In the midst of the chaos of moving, I managed to make this grain free vegan buddha bowl. Moving is probably one of the most annoying things to do, right? It's sooooo much work all to have to unpack everything later. And let's be honest, nobody really wants to help you move, why would anyone want to volunteer their time to such an endeavour? Which is why I hired movers because they're getting paid to do it. I do have some help coming from family, but that is more for some of the unpacking and emotional support. And as I am getting older I realize that is exactly what they are there for- in times of need, they are there to help. When shit gets real, they are there for you and I couldn't be more appreciative of them.

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What is a Buddha Bowl Exactly

While writing this blog post, I had to google what a buddha bowl was to be sure that this vegan buddha bowl indeed falls in the category. It turns out, that it may not... but I am sticking with the term buddha bowl regardless. According to Wikipedia, a buddha bowl is "a vegetarian meal served on a single bowl or high-rimmed plate, which consists of little dishes, served cold. The dishes are a combination of healthy whole grains such as quinoa or brown rice, plant proteins such as chick peas or tofu and vegetables."

Because mine doesn't have a grain, I am not sure if it qualifies as a buddha bowl? What I do know is that this vegan buddha bowl is delicious. And it's in a bowl, has lots of veggies and the most amazing ginger miso sesame sauce. I also love a good peanut sauce, but I made this one nut-free for all those needing one.

Mandolin Love

I don't follow a grain free lifestyle or diet at all, but for this one I wanted something that was a little lighter. Also, if you don't know this about me already, I am pretty obsessed with my mandolin. You can see how much I love it in this post for my Shredded Brussels Sprout Caesar Salad. I am convinced that you can serve shredded raw brussels sprouts to anyone that doesn't like them and covert them into a sprout lover. Yeah, I'll put money on it.

And just like the Caesar salad version, this vegan buddha bowl also uses a delicious dressing to really work its way into those tender fluffy sprouts. If you don't have a mandolin, you could try and use your food processor to shred the sprouts, but personally I don't think they come out as nice and tender. And if you are using a mandolin, use a fork to pierce the end of the sprout and shred away. It takes no more than 5 minutes to shred them and it is kind of therapeutic because you really have to focus when you're using a mandolin, so as not to remove a part of your finger.

Use What You Have For This Vegan Buddha Bowl

If you want to omit the sprouts because they aren't in season, just use another green such as kale and slice it thinly in ribbons. Or use a grain such as rice or quinoa if you want. For the lentils, I used a packaged product from Three Farmers. I really just love the ease of using their lentils in recipes like this, because it made throwing together this vegan buddha bowl super easy and efficient. If you want to cook your own lentils or chickpeas (or another protein) that is cool too.

All Moved In!

Update: I moved and it was actually pretty easy and seamless. I don't think I ever want to move without the help of movers, they make it so much easier. I took the weekend to unpack what I could and organize myself as much as possible. Although there is definitely a lot I need to do still, I am trying to take my time so I can really do things right.

But seriously, this move signifies a HUGE step in my life, one that I didn't really see coming. And even though it is scary to be making such a big transition, I am ready for it and ready for whatever the universe has in store for me next. I trust that this is happening for me and not to me and making that connection has been HARD but also necessary for my own growth. Personal development isn't something I talk about a lot over here but it is something I am passionate about and have been working on for a while.

If you try this vegan buddha bowl, let me know by tagging me on Instagram or commenting below!