 This is an ode to my love for Buddha Bowls. They have become a staple for my family during this time at home. Why do I love them so much? There are a multitude of reasons. Some being:
The Base. The base is going to be made up of some sort of grain. This is where I encourage you to have fun and be adventurous. I use all sorts of grains, such as:
The Protein. I'm a vegetarian, so this one is definitely very important to make sure I get good amounts of protein. What I've used so far:
Sautéed Veggies. A portion of my veggies I sauté. Generally, this is where I incorporate my leafy greens (chard, kale, spinach, beet greens, dandelion greens...you get the picture), onions, cabbages, green beans, etc. Things that sauté well. I just want to make a point here that the combination of veggies does. not. matter. Your seasoning will bring it all together. Trust me on this one. My method is pretty simple. Warm some oil in a pan (my go-to lately has been sunflower or avocado). Cook onions and garlic first i you're incorporating them. Crunch veggies go next--such as your cabbages, green beans, asparagus. Leafy greens are the last part to get incorporated, because they take the least amount of time to cook. The key here is to not overcook your veggies. You will notice a point in time where the colors of your veggies become this beautiful bright, vivid, vibrant color. Stop here. Turn the stove off. Add in your seasonings. Harissa, Curry, Garlic, Adobo...whatever is speaking to you that day. Roasted Veggies. The next component is some sort of roasted veggies. Think chunky and starchy. Potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower. This part is simple. Coat with oil. Salt and pepper only. If you're going for Asian flavors, use Soy Sauce or Tamari. Other than that, nothing else. Roast on 350 until the veggies are cooked and still have a little crunch to them. Raw Ingredients. This is the fun part. The toppings. Think seeds, nuts, microgreens, sprouts, avocado, beets, etc. The Sauce. This is where the flavor comes together. Toss in your favorite sauce, dressing, salsa, etc. Sriracha, Hoisin Sauce, a vinaigrette, whatever you are feeling that day. I recommend tying in the flavors. If your dish is Asian-inspired, go for a peanut sauce. Middle-Eastern? Tahini-based. Mexican? Maybe an avocado lime situation. You get the picture. You can search "buddha bowl sauce" and get about a million hits. You can't go wrong. Building your bowl. This is the fun part. You're going to layer things in. Start with the base, the grain. Then add in protein, both veggies, toppings, and drizzle over the top your sauce and maybe some olive oil for extra smoothness. I always like some cracked black pepper at the very end. Don't ask me why, but it really completes it for me. (A random side note--start with smaller portions. It is surprising how big your layering can get, and then all of a sudden you literally have a mountain of food that you will feel like you can never get through). THEN YOU DIG IN! Now do you see why this is the perfect meal? Prep ahead, and all it will take you the day of is 20 minutes max. I hope this inspired you to create and build your own bowls. I post a ton of my bowls on my instagram. Feel free to pop over and check them out! Happy cooking!
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I've spoken about the health benefits more than once on the blog and the newsletters. How it's important to get 1/2 your body weight in ounces daily, how you should drink room temperature water and not freezing ice cold. We've talked how hydration is key for so many normal functions of the body such as proper digestion, hydration of the skin, and lubrication of the joints. It's no mystery that water--the substance that is 75% of our bodies and 75% of our planet--is crucial to our over health and well-being. Unfortunately though, it is still so hard for many to have the right amount of intake every day. And I get it, to some it's not the tastiest thing. Some can't stomach the idea of drinking room temperature water. I've heard a million different reasons in my practice and with my friends and family. With that said, there are always solutions! Fruit infusion water bottles are all over the place these days. When I walk into work I can count at least 7-10 people who have some sort of fancy bottle that allows for them to infuse fruit to help with their water intake. And when I ask them if it works, they are so quick to say that yes, in fact it does. So, I thought, why don't I try it as well? I happened to be at Target, and found the Define Bottle. It's a beautiful double walled glass bottle with a bamboo top. It comes with a little cage for loose teas that separates if you want to put in just water and fruit. I'm not going to lie, I probably drank at least 4 bottles of my infused water and tea, plus the other plain water I was drinking. People are definitely onto something. Below are my top 5 fruit and tea infusions that I made. Try them out! Tell me what you think! I've also posted what the ingredients are good for from an Ayurvedic perspective. If you're curious to see what ingredients would
*Quick note: when I say mashed blue berries, I just barely squeezed the berries in my fingers so that the juice can slightly be released into the water to obtain the flavor. They weren't completely mashed into a mush. Try these out and let me know what you think. Here's to healthy hydration! Cheers!
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