Budhha Bowl. Soul Bowl. Giant Bowl of Food. Doesn’t matter what you call it, it’s just delicious!
Recently I had the honor of being a guest chef at the Mid-America Restaurant Expo in Columbus, Ohio. Such a fun experience! These photos are a few snaps of the demo stage and the awesome students who helped me prep and create a myriad of baby Buddha Bowl samples.
The dish I created on stage was this Anti-Inflammatory Buddha Bowl. It was so well received that I’ve been flooded with requests for the recipe. So I’m creating it here to share with all of you.
This bowl is super easy to create and modify with whatever you have around. It fits all the categories of gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, vegan, paleo and so on. And it’s filled with gorgeous color – we eat with our eyes first! Of course, you could easily add in a bit of grilled shrimp, chicken or a few cheese crumbles if desired.
This is the kind of food I eat every day. My friends have dubbed it “Monique Food” – feels right. It just makes me feel better. So much so that I bring this type of food with me when I travel. I actually filled my travel jar with left overs from the show to take on the plane home with me so I wasn’t stuck to eating airport food. Yes, you can bring food on a plane! And because flying is hard on the body, eating cleaner food actually helps with those travel woos like puffiness, fatigue and aches and pains.
Give this big Buddha Bowl a go and let me how how much you enjoy it!
~Monique
Anti-Inflammatory Buddha Bowl
2 tbls olive oil
1 cup diced onions
1 cup cauliflower, chopped
1 cup broccoli, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 tsp pink salt
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp oregano
¼ tsp turmeric powder
few turns of fresh black pepper
1-2 cups cooked Sorghum
Cold Toppings:
Thinly sliced purple cabbage
Thinly sliced radish
Dried apricots or cherries, chopped
Toasted nuts and seeds (pepitas, almonds, pistachios)
Fermented food, like sauerkraut
Cilantro
Avocado
Popped Sorghum
Smoky Paprika Tahini Sauce
½ cup raw sunflower seeds
1 garlic clove, smashed
3 tbls lemon juice
1 tbls tamari
½ tsp smoky paprika
~½ cup water
Directions
Cook the sorghum according to package direction, if it’s not already cooked.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss the veggies with the spices and olive oil, spread onto a sheet pan and roast until browned and just fork tender ~ about 30-40 minutes.
Blend the Tahini sauce: Add all the sauce ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth, adding just enough water to create a thick, drizzle-able sauce. Taste, adjust seasonings.
Put it all together: If I’m serving this at home, I create stations so everyone can build their own bowl. Place the sliced cabbage, radishes and cilantro on a pretty platter. Set out ramekins of the avocado, nuts, fermented foods and dried fruit. Place the cooked veggies and sorghum on warming pads.
Let everyone build their own bowl by adding a few scoops of each item. Top with a good drizzle of the smokey tahini sauce and a small spoonful of extra virgin olive oil. Enjoy while veggies and sorghum are still warm.
Top with my Popped Sorghum for a little whimsical finish if desired.
“I travel with a jar to fill with nourishing foods for plane rides.”