Buddha Bowl with Creamy Cashew Soy Sauce

Named for its big, round Buddha belly shape, were defining the “Buddha bowl” here as a one-dish meal consisting of rice or whole grains, roasted veggies, dressing, and a fat or protein. I’ve been making Buddha Bowls for awhile now. I love them because they represent a balanced meal. If ever I’m torn on what to make for any meal (breakfast included) I usually turn to the idea of a Buddha Bowl. I know these bowls are going to offer nourishment in more ways than one.

I’m always in search for the best Buddha Bowl in NYC but this one was up there with some of my favorites without spending a fortune. Some of my favorite bowls in NYC are from De Maria, Bluestone Lane, Cafe Clover, and Le Botaniste. My mom started making this bowl a few years ago and we recently changed up the sauce to be cashew based and a little spicy…

This bowl is a combination of all my favorite foods. Brown rice, chickpeas, sweet potatoes, kale, avocados, and a creamy spicy cashew dressing. This recipe made about 3-4 large Buddha Bowls.

Prep:

1. Prepare your brown rice. I cook organic Red Mills in my cast iron pan with vegetable broth, but you can use anything that is most convenient and easiest for you (frozen included).

2. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Rinse and drain chickpeas. Cut sweet potatoes into cubes. Season sweet potatoes and chickpeas with salt, pepper, and a little olive oil. Lay them on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake the chickpeas for about 15 minutes, and the sweet potatoes for about 45.

3. Sauté a big bunch of kale in a steamer, or a saucepan with a little water. Add a little salt, red pepper flakes, and olive oil. Wait until the kale is wilted but still has that beautiful bright green color before taking it off the heat (about 7 minutes).

4. In a blender (I use my nutribullet), make the cashew sauce. Add all of the ingredients for the sauce and blend until smooth, thick, and creamy.

Ingredients:

1 can of Chickpeas

3 sweet potatoes

Bunch of kale

2 cups of brown rice

Cashews

for the dressing

3 tablespoons of cashew butter

2 cloves of garlic

1 nub of ginger

3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons of tamari sauce (or low sodium soy sauce)

Warm water to thin

Leave a comment below if you want to see more recipes like this one!

Beet Pesto Sauce

I can honestly say this was ONE of the most delicious pasta dishes I’ve ever had. There is nothing I love more than creating a dish that looks AND tastes this good…

Believe it or not, this recipe was super easy. I’ve always loved trying different versions of pasta sauces. I can’t deny my love for classic marinara but it can often be so acidic…beets are a great alternative!

This beet pesto sauce is packed with vitamins and minerals from the beets and healthy fats from the walnuts and EVOO. Plus the texture was so smooth, creamy, and nutty!

Ingredients:

4 beets (roasted or steamed)

4 cloves of garlic

3-4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons of red chili pepper flakes

1 teaspoon of salt

1/2 cup of walnuts (almond or pine nuts would work too!)

Feta cheese

Fresh Dill

Pasta of choice

Prep:

1. Cook your beets. I cut and trimmed the leaves and ends and drizzled with a little Olive Oil. Then, individually wrap them in tin foil, and roast on 400 degrees for about 50 minutes. Once they’re done, I cut them in thirds to process easily in the blender.

2. Cook 1/2 pound of your favorite pasta al dente. Save a little bit of the pasta water while its cooking, this will help to break up the beet pesto. Set pasta aside and drizzle with a little olive oil. I used a white linguine because I really wanted to taste the flavor of the beets!

3. In a blender (I used my NutriBullet) pulse the walnuts and garlic. Then add your beets, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, and red chili pepper flakes. Blend until smooth and creamy.

4. Mix the pesto with the linguine. Use a little bit of the pasta water you reserved to break up the sauce if need be.

5. Mix together fresh chopped dill, feta cheese, and olive oil to crumble on top of the pasta and serve.

That color though…enjoy!