Lately, I’ve been such a hummus junky. I’m constantly dipping raw vegetables, especially carrots and cucumbers, as a snack or small meal. I’ve even found that if I’m craving something sweet, hummus and carrots does the trick. I know hummus is hardly a sweet treat, but for some reason, it’s been working for me as a hunger cure-all. Do you have any cure-all vegan snacks in your life?
Speaking of satisfying a hunger, this vegan Buddha Bowl was one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time. I was feeling the need for a big, warm bowl of nourishment, and this dish definitely fit the bill. And the best part of it all is the sauce. I had to create an “a little goes a long way” sauce, because I can’t stand over-sauced soggy quinoa , and quinoa is fairly easy to turn to a soggy mush with a liquid-y sauce. The tangy bite of this Buddha bowl sauce is exactly what I was wanting.
While Buddha bowls are always meat-free, they often use tofu or simply stick to the grains and veggies. I opted to add a little Field Roast sausage to the mix because I love the flavor and I had half a package left in the freezer. In my recipe (below), I noted the sausage is completely optional; I know many of you don’t use faux meat products and the dish is delicious with or without. Either way, I hope you’ll give this recipe a try! It’s the perfect meal for your fresh, colorful summer produce, and could even double as a clean-out-the-refrigerator meal with a few swaps to meet your leftover produce needs.
Recipe
Vegan Buddha Bowl
May 18, 2011
I Eat Trees
Vegan
Loaded with grain, beans, and vegetables, and drizzled with a delightfully tangy sauce, this vegan Buddha bowl will leave you feeling full and nourished.
Ingredients:
2 cups water
1 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cups cooked pinto beans
2 Field Roast apple sage sausages, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 bunch kale, stems trimmed, chopped
1 large red pepper, cut into strips
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
1 large carrot, or a handful of baby carrots, sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup coldl water
1/4 soy sauce
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions:
In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add quinoa, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low for 12 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Uncover and remove from heat, fluffing immediately with a fork or wooden spoon.
While your quinoa is cooking, preheat olive oil in a large pan. Add onions, and as they begin to caramelize, follow with red pepper strips and carrots. Saute until just tender. Add chopped kale and fold in. Cover pan and remove from heat, leaving it covered for about 4 minutes or the steam has left the kale wilted and tender.
If you're using the vegan sausage, arrange slices in a lightly oiled cast iron grill pan and grill over medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side, until each side is browned and slightly crispy around the edges.
To make the sauce, whisk together cold water, soy sauce, vinegar, nutritional yeast, garlic, black pepper, sea salt, and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Heat sauce over medium heat, whisking constantly, until sauce thickens. The sauce will thicken quickly.
To assemble your bowls, add quinoa, beans, vegetables, and vegan sausage coins (if using), and then drizzle each bowl with 1/3 of the sauce.
 
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Lately, I’ve been such a hummus junky. I’m constantly dipping raw vegetables, especially carrots and cucumbers, as a snack or small meal. I’ve even found that if I’m craving something sweet, hummus and carrots does the trick. I know hummus is hardly a sweet treat, but for some reason, it’s been working for me as a hunger cure-all. Do you have any cure-all vegan snacks in your life?
Speaking of satisfying a hunger, this vegan Buddha Bowl was one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time. I was feeling the need for a big, warm bowl of nourishment, and this dish definitely fit the bill. And the best part of it all is the sauce. I had to create an “a little goes a long way” sauce, because I can’t stand over-sauced soggy quinoa , and quinoa is fairly easy to turn to a soggy mush with a liquid-y sauce. The tangy bite of this Buddha bowl sauce is exactly what I was wanting.
While Buddha bowls are always meat-free, they often use tofu or simply stick to the grains and veggies. I opted to add a little Field Roast sausage to the mix because I love the flavor and I had half a package left in the freezer. In my recipe (below), I noted the sausage is completely optional; I know many of you don’t use faux meat products and the dish is delicious with or without. Either way, I hope you’ll give this recipe a try! It’s the perfect meal for your fresh, colorful summer produce, and could even double as a clean-out-the-refrigerator meal with a few swaps to meet your leftover produce needs.
Loaded with grain, beans, and vegetables, and drizzled with a delightfully tangy sauce, this vegan Buddha bowl will leave you feeling full and nourished.
1 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cups cooked pinto beans
2 Field Roast apple sage sausages, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 bunch kale, stems trimmed, chopped
1 large red pepper, cut into strips
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
1 large carrot, or a handful of baby carrots, sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup coldl water
1/4 soy sauce
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch
While your quinoa is cooking, preheat olive oil in a large pan. Add onions, and as they begin to caramelize, follow with red pepper strips and carrots. Saute until just tender. Add chopped kale and fold in. Cover pan and remove from heat, leaving it covered for about 4 minutes or the steam has left the kale wilted and tender.
If you're using the vegan sausage, arrange slices in a lightly oiled cast iron grill pan and grill over medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side, until each side is browned and slightly crispy around the edges.
To make the sauce, whisk together cold water, soy sauce, vinegar, nutritional yeast, garlic, black pepper, sea salt, and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Heat sauce over medium heat, whisking constantly, until sauce thickens. The sauce will thicken quickly.
To assemble your bowls, add quinoa, beans, vegetables, and vegan sausage coins (if using), and then drizzle each bowl with 1/3 of the sauce.