How to Make a Buddha Bowl
What does a quick and easy blood sugar balancing lunch look like? Often, it’s a “buddha bowl”. When I first wrote this post (years ago, earlier into my own healing journey), bowls weren’t that popular. But now we have various chain restaurants that specialize in “bowls”.
In this post I’m going to show you the basic formula for building your own buddha bowl that will fit into an anti-inflammatory and hormone balancing diet- a diet that’ll help you in your burnout recovery journey. It’s also the kind of lunch that’ll keep your energy going throughout the afternoon. And it’s also great if you work long hours or have a commute- buddha bowls lend themselves to meal prep and are quick to toss together.
What Foods Go Into A Buddha Bowl?
There’s a basic formula for buddha bowls that will make whipping these up super easy for you.
Just remember the basic blood-sugar balancing equation:
PROTEIN + FAT + FIBER + COLOR
(btw, you can learn more about how and why to balance blood and sugar with food in this post. It’ll give you a HUGE energy boost.)
High Quality Protein
You’ve got a few choices here, and do NOT skimp. Protein requirements differ for each person but as a general rule, try to get 25g-30g protein in your bowl.
Diced chicken (organic, ideally pasture raised)
Hard boiled eggs (ideally organic, pasture raised)
Fish- cooked shrimp, leftover fish from dinner, smoked salmon
Legumes- This is your healthiest option and includes any bean you can think of (black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans) as well as lentils and split peas.
Tofu or tempeh- organic always.
Healthy Fats
What will you do to lend your bowl some additional flavor & fat? Some ideas:
Toasted nuts and seeds
Chopped olives
A few slices of avocado
A dressing based in olive oil or avocado oil
Leafy Greens
These can be raw, steamed, or sautéed. And don’t stop at spring mix! The options here are seriously endless:
Arugula and other bitter greens
Different types of lettuce
Bok choy, cabbage
Kale, collard greens, and chard
Spinach, watercress, pea shoots
COLOR: Non-starchy vegetables
Load your bowl up with veggies of multiple colors: tomatoes, artichokes, cauliflower and broccoli (cruciferous vegetables are so good for you!), radishes, onions, peas, asparagus, carrots, celery, onions… I could go on. Try to choose different colors!
Whole grains or starchy “energy” vegetables
The opportunities are endless here as well. The goal here is to add a serving of FIBER to your bowl (something most of us don’t get enough of). So choose about a half cup oone of the following:
A whole grain: quinoa, brown rice, buckwheat, kamut, bulgur wheat, barley, farro, teff, wild rice
Noodles: buckwheat soba noodles, whole grain udon noodles, brown rice noodles. If you choose noodles, be sure to check the ingredients label for the fiber content. Get the highest fiber variety you can find. Bonus for buckwheat because it’s loaded with protein.
Starchy vegetables: sweet potato (my favorite, and you can dice it and either steam it- super easy- or roast in the oven), winter squash (butternut, acorn squash).
Flavor VariAtions
This is the finale, folks! Maybe you’ll just use your own tried and true salad dressing here (if you don’t want to make your own, that’s ok!). But there’s other possibilities:
Add fresh herbs- any kind you like!
A dollop of cashew sour cream and salsa + a sprinkle of fresh cilantro on a Latin style bowl
A homemade peanut sauce on a Thai or Southeast Asian style bowl
A fresh Italian dressing on a mediterranean style bowl
A swirl of sriracha hot sauce on a Vietnamese style bowl
Consider having two different sauces/dressings on hand each week so that you don’t have to eat the same flavors every day.
Prepping Your Buddha Bowl Ingredients
When it comes to having healthy lunches every day, a little meal prep can go a long way- and save you precious time during the workweek. So carve out some time on the weekend- just a couple hours should do it- and prep your buddha bowl ingredients. The great thing about this kind of prep is that it can be simple and flexible. For example, choose your ingredients based on what’s available:
What vegetables are in season? What’s on sale?
What did you get in your weekly farm share (if you have one)?
What ingredients do you have leftover from cooking other meals? (e.g. if you only used half a head of cauliflower or you made extra chicken breasts)
Raw or Cooked?
When deciding how to prep your ingredients, you’ve got a choice: raw or cooked. For instance, prep some raw carrots by cutting them into slices or matchsticks. Prep your greens by washing and drying them (if they’re not already washed). Or, you could steam your carrots, sauté some kale with a touch of olive oil and garlic, or roast some veggies in the oven.
Of course, some things you’ll need to cook, but it doesn’t need to be complicated and usually it’s just a matter of set-it-and-forget-it. For instance, cook up a big batch of quinoa or beans (check out my guide to cooking perfect beans from scratch). Start building some flavor right from the beginning- maybe throw some spices, a bay leaf, or a low-sodium veggie bouillon cube into the pot.
In sum, get your prep done in advance so that everything’s ready to go in your fridge. Then just build a bowl when you’re ready! It’s that simple.
