I assumed Buddha Bowls were aptly named after Buddha's round belly. I was wrong.
Turns out Buddha was actually very thin. The Buddha statue we're familiar with in the Western World is a depiction of a Buddha, not the Buddha. In fact, this Western Buddha (dubbed "Laughing Buddha") lived a thousand years after the Buddha. Mind = Blown.
According to Dan Zigmond, Zen priest and author of Buddha's Diet, "Buddha woke up before dawn every morning and carried his bowl through the roads or paths wherever he was staying. Local people would place food in the bowl as a donation, and at the end he would eat whatever he had been given," Zigmond explained to Epicurious. "So that was the original Buddha Bowl: a big bowl of whatever food villagers had available and could afford to share. It was probably pretty healthy, since Buddha lived before the age of cheap processed food, but it was also probably pretty simple."
Zigmond's Interesting Insight #2: "Buddha cared a lot more about when we eat than what we eat. His main rule around food for his followers was that they should eat only during certain hours," says Zigmond. "Buddhist monks and nuns have been eating this way for over two thousand years."
Bredesen Protocol Approved
Plant Paradox Approved
Keto
Paleo
Dairy Free
Gluten Free
Grain Free
INGREDIENTS
2 Eggs, Poached
1 Avocado, Sliced
¼ c Carrots, Shredded
2 Radishes, chopped
½ c Kimchee or Sauerkraut
4 c Spinach, Steamed
1 Bunch Broccolini, Chopped
2 c Cauliflower Rice (or 1/2 Cauliflower Head, Chopped)
1 Tbsp Ghee
3 Tbsp Tahini or Almond Butter
1 Bunch Cilantro, Chopped
(Makes 2 Bowls)
PREP
1. Sauté broccolini in ghee for 3 minutes on medium heat; set aside.
2. Sauté spinach in ghee for 1 minute on low heat; set aside.
3. Sauté cauliflower rice in ghee for 5 minutes on medium heat. Stir in tahini or almond butter, then set aside.
4. To assemble bowls: Place cauliflower rice on the bottom as the base, then top with veggies: spinach, carrots, radishes, cucumber, kimchee, and broccolini. Finish with the poached eggs, avocado, and cilantro.
Tasty Toppers
Get creative with your Buddha Bowl! Add mushrooms, arugula, red cabbage, fermented beets, roasted sweet potato slices, watercress, sesame seeds, more drizzled almond butter, or tahini.