Buddha Bowl Recipe & Carrot Ginger Dressing
Recipe adapted from Cookieandkate.
INGREDIENTS
Rice and Veggies
GRAIN: 1 ¼ cups short-grain brown rice or long-grain brown rice, or Quinoa, rinsed
PROTEIN: 1 ½ cups frozen shelled edamame, preferably organic
VEGGIES: 1 ½ cups trimmed and roughly chopped snap peas or snow peas, thinly sliced broccoli florets
4 cups chopped red or green cabbage or spinach or romaine lettuce or kale (ribs removed)
SAUCE: 1 to 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce, or Coconut Aminos to taste
FAT: 2 ripe avocados, halved, pitted and thinly sliced into long strips (wait to slice just before serving, see details in step 4 of directions)
Essential Garnishes
1 small cucumber, very thinly sliced
Carrot dressing recipe below
Thinly sliced green onion (about ½ small bunch)
Lime wedges
Toasted sesame oil, for drizzling
Sesame seeds
Flaky sea salt
Carrot Ginger Dressing
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
⅓ cup rice vinegar
2 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped (about ⅔ cup)
2 tablespoons peeled and roughly chopped fresh ginger
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon honey
1 ½ teaspoons toasted sesame oil
¼ teaspoon salt, more to taste
Carrot Ginger Dressing Instructions
In a blender, combine all of the salad dressing ingredients as listed. Bend until completely smooth. Taste, and add additional salt if the dressing doesn’t make your eyes light up. If it’s too sour (it should have some zing to it), blend in a bit more honey.
Serve over greens and any other ingredients you’d like (I offered a few more suggestions in the post). Recipe keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for 1 to 2 weeks.
MAKING THE DISH
Directions
Bring 4 quarts of water in a large pot to boil. Once the water is boiling, add the rice and continue boiling for 25 minutes. Add the edamame and cook for 3 more minutes (it’s ok if the water doesn’t reach a rapid boil again). Then add the snap peas and cook for 2 more minutes.
Drain well, and return the rice and veggies to the pot. Season to taste with 1 to 2 tablespoons of tamari or soy sauce, and stir to combine.
Divide the rice/veggie mixture and raw veggies into 4 bowls. Arrange cucumber slices along the edge of the bowl. Drizzle lightly with carrot ginger dressing and top with sliced green onion. Place a lime wedge or 2 in each bowl.
When you’re ready to serve, divide the avocado into the bowls. Lightly drizzle sesame oil over the avocado, followed by a generous sprinkle of sesame seeds and flaky sea salt. Serve promptly.
Suggested Side Salad Components
Fresh greens of choice
Red onion
Cucumber
Carrot
Cherry tomatoes
Red cabbage
Notes
*CARROT GINGER DRESSING NOTE: You’re probably only going to need ½ batch of the dressing for 4 bowls. I recommend making the full batch since blenders require a decent volume of liquid to blend. Just use the leftover dressing on salads within 1 to 2 weeks of making.
*MAKE IT QUICK: If you’re in a hurry, you can skip the dressing and drizzle tamari and toasted sesame oil lightly over the bowls instead.
MAKE IT VEGAN: Be sure to follow the vegan option while making the carrot-ginger dressing.
MAKE IT GLUTEN FREE: Be sure to use certified gluten-free tamari, instead of soy sauce. Or, omit the soy sauce altogether and season the rice with salt, to taste.
MAKE IT SOY FREE: Omit the tamari/soy sauce and season the rice with salt, to taste.
