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Spicy Bean Buddha Bowl

in Entrees, Other

buddha bowl 5

 

 

 

 

 

I don’t know about you, but I hate wasting food.  Wasting food is even more painful when it is expensive.  Since produce makes up more than half of my weekly grocery haul, I often have leftover fruit and vegetables from the meals and snacks that I prepare each week.  This is especially true when it comes to vegetables like peppers, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower.  When I buy these produce items they often produce enough for four to six servings, when a recipe that I am making may only call for one to two servings.  When it gets down to the end of the week and I open my refrigerator to find half of a bell pepper or part of a head of cabbage, there is one fantastic solution to prevent me from wasting these items: the Buddha Bowl.

Buddha Bowls are one of the easiest things to make in the kitchen.  They are very quick and easy to make, and could absolutely be considered a “no-brainer” type of dish.  You really cannot mess this one up.  In fact, the idea of even writing a “recipe” for a Buddha Bowl seems a bit silly to me, but I know that I am not the only one with this “leftover produce problem.”  Hopefully my solution for using up leftover veggies will provide you with some ideas for avoiding food waste, too!

buddha bowl

 

 

 

 

 

Spicy Bean Buddha Bowl

Adapted from Danielle’s recipe for Spicy Black Bean Sweet Potato Medley

Servings: 2

Ingredients

EVOO cooking spray
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
1/2 head cauliflower, chopped
salt
pepper
garlic powder
onion powder
water, for cooking
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 zucchini, chopped into quarters
2 cups green cabbage, chopped
1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed (or use cooked black beans, if desired)
juice from 1/2 a lime
2 TB salsa (I used green salsa verde)
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
sriracha sauce, optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with EVOO cooking spray.

2. Spread diced sweet potatoes and cauliflower onto baking sheet in an even layer.  Spray generously with cooking spray, and sprinkle with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.  Roast for approximately 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown and the potatoes have softened.

3. Meanwhile, line a large skillet with a thin layer of water.  Heat over medium-high heat until very hot.  Once hot, lower the heat to medium and add garlic, peppers, zucchini, and cabbage.  Cook for approximately 15 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened.  Add additional water, as necessary, to prevent sticking and burning.

4. Add beans, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, lime juice, salsa, and spices to the pan.  Stir until well-combined.

5. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for approximately 3 to 5 minutes, or until the beans are warm.

buddha bowl 2

 

 

 

 

 

This is likely once of the easiest “recipes” that I will ever post.  If you have leftover roasted vegetables, leftover fresh produce (you can really use any veggies that you have on hand), canned beans, and some basic spices, then you can cook up this simple, yet delicious meal for lunch or dinner.

buddha bowl 5

 

 

 

 

 

I will warn you that when I call this bowl “spicy,” I do mean that it is spicy!  If you are not a fan of the heat, you may want to leave out the red pepper flakes and/or decrease the amount of chili powder and paprika that is used.  If you like your food really spicy, then the addition of sriracha sauce on top would be fantastic.  The Buddha Bowl really is a very easily customized dish.  You pick the vegetables that you like or have on hand.  You select your favorite beans.  And you control the seasonings and spiciness of the dish.  This bowl really gets your creativity going in the kitchen!

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I can pretty much guarantee that the Spicy Bean Buddha Bowl will be delicious.  Unfortunately, I offer no guarantees as to whether or not the Buddha Bowl will bring you luck! 😉

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{ 68 comments… add one }
  • rawsteopathicrunnergirl April 4, 2013, 7:53 pm
    Looks delish! Thanks for keeping it vegan friendly! Can't wait to try this recipe out!
  • Erin April 4, 2013, 7:53 pm
    Minus the red pepper this looks awesome!! Love your creative dinners! I need to be better with using leftovers!
    • cleaneatingveggiegirl April 4, 2013, 10:19 pm
      I try my best to be creative with my leftovers. Some dishes turn out better than others! ;)
  • chasingchels April 4, 2013, 8:01 pm
    I love stuff like this for dinner! Quick, easy, delicious and empties the fridge :)
  • Natalie April 4, 2013, 8:09 pm
    What a great dinner idea! Spicy and full of healthy beans and veg!
  • makingthymeforhealth April 4, 2013, 9:09 pm
    This is a great idea for left overs! I hate wasting food too and because I often buy lots of fresh, organic produce I can't be spontaneous and eat out on a whim. That's the only downfall to eating so healthy.
    • cleaneatingveggiegirl April 4, 2013, 10:20 pm
      I can totally relate. I meal plan in order to not waste the expensive produce that I buy. It definitely makes spontaneity more difficult :(.
  • Ang @ Nutty for Life April 4, 2013, 9:23 pm
    Looks like a great way to use up leftovers! And I approve of the salsa verde. So good.
  • ahealthyhappyhome April 4, 2013, 10:55 pm
    Looks great! I guess I kind of make Buddha bowls a lot for lunch which whatever I have in the fridge. Love adding sweet potatoes in there!
  • Jan @ Sprouts n Squats April 5, 2013, 12:13 am
    I'm trying to get much better at using up all my old fruit and veg and having less waste by doing soups and trying new recipes. I love the idea of this recipe of using what you have :)
  • theafterschoolchef April 5, 2013, 1:14 am
    Hi hi! I just nominated your blog for a Liebster Award!!! You can learn more about the Liebster Award here: http://theafterschoolchef.wordpress.com/2013/04/05/nominated-for-what/ Thought you deserved some love and recognition!
  • Michelle @ Eat Move Balance April 5, 2013, 4:23 am
    I absolutely love dishes like this! All sorts of flavors and textures . . . it's hard to go wrong. And I agree--what a perfect way to keep from wasting food. Happy Friday!
  • RunToTheFinish April 5, 2013, 6:48 am
    Budha bowl I love the name!! I usually just call mine ugly but good HAHA yours is much nicer :)
  • Kelly @ Hidden Fruits and Veggies April 5, 2013, 7:15 am
    I always have a ton of left over produce too, but somehow mine goes bad crazy fast (or maybe I'm buying way too much food ;-))! I love the idea of this bowl, I've actually never made a buddha bowl before. Can't wait to try it out.
  • Kelly @ Vegan Iowan April 5, 2013, 8:23 am
    Thanks for sharing! There's nothing wrong with an easy recipe! Black beans are my fave and I'm always looking for new ways to use them.
  • Leigha April 5, 2013, 8:29 am
    I have been seeing Buddha Bowls around now! They look so good! Spicy is not my thing, but otherwise this looks delish!
  • Alex @ Cookie Dough Katzen April 5, 2013, 8:44 am
    I'm the same way about hating to waste food. Great way to use up all the veggies!
  • Alex @ therunwithin April 5, 2013, 9:56 am
    sounds delicious and super easy for me to make for dinner. Love the added spice!
  • Becky @ Olives n Wine April 5, 2013, 10:12 am
    This is an awesome idea! I also hate hate hate wasting food - one of my biggest peeves and am always in need of a good recipe that I can customize to whatever is left in my fridge at the end of the week :) Even if your Buddha bowl doesn't bring luck, it sure is healthy!
  • cookingfortheotherhalf April 5, 2013, 10:49 am
    Love this! I also really hate wasting food and Connor & I often make "everything but the kitchen sink" dinners where we just throw stuff in a pot and try to use up food before it goes bad. Yours looks delicious.
  • Nicole @ Fruit N Fitness April 5, 2013, 11:14 am
    Thanks for posting this and reminding us how easy it can be to use up leftover produce. I hate, hate, hate to waste food. I often end up making bigger meals than I want to freeze for later because fresh produce seems to freeze best after incorporated I into meals.
  • Brittany April 5, 2013, 12:14 pm
    I've been eating bowls like this forever, and only recently discovered they had a name!! I just called them random bowls haha! This one sounds delicious, the spicier the better!
  • dishing up the dirt April 5, 2013, 1:44 pm
    This is my favorite kind of bowl to eat! love everything going on in there!
  • dishing up the dirt April 5, 2013, 1:46 pm
    this is my favorite kind of bowl to eat! I love everything going on in there!
    • cleaneatingveggiegirl April 5, 2013, 2:12 pm
      They are so awesome, aren't they? And you cannot beat the ease of throwing them together quickly!
  • Linz April 5, 2013, 2:44 pm
    i'm totally with ya - i HATE wasting food!! this buddha bowl sounds mighty tasty!!
  • quartercenturysouthernliving April 6, 2013, 12:01 am
    This looks so great, I love sweet potatoes so much!
  • Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin April 6, 2013, 6:56 am
    Mmm anything with black beans and sweet potato is bound to be good! Also I love dishes called "Buddha bowls" - they just sound so healthy! Haha.
  • moderngirlnutrition April 6, 2013, 10:31 am
    Yayy you are on the Buddha bowl trend too- yum!
  • jessiebearwhat April 6, 2013, 10:48 am
    I looooove buddha bowls, so easy. Your recipe looks delish too!
  • Sara @ Nourish and Flourish April 6, 2013, 12:03 pm
    I adore Buddha bowls! Especially SPICY Buddha bowls, like this one. I always add sriracha and a fried egg, too! Hope you're having a lovely weekend, Hannah! xoxo <3
    • cleaneatingveggiegirl April 6, 2013, 2:08 pm
      Spicy is a MUST! Your addition of a fried egg sounds perfect! And maybe some avocado, too :). I hope you have an awesome weekend, too, Sara! :)
  • elizabethgardenkitchen April 6, 2013, 1:47 pm
    This looks really good! I also enjoyed your week of vegan meals. It's always so nice to find new plant-based meal ideas - espcecially ones that can be made on a busy work night!
  • Lisa @ Lisa the Vegetarian April 6, 2013, 2:21 pm
    This is a great idea! I too hate wasting food. It's painful to end up having to throw away something that money was spent on just because it was sitting around in the fridge too long. I try to avoid it if at all possible.
    • cleaneatingveggiegirl April 6, 2013, 11:03 pm
      Agreed. Wasting food is a horrible feeling. Any easy chance that I get to clear out my fridge I take!
  • Leigha April 6, 2013, 6:12 pm
    Just came across this- thought you might like it! Meatless Mexican http://www.thegardengrazer.com/2013/04/mexican-made-meatless.html
  • jessielovestorun April 6, 2013, 11:08 pm
    I absolutely HATEEE wasting any type of food; veggies, fruits, dairy, you name it; i hate to waste i.... so this recipe just rocks! =)
  • Khushboo Thadani (@KhushbooThadani) April 7, 2013, 8:45 am
    I'm with you about wasting food...it drives me nuts when I have no choice but to chuck it in the bin. I get an odd sense of triumph when I finish an avocado or a batch of homemade chickpeas before they've had a chance to go bad.
  • Rach @ This Italian Family April 9, 2013, 1:36 pm
    I definitely like how customizable the Buddha bowl is! Great for leftovers. :)
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