I am a fan of these colorful, beautifully arranged bowls that I’m sure you also see on social media platforms. Most of the time they call these “Buddha bowl” but they were round for decades in the diet couture (if not more), and the origin of the name can not tracked back. Earlier they were known as nourish bowls, hippie bowl, veggie bowl or macro-bowl.

 

As appealing they are for the eyes, so satisfying they are for the body. A well built Buddha bowl provides all the macro and micro-nutrients your body needs.

This is one of the best ways to pack in tons of nutrient-dense foods, support resilient & balanced hormones (especially for ladies) and also improve your digestion. Having a lunch like this will also help to balance your blood sugar and energy levels.

 I thought it would be useful to explain how you build a nutritionally balanced and bountiful vegan and gluten-free Buddha bowl on your own.

 

It’s very easy: take one or two items from each of the categories below and throw them together in a bowl. You should also aim for at least three different colors going on in your bowl like green, orange & purple, because you want a variety of micro-nutrients and all those amazing antioxidants that are so important for keeping you healthy & feeling fresh and radiant.

LEAFY GREENS

spinach

swiss chard

kale

rocket/arugula

microgreens

collard greens

cabbage

beet greens

watercress

romaine lettuce

endive

bok choy

turnip greens

GOOD CARBS

sweet potato

squash

pumpkin

parsnip

quinoa

brown rice

yam

sweet corn

carrots

peas

mushrooms

edamame

beetroot

 

TASTY & NUTRITIOUS EXTRAS

lemon and lime juice

fresh herbs like mint, basil or coriander/cilantro

sauerkraut

kimchi

ginger

garlic

chilli flakes

nutritional yeast

GF soy sauce

curry powder

turmeric

mustard

tahini

nut butter

BBQ sauce

COLOURFUL VEGGIES

carrots

red cabbage

red & yellow pepper

tomatoes

cucumber

green beans

broccoli

peas

beans

cauliflower

asparagus

brussels sprouts

beetroot

zucchini

sprouts

raddish

fennel

HEALTHY FATS

hemp seeds

nuts and seeds

avocado

good quality olive oil

coconut oil

flax seed oil

olives

tofu

PLANT PROTEIN

hummus

hemp seeds

peas

mushrooms

quinoa

black beans

chickpeas

lentils

tofu

edamame

peanuts

almond

chia seeds

beans with rice

potatoes

FOODS TO LIMIT OR AVOID

If you want to create a really healthy and well-balanced Buddha bowl, try to avoid using processed salad dressings. While there is no harm in a small amount, it is easy to add a little more and more, and you don’t even notice the high sugar and fat intake they provide.

 

Balanced Buddha Bowl with Grilled Veggies and Vegan Ricotta

This bountiful Buddha Bowl idea is a great example of how to build a balanced bowl on your own with only gluten-free and vegan ingredients, so you won't lack any of the important nutrients.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 28 minutes
Course Brunch, Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Servings 2

Ingredients
  

  • 200 g extra firm plain tofu
  • 1 tbs nutritional yeast
  • chopped parsley small bunch
  • chopped basil small bunch
  • 4 pieces sun dried tomato
  • 2 tbs plant based milk
  • salt, pepper to taste
  • ½ squeezed lemon
  • ½ an eggplant
  • 1 small zucchini
  • ½ can mushrooms
  • 2 tbs olives
  • dried parsley
  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • 2 handful baby spinach
  • 150 g jasmin rice
  • ½ yellow bell pepper
  • ½ red bell pepper
  • 1 handful baby tomato
  • ¼ cucumber
  • 2 tbs pumpkin seed

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the rice according to package instructions

Grilled vegetables

  • Heat grill in the oven at high heat or use a grill pan.
  • Slice bell peppers and eggplant into½ cm thick slices. Cut zucchini lengthwise.
  • Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Grill each side of the vegetables for about 5 minutes, then turn them over. Once done remove from heat and set aside.

Vegan Ricotta

  • Chop tofu into cubes and place into a food processor.
  • Add in nutritional yeast, chopped basil and parsley, sun dried tomatoes, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pulse until blended if it needs more liquid add in 1-2 tbsp of plant-based milk.

Fried mushrooms and olives

  • In a smaller pan start to cook mushrooms along with the olives and dried parsley. If needed you can add 1 ts olive oil. Fry them until mushrooms turn golden.

Assembly

  • In a large bowl arrange the rice, grilled veggies and fried mushrooms with oil next to each other.
  • Pack the other side of the plate with baby spinach, top with vegan ricotta, pumpkin seed, baby tomato and cut cucumber slices.
Keyword Buddha bowl, vegan, gluten free