast/lightly roast my chickpeas because it gives the bowls a nice crunch. I also love to sprinkle them with blackened seasoning or garlic powder– get creative! Once they’re rinsed and seasoned, throw them into a skillet over low heat for 2-3 minutes, until toasted.
• Once base and veggies are done cooking the fun begins! Start by layering the base ingredient at the bottom of your bowl and then begin to top with whatever ingredients sound good!
• Last but not least, top with hummus, srircha, teriyaki, sliced avocado, etc and enjoy!