Entrees, Vegan

Buddha Bowl II

Anyone else as obsessed with buddha bowls as I am? My favorite part of making buddha bowls is: no two are ever the same. Not only are they extremely easy to make, and can be tailored to your own preference; it is a great way to utilize what you have in your fridge! No need to go get special ingredients to make a quick and easy bowl. I always start by laying down a bed of leafy greens under every bowl, and then add in a protein, a healthy fat, sometimes a complex carb, and always LOTS of vegetables!

For this particular bowl, I used my new air fryer. This is a game changer you guys. While a little oil can be great for you with many health benefits (my favorites are EVOO, avocado, and flaxseed oil), too much of anything is never a good thing. Using the air fryer gives you the same effect as pan frying but you don’t have to use oil! I have this one here.  It works great and (best part) it’s easy to clean!

 

Let’s talk about some of the vegetables in this bowl real quick before I get to the recipe. Specifically the brussel sprouts and broccoli. If I had to choose two vegetables to eat for the rest of my life, it would probably be these two. In fact, I have a brussel sprout plant growing right in my backyard!  They have so many health benefits and they taste delicious, hard not to love right? Being that they are part of the cruciferous family, they can potentially prevent DNA damage and metastatic cancer spread, activate defenses against pathogens and pollutants, help prevent lymphoma, boost your liver detox enzymes, and reduce risk of prostate cancer progression. The responsible component for these benefits is thought to be sulforaphane, which is formed almost exclusively in cruciferous vegetables.

Bottom line, eat your cruciferous veggies!

Ok, on to the recipe:


Prep Time:    20 minutes     |        Cook Time:  30 minutes       |        Yield: 2


 

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups leafy greens
  • 1 block of pressed tofu (I use this tofu press and love it)
  • 2 small sweet potatos, not peeled
  • 2 cups of broccoli florets and/or cauliflower florets
  • 1/2 cup brussel sprouts
  • 1 small zucchini
  • 1 avocado
  • 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
  • dash of chia seeds
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp ground mustard seed
  • 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
  • 1/2 tbsp avocado oil
  • 1 tsp pink Himalayan salt
  • 1 tbsp trader joes vegan kale pesto sauce

Directions:

  1. Dice pressed tofu and marinate with seasoning. I use soy sauce and garlic powder. Let it absorb for ~20 minutes. While it is marinating, washing and slice your sweet potatoes into long match sticks and let them soak in water for ~20 minutes.
  2. Place tofu in air fryer at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-15 minutes. Set aside when done.
  3. Pat sweet potato fries dry with paper towel. Drizzle avocado oil, garlic powder, and pink Himalayan salt, then place in air fryer at 350 for ~18 minutes. Shake the basket half way through to turn the fries for even heat distribution. Cook longer if crisper fries are desired.
  4. While fries are cooking, spiralize your zucchini and sautée on medium-high for about 5 minutes. I use this spiralizer set which attaches to my kitchen aid mixing bowl.  I like crunchier zoodles so I don’t keep they on for too long. Mix in the kale pesto sauce.
  5. In another pan, sauté broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels. Season with ground mustard seed (a MUST), and dash of garlic powder.
  6. Lay 1 cup of leafy greens into two bowls (if your cooking for just one, add the leftovers to a container and enjoy for lunch tomorrow!). Distribute your tofu, fries, and veggies to each bowl. Top with 1/2 avocado, pumpkin seeds and chia seeds. Enjoy!

 

This is an original recipe. This post contains affiliate links. As always, the products mentioned I use myself and love.

 

 

About Dana Stapleton, RDN

Hi, I'm Dana! Creating delicious plant-based meals and nutrition is my passion! Thanks for visiting!
View all posts by Dana Stapleton, RDN →

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