I found this recipe on Facebook recently. It called to me for several reasons, one, I walk the Eight Fold Path (of Buddhism) and two, my penchant for sweet potatoes. Plus it sounded simple and easy – and who doesn’t like that? The name Buddha Bowl comes from its “rounded” appearance (such as the happy portly Buddha that is often depicted). I of course, as standard for me, tweaked and changed a couple of ingredients up (mostly due to what I had on hand in my pantry). This recipe could have numerous variations so enjoy and have fun! This took an hour tops to make from starting the rice/ sweet potatoes to serving time. For a summer salad, this could all be made ahead of time, and if you were having a group for dinner, everything including the toppings could be prepared ahead of time and everybody could “build their own”.
Ingredients for 2 bowls
Vinaigrette dressing
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger chopped fine
1 pinch of coarse sea salt
1 tablespoon Tamari
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon Avocado oil
1 tablespoon rice syrup
2 tablespoons almond butter (can use tahini or cashew butter)
2 diced sweet potatoes
6 – 8 dried figs, sliced (I used organic Black Mission)
1 tablespoon avocado oil
coarse sea salt
Brown Basmati rice – I like having rice on hand, so I cooked up 2 cups of my favorite lemon grass /ginger version.
Fresh baby spinach (1 – 2 cups loose)
1 avocado, halved
1 large purple carrot, grated
2-3 green onions, minced
1 small organic Persian cucumber, halved and sliced
1 Kumato (brown) tomato – halved, quartered
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
In a glass baking dish mix together the sweet potatoes, figs and toss with the avocado oil. Add sea salt, toss again.
Bake for approximately 30 minutes (mine took a wee longer).
In a mortar place garlic and ginger, add a pinch of salt and ground.(you can use either a mortar and pestle –or- I mixed mine up by hand). Add the soy sauce, lemon juice, avocado oil, rice syrup and almond butter. Blend. Set aside
To “build” ….using a shallow individual bowl – fill up one side (line) with the fresh spinach. Spoon the desired amount of cooked rice overlapping the spinach a wee, filling up the remaining bottom of the bowl. Layer the sweet potatoes and then add other ingredients, mounding them in an attractive presentation. Drizzle the dressing lightly and serve!
Notes – for the lemon grass ginger rice – I use one stalk of lemon grass sliced thin, and 2 slices of ginger minced well. Sauté them lightly in a teaspoon (or more) of avocado oil. Add the rice after a few minutes and the water, a ½ teaspoon of sea salt and cook according to the rice directions.
I am partial to less dressing, thus I had enough leftover to save for another Buddha Bowl or salad.
Last but not least - Bon Apetit!!
