Mediterranean Buddha Bowl

You might be surprised that I served this for breakfast here @ The Desoto OceanView Inn, but I believe that to get away from the conventional unhealthy breakfasts most Americans have become accustomed to, we need to look outside the box just a little... and when you do that, you will find a host of unlimited ideas just waiting to be had.   My Mediterranean Buddha Bowl is one of them.

 I do think that if you eat a breakfast that includes foods other than fruit or juice, it would be good to add some good whole grains and veggies to your meal. In my opinion, you just cannot get enough veggies, and whole, unprocessed grains are excellent in the mornings when you need some sustainable energy to get you through the first half of your day.  As always, my vision is that your entire breakfast, and everything you eat at every meal, is organic.  The other foods are just too compromising.

 The recipe below is vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free.  It also is a protein-rich and a nutritionally dense meal that will leave you feeling energized for hours and will not weigh heavy on the tummy in the process.

 My Mediterranean Buddha Bowl was a hit with the guests @ The Desoto -  hope you enjoy it has much as they did.  Note that this recipe was made for a crowd of 18+ people, so feel free to cut the ingredients in half or even thirds.  On the other hand, leftovers can carry over to tomorrow's dinner (and/or tomorrow’s breakfast!), so if you make a big batch, the recipe, which is not difficult to make, is a time saver as well as a nutritious meal you can feel good about.

The Mediterranean Buddha Bowl is really a version of my Dandy Bowl, which is meant to be very versatile. Think whole grains, beans, veggies and herbs and you have a dandy healthy meal anytime, with any combination of ingredients you have on hand.  This is actually how the Dandy Bowl got it's name in the first place...well maybe it actually came from a recipe we constructed for the Dandelion Cleanse, (I’ll share about that on a future blog). Still, I thought it was a handy and fast way to fix a meal in a hurry that could also be versatile and be different every day for the duration of a 3-month cleanse...and it is! So anyways,I thought it was Dandy, hence the name. 

So, here’s one particular iteration (pictured here with my fresh-made Dragon Fruit-Chia Juice),  which I’ve named:

Mediterranean Buddha Bowl

I make all my recipes 100% organic, gluten-free and dairy-free. Organic ingredients are readily available these days at larger supermarkets and your local organic grocery...and sometimes even Costco! if it’s really exotic, I endeavor to  include a footnote for more information.  In a pinch, send me an email: vickiekelson@me.com

serves 18

3 cups water, spring or filtered

3 veggie cubes, (can also use 3 cups of veggie broth instead of water)

2 cups sprouted quinoa and rice blend, (the “TruRoots” brand is available at Costco!)

   (you can also use regular quinoa and/or brown rice)

6 mini red, yellow and orange peppers, chopped (Not green, never green!)

1 1/2 pounds broccoli, chopped into small florets

1/2 can artichoke hearts, chopped (salt brined, or water is best; not marinated)

6 green onions, chopped 

4 cups chickpeas, cooked (could also use 2 15-oz cans)

1 tsp dulse flakes (dulse is a seaweed, and assists your body in digesting protein, while also providing a host of fabulous micro-nutrients, like iodine, for your system.  I put it in almost everything. It’s available in larger supermarkets and organic groceries, typically in the Asian food section.)

1/2 tsp asafoetida powder (this is optional, but it adds a lot of flavor and nutrients if you can find it.  Asafoetida is an Indian Ayurvedic spice, actually a pungent plant resin. i use it in small quantities as a replacement for garlic and onion, which put too much ‘fire’ in the body these days. It’s also an immune system revitalizer, sometimes called “hing” or “heeng”. Ask your natural grocer to order it for you if you can’t find it, or order on-line from Frontier Herbs or StarWest.)

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tbsp fresh thyme, or 1/2 tsp powder

1 tbsp fresh rosemary, or half tsp powder

1 8-oz jar kalamata olives, pitted and chopped (salt brined variety)

Sea salt and white pepper to taste (I of course like cayenne, which is an option!)

1/4 cup Liquid Aminos, coconut or soy based (FYI- I prefer coconut-based Liquid Aminos - look for “Coconut Secret” sometimes in the Asian food section - both because they are not soy-based and because they are less salty.  Still, I have a hard time keeping this stocked since it’s not as popular yet as the Braggs (soy-based) Aminos, so Braggs is acceptable, just be aware that less salt will be required with the Braggs).

1/4 cup cilantro, basil or parsley, chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. In large sauce pan or Dutch oven, bring the water to a boil, dissolving the veggie cubes. Add quinoa, reduce heat, and simmer until liquid is gone, about 15 minutes. (if using anything other than “TruRoots” quinoa/rice blend, make sure you follow the instructions appropriate for that grain).
2. In another large skillet add olive oil, chopped green onions, peppers,herbs and spices, cook on medium high for a couple of minutes, sautéing lightly. Add Liquid Aminos, kalamata olives and chickpeas, sautéing 4-5 more minutes, until everything is heated thoroughly.
3. When done, add veggies to the cooked quinoa-rice blend and toss just until grains fluff while blending  in veggies.
4. Serve in bowls with chopped cilantro, basil or parsley, if desired.