The best way to eat your vegetables? Baked, roasted, shredded, sautéed and sauced. Buddha Bowls, or what I like to call, “Glow Bowls” are an excellent way to mix match all your vegetables, cooked and raw, sauce them up and enjoy. Here’s a step by step system to enjoy a “Glow Bowl” with 4 simple ways to enjoy eating more vegetables.
1. Raw and Shredded. Fresh greens, shredded carrots, beets, and purple or green cabbage are delicious to add to a bowl with some cooked herbed quinoa. Be sure to salt the water when you prepare your quinoa to the point that it tastes like “tears” for extra flavor and if you really want to get fancy, cook your quinoa in coconut milk and add fresh chopped cilantro to the finished product for a coconut herbed quinoa.
2. Roasted and Bakes. Yams, sweet potatoes, beets and butternut squash. Even carrots and you’ll believe me when you taste it…. Cabbage is delicious roasted. Keep it simple by tossing in olive oil and sea salt and throw in the oven around 375F for around 45 minutes. Note, the smaller the pieces, the less roasting time.
3. Sauteed. This is a delicious way to add flavor to your glow bowl. Place a pan on the stove on medium heat and add a tablespoon of coconut oil. Sautee onions, garlic and even vegetables like zucchini or tomatoes. This is a perfect way to add spice and infuse flavor. Keep it simple with a little salt and pepper, or even drizzle an acid like tamari or lemon juice. Toss your satteed vegetables in with your raw and roasted mix with quinoa and prepare for sauce.
4. A sauce or dressing can be as simple as olive oil, lemon juice and sea salt. It doesn’t have to be complicated. But if you really want a delicious dressing give the Creamy Asian Dressing below a try and prepare your own “Glow Bowl”
Try making your own “Glow Bowl” with a cup of cooked quinoa as mentioned above, with some fresh herbs. Roast some yams and beets, or veggies of your choice and add some fresh shredded vegetables like carrots and purple cabbage. Finish off with some avocado slices and the dressing below.
CREAMY ASIAN “GLOW BOWL” DRESSING
Yields: 1 1/4 Cups Dressing (approximately 10x2oz portions)
1/2 Cup Tahini
¼ Cup Lime Juice
¼ Cup Tamari
¼ Cup Maple Syrup
1” Piece of Fresh Ginger Root
1/2 Cup Water for desired thickness
1. Blend in High Speed Blender
2. Serve on “Glow Bowl”
Kristin Fraser, BSc, is a holistic nutritionist and local freelance writer. She can be reached at kristin@somethingtochewon.ca.