Okay so it’s December 4th and I feel like there are two distinct camps of people: those who are guilt-free enjoying the holiday season and all it’s cookie glory and then the people who overdid it on Thanksgiving and are officially on a diet because the alternate is buying new pants. I happen to be in the second camp, (boo) but I feel like a lot of you are too because my Diet Deliciously! 21 Day Fix Meal Plan and Grocery List post is going through the roof right now.  So. Enter: a healthy vegan buddha bowl, (aka a healthy detox bowl full of grains, greens, and veggies) that you can meal prep on the weekend in 10 minutes and enjoy for yummy work desk meals all week.

Don’t tell Taylor, but I’m kind of feeling a vegetarian vibe lately that I can’t kick, especially for work week meals.  I just have SO MUCH ENERGY and no 2 p.m. crash at my desk if I eat healthy all day (SHOCKING RIGHT).

Healthy Vegan Buddha Bowl Recipe

No joke this is so easy.  If you buy those single serve microwave brown rice bowls then there is LITERALLY NO COOKING INVOLVED. Basically a buddha bowl is a simple formula: grains + greens + veggies + protein + dressing.  You can make this any way your heart desires, my heart was just desiring a creamy, dreamy peanut sauce made with coconut milk and lots of spice to be drizzled atop my favorite vegetables and topped with crunchy and glorious cashews.

Also, this is seriously protein galore between the brown rice, spinach, chickpeas, peanut butter, and cashews. This means I’m going to have a full belly and be full of whole grain and plant energy all afternoon!

We all need a reason to look forward to Monday, right? I get that through packing yummy lunches for myself on Sunday. It’s the little things that count.

Thai Peanut Healthy Vegan Buddha Bowl

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

Healthy vegetarian buddha bowl! Filled with brown rice, veggies, and a delectable peanut sauce, this is the perfect lunch bowl to make ahead.

Author: Ally

Serves: 1 bowl

Ingredients

• For the Thai Peanut Sauce:
• ½ cup creamy peanut butter
• ¾ cup coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
• 1 tbsp Sriracha
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar or to taste
• Salt to taste
• .
• Assembling a Buddha Bowl:
• 1 cup cooked brown rice, quinoa, or any other grain!
• ½ cup chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• ½ cup shredded carrots
• ½ cup sliced red bell pepper
• ½ cup sugar snap peas
• 1 cup fresh spinach
• 2 tablespoons thai peanut sauce
• 2 tablespoons crumbled cashews or peanuts
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh cilantro and lime wedges to garnish

Instructions

1. For the thai peanut sauce, combine peanut butter, coconut milk, curry paste, Sriracha, vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Whisk to combine. You can thin with water to reach your desired consistency if you'd like. (This will make more sauce than you need, but it keeps well in the fridge. Use it as a dipping sauce for chicken or spring rolls, or prep a few buddha bowls for lunch all week!)
2. Fill a bowl with brown rice and top with spinach. Arrange chickpeas carrots, peppers, and peas on top of the spinach bed. Season everything with a pinch of salt and pepper over the top of the veggies. Then, drizzle with thai peanut sauce. Top with crushed cashews, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice.

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