Buddha Bowls

A staple dinner in our home is something we like to call Buddha Bowls. Basically tons of roasted vegetables + some type of grain + some type of protein + Tahini sauce = A-MAY-ZING. So tasty. So easy. I love to make a wide variety of these, so you will probably start to see Buddha Bowl #2, #3, #4 etc. (And no, those were not "hashtags").

What is really great about Buddha Bowls is there versatility. You can use almost anything. (One of my favorites involves cranberry sauce and pomegranite seeds, but that is more of a fall/winter dish. So look out for it.) I usually just look and see what is in my fridge and combine things in new ways. So feel free to use this recipe as a template and get creative in the kitchen

Ingredients

1/2 c quinoa

1/2 c brown lentils

2 c water

1 sweet potato, diced into bite sized pieces

1 zucchini, diced into bite sized pieces

1/2 sweet onion, chopped

kale, ripped into bite sized pieces

coconut oil (or other oil of choice)

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 c Tahini

1 T lemon juice

1 T maple syrup

Fresh mint, chopped

Hot water, to thin

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Combine lentils, quinoa, and 2 c water in a rice cooker. Push start and let it do its thing.

3. Chop vegetables. Combine sweet potatoes, zucchini, and onions in a large ziplock bag with a little bit of oil, salt, and pepper and shake to coat. Roast 20 minutes

4. While vegetables are roasting add zucchini to ziplock bag with a little bit of oil, salt, and pepper and shake to coat. Once, 20 minutes are up, stir roasted vegetables and add the zucchini. Roast 5 more minutes.

5. Wash and rip up kale. Put it in the same ziplock bag with a little bit of oil, salt, and pepper and shake to coat. Once 5 minutes are up, stir roasted vegetables and add the kale. Roast 5 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, combine Tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, and a little bit of mint and whisk to combine. Add warm/hot water to thin until it is a runny sauce (the consistency of dressing).

7. Now it is time to assemble your bowl. Layer as you desire but I usually but the quinoa and lentils on the bottom, top that with the krispy kale, then the veggies, and top it with the Tahini sauce.

8. ENJOY

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