Hellobee

Some label it an abundance bowl, others a Buddha bowl, but whatever you call it, I’m here to encourage you to pick up this method of pulling together a bowl of whole foods topped with a flavorful sauce. Cousin of bibimbap and burrito bowls, this practical, nutritious and delicious dish is a make-ahead dream. Just cook up some vegetables, grains, and some sort of protein in advance, then combine them with raw vegetables and a sauce of your choice for easy lunches or dinners throughout the week, served warm or room temperature.

While I’ve included a recipe below, my goal is to empower you to make this meal method your own. You aren’t limited by the ingredients included in this one example, so feel free to adjust your whole foods bowl based on the season, your personal tastes, and any dietary restrictions or preferences. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Cooked: Roasted or sauteed sweet potato, cauliflower, broccoli, root vegetables (like beets, turnips, carrots, etc.), winter or summer squash, zucchini, eggplant, asparagus, red or yellow onion.

Raw: tomatoes, avocado, cucumber, radish, cabbage, sprouts, green onion, thinly sliced red onion.

Grain (or go grain-free): white or brown rice, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, farro, barley, freekeh, wheat berries.

Protein: beans, nuts, seeds, lentils, eggs (fried or hard boiled), shredded chicken, sliced beef.

Sauce: Tahini sauce (like the one below, or a simple combination of tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and maple syrup), yogurt, marinara, peanut sauce, coconut curry sauce, soy sauce, hot sauce, or your favorite salad dressing.

And never forget you can brighten up any dish with fresh herbs or pickled vegetables (radish, cabbage, and onion are favorites).

Do you make anything akin to a rice bowl? What are some of your favorite combinations?

Rice Bowl with Herbed Tahini Sauce

for the bowl:

4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 head cauliflower, chopped into bite-size florets
1 1/4 cup white rice
4 cups baby spinach
2 cups cooked chickpeas
olive oil
salt

for the sauce:

1/3 cup tahini
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated or finely chopped
1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves and tender stems
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves
water, to thin

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. On separate sheet pans, toss the sweet potatoes and cauliflower with just enough olive oil to coat and a couple big pinches salt. Roast, stirring every 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and just starting to brown, about 15 minutes for the sweet potatoes and 60 minutes for the cauliflower.

2. Coat the bottom of a small pot over medium heat with olive oil. Once hot, add the rice and cook until the rice is starting to turn translucent, about 2 minutes. Add 2 1/4 cups water, raise the heat to high, and bring the water to boil. Give the rice a stir, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, wait five minutes, then fluff the rice with a fork.

3. To make the sauce, combine all the ingredients except the water to a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Add enough water to bring to a pouring consistency. (I used about 1/3 cup – start with about 1/4 cup and add a tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reach. It will thicken as it sits.)

Divide the rice, roasted vegetables, spinach, and chickpeas among 4 bowls and drizzle with the herbed tahini sauce just before serving.

Serves 4