The Vegan Buddha Bowl
But having an abundance of food like this really makes me stop and think about how grateful I am to even have food; never having to worry about where my next meal is coming from, or if I’ll have enough to eat. So many people in the world, and even in our country, do not have that luxury. Too many people. I wish I could help them all. And while my family tries to do our part by participating in our church’s food drive, it feels like it’s not enough.
As an individual, it can be really easy to feel powerless about changing the world. I had an argument on this very topic with one of my friends – he didn’t think that going vegan would help anything, and that the industry would just “keep going on” without him.
The Vegan Buddha Bowl
This vegan buddha bowl has it all - fluffy quinoa, crispy spiced chickpeas, and mixed greens, topped with a mouthwatering red pepper sauce! RECIPE UPDATED December 2017.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 2
Ingredients
Quinoa
1 Cup Quinoa rinsed
2 Cups Water
Chickpeas
1 1/2 Cups Cooked Chickpeas
Drizzle Olive Oil or other neutral oil
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp Smoked Paprika
1 Tsp Chili Powder
1/8 Tsp Turmeric
1/2 Tsp Oregano
Red Pepper Sauce
1 Red Bell Pepper ribs and seeds removed
2 Tbs Olive Oil or other neutral oil
Juice from 1/2 Lemon or more to taste
1/2 Tsp Pepper
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp Paprika
1/4 Cup Fresh Cilantro
Everything Else
Mixed Greens
An Avocado
Sesame Seeds for Garnish
Instructions
Start by cooking the quinoa. Bring 2 cups water to a boil, then add quinoa. Simmer for about 15 minutes until all water is absorbed. When done, remove from heat and keep covered for about 10 minutes so quinoa can absorb any excess water.
Preheat oven to 425. In a bowl, toss chickpeas, oil, and spices until chickpeas are evenly coated. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, bake chickpeas for 15-20 minutes, or until desired doneness is reached. When done, remove from oven and let cool.
To make red pepper dressing, add all dressing ingredients to a blender (not a food processor) and blend on high until smooth. Taste, and adjust seasonings to your preference.
Finally, assemble the buddha bowls. In two bowls, add quinoa, mixed greens, avocado, and chickpeas. Drizzle everything with red pepper sauce, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
P.S. I used the Magic Bullet blender (affiliate link) to make the sauce in this recipe. I love my Magic Bullet for smaller-batch recipes and highly recommend it!