Simple Mexican Buddha Bowl

Hello summer! The time of year when we want to spend less time in the kitchen and more time outdoors. Today, I will be sharing this Simple Mexican Buddha Bowl recipe. Meals that can be prepared in advance are certainly ideal for cottage weekends, camping or spending time at home.

If you are unfamiliar with what a Buddha bowl is, it’s basically a grain (like rice, quinoa, barley, bulgur, corn), a green (spinach, kale, or any other veggie) and a bean (often vegetarian so you could use chickpeas, black beans, lentils, etc). However, don’t feel restricted by this rhyme, I often think of Buddha bowls as a grain, a protein and veggie(s). There is no wrong way to build a Buddha bowl, simply combining ingredients, using up what you have on hand and then adding some flavour boosters like herbs, avocado, cheese and a simple dressing.

Interestingly, the name for Buddha bowl has a very literal origin. According to Dan Zigmond, author of Buddha’s Diet, “Buddha woke up before dawn every morning and carried his bowl through the roads or paths wherever he was staying. Local people would place food in the bowl as a donation, and at the end he would eat whatever he had been given. That was the original Buddha Bowl: a big bowl of whatever food villagers had available and could afford to share.”

• Prep time: 20 minutes
• Cook time: ~20 minutes for quinoa cooking
• Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa/rice, cooked
• 4 cups of romaine lettuce (or other)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
• 1.5 cups black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup guacamole (see recipe)
• 1 cup grated cheese
• ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream)

Optional Garnish: Lime wedges, salsa, cilantro, black olives (I had these on hand)

Directions for Simple Mexican Buddha Bowl:

1. Firstly, cook quinoa according to package instructions. This can be made ahead and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, using a wide-rimmed bowl, layer lettuce along the bottom. Place quinoa on top, along with beans and veggies.
3. Finally, add dollop of guacamole, yogurt, salsa and other cilantro, or other garnishes on top.

Now’s your turn! What are your favourite ingredients to add to your Buddha bowls? In addition, make sure to stay tuned for my upcoming blog entitled, 5 Fun, Make-Ahead Cottage Meals – this is one of them!

P.S., If you are wondering how I made these cool tortilla bowls for serving, you can buy the molds online.

Simple Mexican Buddha Bowl

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Summer is the time of year when we want to spend less time in the kitchen. This simple Mexican Buddha Bowl recipe is perfect for just that!

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Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa/rice, cooked
• 4 cups of romaine lettuce (or other)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
• 1.5 cups black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup guacamole (see recipe)
• 1 cup grated cheese
• ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
• Optional Garnish: Lime wedges, salsa, cilantro, black olives (I had these on hand)

Instructions

1. Cook quinoa according to package instructions. This can be made ahead and set aside.
2. Using a wide-rimmed bowl, layer lettuce along the bottom. Place quinoa on top, along with beans and veggies.
3. Add dollop of guacamole, yogurt, salsa and other cilantro, or other garnishes on top.