This was not only the first buddha bowl I’ve ever made, but it was also the first buddha bowl I’ve ever eaten!

I know they’re quite trendy these days, but I hadn’t really understood what the fuss was all about until I was planning the 2019 Vegan Challenge.

I was building the menu and thought, “Well, I should try some new things, too.”

Asking people to try a week’s worth of new recipes is a lot of new.

By trying new recipes myself, it put me in the headspace of cooking, trying, and experimenting with a few new things.

Aside from the buddha bowl being new to me, it was also the first time Nick and I had made tempeh EVER.

I’ve tried tempeh before once, maybe twice, but never made it ourselves.

If you don’t already know, tempeh is paaacked with protein and is kind of the sister to tofu.

Tempeh is made of fermented soy beans and often takes on the flavor of what it’s made with.

If you’re looking for a great meat replacement, tempeh may be a choice you’ll enjoy.

The texture takes some getting used to, but with the right flavors, it’s actually really nice.

Buddha bowls are really great for those who are picky.

I say that because you can put in basically whatever you want.

If you don’t like onions, keep ‘em out.

If you love quinoa, pile it on.

Buddha bowls are like salads, where they can be customized, but they’re the hot version that fill you up for longer.

There are infinite versions of buddha bowls, which makes them really fun to experiment with.

Even though this was our first one — and we played it kinda safe — I can guarantee you’ll see crazier combinations ahead.

When we decided to make this buddha bowl, we were hankering for some veggies.

It was still pretty cold in Queenstown, New Zealand (where we live), so we didn’t want just your stock standard salad.

We wanted something warm that wasn’t pasta, potatoes, bread, or rice.

We’d been eating a lot of that, so we wanted to keep it light, but also tasty and comforting.

This recipe is honestly perfect for getting in your fair share of veggies, but feeling full and satisfied by the end of the meal.

We used bok choy for our greens, but you can use basically anything green and leafy to get your fix of iron, fiber, potassium, and vitamins in this meal.

Yes, these greens may make you gassy, BUT they’re really good for your body, specifically your heart.

The combination of ingredients in this specific recipe are actually insanely healthy, which is awesome, because you don’t have to sacrifice flavor. At. All.

The tahini dressing ties it all together and makes your mouth happy with every bite.

I’m the buddha bowl’s newest and biggest fan now, so expect to see me creating, eating, and obsessing over them a lot more in the future.

Vegan Buddha Bowl

INGREDIENTS: Buddha Bowl

1 head of chopped bok choy
1 red onion
3 cloves of garlic
1 fresh, diced chili pepper
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water (for the quinoa)
250g of tempeh
1 diced red pepper
1 head of broccoli
1 medium-sized, diced sweet potato/kumara (NZ sweet potato)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tbsp sesame oil
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

INGREDIENTS: TAHINI DRESSING

1/4 cup tahini
1 lemon juiced
1 tbsp organic brown rice syrup or maple syrup
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp hot water
1/2 tsp salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to approximately 180°C/365°F .
Dice the sweet potato/kumara and toss in 1 tbsp olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then spread the sweet potato onto a baking tray.
Place in the oven for approximately 25-30 minutes until well cooked and slightly browned on the edges.
Thinly slice the tempeh and use a kitchen brush to brush it lightly with olive oil and soy sauce. Tempeh is like a sponge, so go easy on the oil and soy sauce, because it will absorb as much as you put on it.
Place tempeh place on baking paper on an oven-friendly tray.
Once the oven is heated up, place the tempeh in the oven for approximately 15-20 minutes until the edges are lightly browned and crispy.
Dice up the red onion, red pepper, chili pepper, and garlic.
Chop the boy choy into small pieces and the broccoli into bite-sized florets.
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a sauce pan on medium heat.
Cook the red onion and garlic until just barely translucent, then stir in the chili pepper.
Put the cup of quinoa in a small pot on the stove and add two cups of water.
Bring it to a boil and allow it to cook out the water.
Once the water has gone, turn off the heat and put a lid on the pot to seal the heat and help cook the rest of the quinoa.
Add the broccoli and red pepper to the sauce pan and add 1/2 tbsp of sesame oil, stirring frequently.
While everything is cooking, blend the ingredients for the tahini dressing in a blender.
Add sliced bok choy to the sauce pan, stirring occassionally until it’s cooked.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Remove sweet potato and tempeh from oven.
Remove sauce pan veggies from heat.
Remove lid from the small pot of quinoa.
Assemble the bowl as desired, then drizzle tahini dressing on top.
Add some shredded carrots and sesame seeds as garnish.
Enjoy!