Vegan Buddha Bowl

At my last job we had an on-site café that served fresh, healthy lots meals for cheap (really the best perk of the job)! Every few weeks they’d offer a Buddha bowl that became my favorite thing ever. Vegan, tasty and so satisfying. So I did a little research and pulled together the elements that I loved most. The good thing is you can make things ahead of time and have them on hand to reproduce the bowl throughout the week!

Combine a big bowl of the following (or whatever other veg you have on hand that might go well) & enjoy! 

• Quinoa, cooked according to package directions
• Arugula, torn
• Avocado, sliced
• Marinated Artichoke Hearts, cut into bite-size pieces 
• Purple Cabbage, finely shredded
• Roasted Red Peppers (or raw if you don’t have time to roast)
• Crispy Chickpeas
• Crispy Tofu
• Lemon Tahini Dressing

Crispy Chickpeas
1 15 oz can Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Sea salt
Paprika, curry powder, or other spices (optional)

Preheat the oven to 425° and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Pat chickpeas dry. Transfer to baking sheet and toss with a drizzle of olive oil and salt.

Roast for 20-30 minutes until golden brown and as crispy as you want them to be (keep going if they’re not there at 30 minutes).  

Remove from oven and toss with your spices while the chickpeas are still warm. 
 
Crispy Tofu
1 block Extra Firm Tofu, pressed, drained and cut into cubes
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1-2 tbsp Soy Sauce or Tamari
1-2 tbsp Cornstarch

Preheat the oven to 425° and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (double up and make the chickpeas at the same time!). Place tofu cubes in mixing bowl and add olive oil and soy sauce (to taste) and toss to combine. Add 1 tbsp of cornstarch at a time until the tofu is well coated.

Arrange on the baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, tossing halfway through, until tofu is golden brown.    
 
Lemon Tahini Dressing
1/2 cup Tahini
Juice of 1 medium Lemon
3 tsp Lemon Zest
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
Dash of maple syrup to taste
1/4–1/2 cup water

​Add all ingredients (use just ¼ cup water at first) to a mason jar and shake vigorously to emulsify. Add more water as needed to ensure pourability over your bowl of goodness.