BEYOND THE BUDDHA BOWL, OUR FAVOURITE HEALTHY BOWL RECIPES

January 10, 2017

Those who keep on top of food trends have probably encountered ‘food bowls’ already, but as they’re popularity is predicted to flourish this year, you’ll probably be seeing a whole lot more of them in 2017.

What are food bowls? Well, they are the aesthetically pleasing, Instagram friendly, and typically ultra healthy recipes that are assembled in bowls, a trend that has been popularized by an abundance of food bloggers. You might be thinking, “But what’s the point of the bowl?”. Well, it is said that the trend is derived from the original bowl recipe, the Buddha bowl. The Buddha bowl, typically vegan and well balanced in terms of nutritional properties and colour, is reminiscent of the harmonious balance of the Buddha lifestyle, as well as his rotund belly, via the shape of the bowl.

Beyond this, researchers suggest that the popularity of the bowl might be psychological. A Buddha-like bowl promotes mindfulness about the meal. Allegedly, the structure of the bowl allows one to better enjoy the flavours and textures in every bite, and can also result in a feeling of fullness, reducing overeating. I’ll admit, the science is scant. But one things that’s for sure is that for me most part, most bowl recipes that are out there are healthy, well balanced, and darn pretty to look at. So if getting excited about healthy meals and taking pride in what you cook is something that’s on your list for this year, dig into these food bowl recipes.

Warm Quinoa Bowl with Roasted Veggies

This recipe is incredibly easy to make, especially if you’ve got leftovers to use up. Healthy eating pro tip: Keeping a batch of cooked quinoa in the fridge sets you up with the foundation for a ton of healthy meals, including this delicious bowl recipe. Warm up some quinoa, stick some veggies in the oven, then drizzle everything with a warm tahini sauce. Perfect.

Chicken Burrito Bowl

This recipe puts a Tex Mex spin on the bowl trend. Again, using leftover grain as your foundation, in this case rice, makes it so easy to put together a stellar dinner. Combine shredded chicken with the traditional burrito fixings, fresh veggies, and few slices of avocado, and you’ve got yourself a winner winner chicken dinner.

Spring Roll Bowl

The spring roll bowl has all the delicious flavours of a spring roll in a veggie-packed salad with little to no cooking, and none of the questionable ingredients found in your local take-out. It’s also perfect for those of us who may want to make spring rolls at home but lack the manual dexterity to execute those perfect wraps. They’re also super flexible–you can make them vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, low-carb, raw, paleo–basically any diet you can name.

Teriyaki Shrimp Soba Noodle Bowl

Soba noodles are made from buckwheat flour, are gluten free, and contain more fibre and protein than your average white pasta. Mixing these with seasoned shrimp, a plethora of fresh, stir-fried veggies, and a sweet and salty teriyaki sauce? Sign us up.

Sweet Potato and Chickpea Buddha Bowl

We couldn’t talk about bowls without leaving you with at least one Buddha bowl recipe. This one adheres to the vegetarian Buddhist diet, but is loaded with plant-based protein. Imagine roasted sweet potatoes and kale, cut with the tanginess of red onion, topped with spiced chickpeas, and then drizzled in a creamy tahini sauce. Ah, the taste of inner peace..

Do you have a go-to bowl recipe that you love? Let us know about your favourites!