There’s something about eating a healthy, hearty meal out of a nice big bowl that just makes you feel good. Buddha bowls are a perfect example of this! Looking for some motivation to pack a nutritious lunch everyday? How about choosing a nice bowl and a fancy pair of chopsticks or a cool fork! You could leave it at your desk at work and use it when you pack a delicious meal. You'll be smiling like a Buddha while you chow down.
The possibilities for your bowl are endless, but I thought I would offer up some fresh suggestions to bring balance to your meal. These offerings pair well with a base of soba noodles or quinoa. It would also be killer drizzled with creamy herb dressing! Dive into this healthy dish and it'll bring you to full lunch enlightenment. Here’s to more mindful eating!
the buddha bowl
Nothing beats a classic buddha bowl! Get your hands on these fresh ingredients and whip up a nourishing bowl you can feel good about.
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Servings: bowls
Ingredients
spicy toasted chickpeas
- 1 can chickpeas (about 2 cups)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
grain base
- 8 oz / 230 g buckwheat soba noodles or 1 C quinoa (½ cup of quinoa or soba noodles per bowl/serving)
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 green onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
creamy miso tahini dressing (use ⅓ cup dressing per bowl/serving)
- ½ C roasted tahini
- 1 C water
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoon miso paste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon turmeric (optional)
vegetable toppings
- 1 large broccoli crown
- 3 C finely chopped kale (⅓ cup per bowl/serving)
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- pinch sea salt
- 2 large carrots (⅓ cup per bowl/serving)
- 2 C shredded red cabbage (⅓ cup per bowl/serving)
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved (⅓ cup per bowl/serving)
- 1 C marinated whole artichokes, quartered (¼ cup per bowl/serving)
- 3 C sunflower sprouts or pea shoots (½ cup per bowl/serving)
- ½ C raw pumpkin seeds (1 tablespoon per bowl/serving)
- 1 C fresh cilantro, finely chopped (small handful per bowl/serving)
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges (1 wedge per bowl/serving)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- To make the spiced chickpeas, drain chickpeas from the liquid in the can and rinse under cool water. Lay them on top of some paper towel and place another piece of paper towel on top and roll it around to remove the outer skins. Allow the chickpeas to dry of excess water on a fresh piece of paper towel.
- Toss them in a bowl with olive oil, spices, and sea salt and coat evenly. Pour the chickpeas onto a baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes, turning them halfway through, until crispy and toasted. Use 2 tablespoons of spicy toasted chickpeas per bowl/serving. While the chickpeas bake, prepare the dressing and other ingredients for the bowls.
- To prepare the soba noodles, bring a pot of water to a boil with ¼ teaspoon of sea salt. Once at a rolling boil, add the noodles, stir until submerged, and lower heat to medium-high. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes. Drain and rinse with water.
- If using quinoa, rinse it under running water through a sieve and drain. Bring 1 ½ cups of water to a boil with ¼ teaspoon of sea salt. Once at a rolling boil, stir in the quinoa and cover with a lid. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
- While the quinoa or noodles are still warm, toss them with olive oil, lemon juice, ground black pepper, and finely chopped green onion.
- For the miso tahini dressing, combine all the ingredients in a high-powered blender until smooth. Refrigerate the dressing until ready to serve.
- Cut the broccoli into florets and steam for 3 to 4 minutes. An easier option is to add the florets to the pot with quinoa or noodles during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Separate the broccoli florets and submerge them in cold water to prevent further cooking for up to 5 minutes and drain.
- Massage the kale with 1 teaspoon lemon juice and a pinch of salt with your hands until it begins to soften and wilt.
- Peel the outer skin of the carrots and use the peeler to shave off thick ribbons.
- If you want to have these for the week, you can assemble the soba noodle or quinoa base in a large reusable container and top with all the vegetables and toppings. Keep dressing separate until ready to eat.
Cassie
Hi! That link no longer shows the recipe... Can you share again?
Lauren Toyota
it's working fine for me?!
https://www.wdish.com/food/lunch-recipe-you-need-try-buddha-bowl
Cassie
Thanks - I clicked the first link and it wasn't there or search-able but the second link works! I'm looking forward to trying it out!
Nicole
Made my own "recipe!?" for a salad with the addition of the roasted chickpeas and the dressing. The chickpeas make a great alternative to croutons!
Lauren Toyota
sweet! It's a good make ahead salad and best to always have dressing premade in the fridge!
Ema
YUMMMM!!! This was great! I didn't have turmeric so I didn't put it in the dressing but it was so good! The chickpeas ear amazing and I used romaine instead of kale. Will make again!
Cirke
What kind of miso did you use? 🙂
Maria
This dressing is soooooooooo delicious!!! It's so easy too! I am a terrible cook so this is foolproof! Thank you Lauren!
Lauren Toyota
YAaAY! thank you 😀