As to be expected, lately my online googling is targeted to food trends and the latest recipes. I’ve found that “Buddha Bowls” are pretty big nowadays.
When I think of Buddha I’m reminded of the little ivory trinket one of my childhood friends’ mother had. You know the one—the guy with the big belly who sits cross-legged offering peace of mind.
I’m not sure if Buddha Bowls got their name because they’re essentially overstuffed bowls (resembling his paunch) or perhaps because Buddhists are generally looked at as being pure and natural, and these Buddha Bowls are usually packed with a ton of nutrients and superfoods. Regardless of the reason for their name—the fundamental elements to a Buddha Bowl are that they have a ton of veggies, a protein, and some sort of base; generally, a rice, quinoa, or some other whole grain. The contents are then dumped in a bowl and topped with a sauce. Think a healthier Qdoba burrito bowl (okay so traditional Buddhists probably did not have access to a Qdoba-but you get the point).
I ended up having some leftover cauliflower rice in the fridge and thought that would be a good base for my Buddha Bowl. After spying peanut butter in the cabinet and shrimp in the freezer, a lightbulb went off.
A quasi-Pad Thai dish, sans noodles.
Yields: ~12 cups
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup pineapple wedges
4 cups cooked cauliflower rice
1/3 cup peanuts, chopped
2 eggs
24 small shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 generous cup broccoli florets, cut small
4 scallions, sliced
2 cups bean sprouts
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ tbsp. sesame oil, divided
1 red pepper, cored and sliced
2 mushooms, diced
lime wedges (optional for garnish)
For the sauce: Sauce yields: ~1 cup
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
¼ cup reduced fat peanut butter
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp lime juice
½ cup HOT water
1/8 tsp garlic powder
pinch red pepper flakes
1. Whisk sauce ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.
2. Drizzle 1 tbsp sesame oil into heated pan. Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
3. Add bean sprouts, pineapple, broccoli, and red pepper slices. Cook over medium heat ~4 minutes.
4. Add mushrooms, peanuts, scallions, and shrimp. Pour half of the sauce into pan and cover, cooking until shrimp are pink. (~ 2 min)
5. In a separate heated pan, add ½ tbsp. sesame oil. Break eggs into pan. Once they’ve started to cook, break yolks and scramble.
6. Mix eggs into cooked cauliflower rice.
7. Add cauliflower rice to a large bowl. Top with vegetables and shrimp mixture. Pour any remaining sauce over top. Garnish with lime wedges and peanuts.
Nutrition facts
Servings per recipe: 6 Serving size: 2 cups
Calories: 399 Fat: 21g Sodium: 623mg Carbs: 31g Fiber: 13g Sugars: 22g Protein: 20g
