One of the hardest things for me to get over during my first year or so as living vegan, was how I thought of meals. I was so conditioned ot think of a meal, especially dinner, being protein, vegetables and starch or grain. Period. End of story. Eat up and to go to bed.
But when there’s no animal protein to act as the star of the meal, you had to be a little more creative. At least that’s how it feels today compared to when I became a vegan in 2017. But that’s about the same time I discovered the elusive Buddha bowl, which was kind of fortuitous if you think about it.
I mean, Buddha bowls provide you with a lot of food and a lot of variety, plus tons of nutrients. What’s not to love?
Seriously, can you think of one thing?
This beauty was made by my hubs. It’s barbecue tofu steaks, turmeric rice, steamed broccoli along with oven roasted carrot & onions. Probably the only thing that might be a turn off about this meal is that everything has to be prepped and prepared separately. The good news is that the rice takes no time at all, depending on what type and style of grain you choose. The carrots and onions get a quick seasoning and tossed in the oven until they’re cooked through. Steaming veggies is something most vegans–and adults–can do in their sleep so really, the biggest focus will be on getting the tofu steaks seasoned juuuust right.
Let’s just take a moment to admire the beautiful vibrant color of that broccoli…
Okay. The barbecue sauce was sweet and tangy with a hint of heat and soy sauce. It was delicious and oven baked, which means you don’t have to stand over the stove for forty-five minutes watching your vegan barbecue sauce reduce and thicken.
Use any blend you want to create the sauce, but here’s a tip: cook the tofu how you want it and toss it in the (warmed through) sauce until coated right before serving. That way it isn’t soggy, but sticky and hot.
Vegan Buddha bowls are, in my opinion, the perfect autumn meal. They are hearty without being too overwhelming or caloric, they offer a variety of foods so your taste buds never get bored and you can mix and match in thousands of ways. You can use whatever you have on hand, or plan it out.
This is one of our go to vegan meals because as long as you have grains an vegetables on hand, then you’ve got a meal to feed your family.
You can add sauces or creams, salsa or anything else that whets your appetite. The point is when it comes to vegan bowls, change it up. Try something you think you don’t like and make it in your favorite style. No one thought buffalo cauliflower wings could be as delicious as they are yet…
What’s your latest food obsession? Drop a comment down below!
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