Let me start by asking, are Mondays anyone’s favorite day?
They are especially not my favorite on a day like today when I don't get my act together to do any
batch cooking on Sunday. That means I had to scrape something together for
dinner tonight. Enter the Buddha Bowl. A Buddha Bowl is basically named for the
shape it becomes in the bowl—which is a rounded heap akin to the belly of a
Buddha. They are as versatile as salad, pasta, and soup in that you can pretty
much throw any combination together, and they’re great for people with
allergies or dietary restrictions… like me! Build your own Buddha Bowls are an easy way to entertain, especially since all the ingredients can be made ahead. To build a Buddha Bowl, you start
with a grain, lentil, or vegetable base, then you add various other toppings. I like
to pay attention to color, texture, and a combination of nutrients when I build
my bowls. And, I generally follow some kind of theme or flavor profile.
Tonight’s Buddha Bowl was inspired by the winter weather (hence the roasted vegetables) and my yearning for spring (enter lemony vinaigrette). I started with a bed of baby kale which
I dressed with a tart lemony vinaigrette and then tossed with some edamame. Then, I added
roasted purple Brussels sprouts (I know! Who knew that was a thing?!) and
butternut squash. I pan fried some cubed tofu and topped everything off with
some dried cranberries. The tartness of the dried cranberries paired well with
the nutty crispiness of the Brussels sprouts. The tofu was the star of the
dish. For these flavorful little nuggets, I used some truffle mushroom salt, freshly
ground pepper, olive oil, and garlic to flavor it up a bit. The decadent
butternut squash kind of held the dish together, adding a subtle flavor with a
rich, avocado-like texture. The dish came together beautifully and I even have enough
to make another meal out of the leftovers! Winning on this Monday.
