Buddha Bowl

When I work with nutrition clients I encourage them to automate their meals a bit. I know we all like variety, but it’s a good idea to have some go-to meals for busy weeknights. A buddha bowl is great to throw into the rotation because their are endless variations, depending on what veggies, grains and seasonings you have in the house. Plus, it’s quick to make (about 15 minutes) and satisfying.

Here’s what I made tonight:

1/4 cup quinoa
2 big handfuls kale
1/4 package of tempeh
1/4 cup sauerkraut
2 tbsp goddess dressing
A few shakes of nutritional yeast
Hot sauce to taste
Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
Sesame oil

1. Cook the quinoa with 1/2 cup water and dash of salt. I use the rice cooker and it takes about 15 minutes.
2. Cook up the tempeh in the frying pan with a bit of sesame oil and Bragg’s Liquid Aminos.
3. Steam the kale.
4. Combine the quinoa, tempeh and kale in the buddha bowl. Drizzle with goddess dressing, a few shakes of nutritional yeast and hot sauce.

The quinoa is a good source of protein (it’s a complete protein with all the amino acids).

The sauerkraut is full of live cultures aka probiotics – it’s good for digestion and adds a nice tang. Same idea as kimchi. I also find that eating sour foods helps to cut cravings for sweets.

The nutritional yeast is a good source of vitamin B12, which is important for vegetarians.

As I mentioned, you can mix & match with this dish:

– Steam or roast any veggies
– Use brown rice instead of quinoa
– Try different dressings and seasonings

Be creative! And please share – what’s your go-to dinner for busy weeknights?