This Buddha Bowl Recipe Makes Leftovers for the Week Ahead

I live for a good Buddha bowl. Just ask my old roommate. Sometimes a vegan foodie needs something a little more original and Pinterest-worthy. Pistachios are my jam, avocados are irreplaceable, and the basil plants at Trader Joe's were calling my name, so here you are! This Buddha bowl recipe is super easy to make and it's naturally vegan. Your culinary, health conscious, dreams have come true—mine did, at least. 

Buddha Bowl

• Prep Time:15 mins
• Cook Time:30 mins
• Total Time:45 mins
• Servings:4
• Medium

Ingredients

• 4 cups cooked quinoa
• 1 block firm tofu
• 1 head broccoli
• 4 cups arugula
• 2 cups micro greens
• 2 avocados
• A few handfuls pistachios - roasted and halved
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic powder
• 1/2 cup tahini
• 3/4 cup vegetable broth
• 1 lemon - juiced
• 1 handful basil leaves
• 1 garlic clove
• 3 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 4 teaspoons sweetener choice

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 350ºF. Then cook your quinoa according to the package instructions.

• Step 2

  Drain and remove tofu from package. Lay it on many layers of paper towels, cover with more towels, a small cutting board to distribute the weight, and also something heavy to press the liquid out of the tofu. Leave the tofu to continue draining.

• Step 3

  Cut the broccoli into small pieces and boil for 2 minutes at most. You want it firm and bright green but not too hard. Rinse with cold water once it's finished cooking so you don't end up with brown mush.

• Step 4

  Mince the garlic and heat a drizzle of olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and stir until light golden brown.

  

• Step 5

  Cut the tofu into small cubes. Cover your baking sheet with a thin layer of olive oil. This will keep your tofu from sticking as it bakes. Scatter the tofu cubes on the baking sheet, and drizzle a touch more oil on top before seasoning with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Then gently toss the tofu around, making sure the cubes are evenly coated. Bake at 350ºF on the top rack for 30 minutes, giving the tofu a toss about halfway through. This time use tongs unless you like crispy fingers too!
  
  #SpoonTip: The more oil you use, the denser your tofu will end up, I used just the bare minimum needed to keep the tofu from sticking and ended up with fluffy, crisp tofu.

  

• Step 6

  While the tofu is cooking, add the broth, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, vinegar, sweetener, and basil to a blender/food processor. Blend until your dressing is your preferred consistency.

  

• Step 7

  Combine quinoa, tofu, broccoli, arugula, and micro greens in a serving bowl, top with pistachios and avocado, then drizzle your dressing on top.

  

I used vegetable broth concentrate in this recipe. It comes in a paste, and I add in the instructed amount of water before heating it to create my broth (using hot liquid makes blending the ingredients a lot easier). If you're using pre-made veggie broth, try heating it up before you blend. After you've blended your dressing, taste it!

I typically never measure when I cook, I just eyeball, taste, eyeball some more, and taste again until it's perfect. I know not everyone is a fan of the 'wing it' method, so I measured for y'all. I think it was the first time I held a teaspoon since moving into my apartment in July!

Anyways, my point is that if your dressing isn't up to your saucy standards just add little bits of everything until it does it for you. The lemon juice and sugar balance each other out. Add one or the other if it's too sour or sweet, or add more of both for some extra umph. Salt brings out other flavors, so if you like the balance but just want more of it, add another pinch or two. I don't think you could ever go wrong with more basil, and you can add more tahini/broth to change the consistency. I like mine on the thinner side, that way the other ingredients soak it up!