Buddha bowl benefits

Buddha bowls may sound just like any other vegan dish, but they are clever in that they contain a bit of every macro, ensuring you get a healthy, non-complicated, well balanced meal (they’re also sometimes called macro bowls).

They may sound boring if you’ve never had one before, but trust me, once you get into the fun of creating them, you’ll realise there are endless possibilities. You can constantly switch up the vegetables, grains, beans and pulses used for colour and flavour, and try different dressings and sauces that compliment your ingredients. Search for recipes online, or make up your own! When it comes to Buddha bowls, anything goes.

Most Buddha bowl recipes (including this one) aim to include a variety of colours to ensure maximum nutrition. In this ginger-miso Buddha bowl, you’ve got:

Sweet potatoes – high in fibre, good source of complex carbohydrates, good source of protein, high in beta-carotenes (which convert into vitamin A) as well as essential B vitamins

– high in fibre, good source of complex carbohydrates, good source of protein, high in beta-carotenes (which convert into vitamin A) as well as essential B vitamins Black beans – high in protein and fibre, also a great source of calcium, iron and zinc and can contribute to healthy strong bones and a healthy digestive system.

– high in protein and fibre, also a great source of calcium, iron and zinc and can contribute to healthy strong bones and a healthy digestive system. Alfalfa sprouts – Help to maintain gut health and are a concentrated source of vitamins C and K, as well as calcium, iron and folate.

You can also add whatever other veggies you like, such as steamed kale, pak choi or broccoli; sliced pepper and shredded carrot or purple cabbage.

Oil-free, vegan salad dressing

I love to find different bases with which a healthy oil-free vegan salad dressing can be made, as well as various flavour combos that have the power to turn an otherwise boring salad into something quite incredible.

It can be hard to keep salad dressings oil-free yet still make them creamy and satisfying. Though some people might think that a salad without oil is a bit crazy, my personal view is that it’s better to gain our daily fats from whole, minimally processed ingredients that come as ‘package’ foods (meaning they contain other nutrients and macros besides fat).

Though oil might add a certain creaminess to dressings and offer a dose of omega 3s and 6s, they are still a highly processed food and don’t contain any other nutrients. It may sound like a challenge, but I’ve had great success creating some delicious dressings without oil, and also turning other dressing recipes oil-free by subbing water or veg-stock.