A Big Bowl of Plants – How to create a nutritious meal
I’ve been loving plant-based, buddha style bowls recently. Are you eating enough plants?
If you’re looking for a way to eat healthier plant-based food, on a budget and of course making it vegan a buddha bowl is the way to go.
I’ve been eating better lately but not really by choice. First, the cost of living crisis is making me want to cut back on food spending and this has led to some paired back, simple meals. And, I love whole foods as it just feels like you are getting loads of nutrients. So this just felt like a good idea to be healthy whilst saving some money.
Here’s how I am creating my buddha style bowls, or as I like to call them – big bowl of plants.
Pick your plants
Step one is simple – choose you vegetables. Firstly I usually just pick what I have to hand. Having recently been given some carrots that were not going to be used up I had a lot to use. What better than roasted carrot as a base for the buddha bowl. I paired this with sweet potato, red onion, and broccoli.
I love colourful foods so I tend to mix different kinds. This is a great way to ensure your getting a range of vitamins and nutrients which I love.
I recommend choosing whatever is on offer. You can save money by buying loose fruits and vegetables and only using what you need. Also, buying items that are on offer and working with what you have is one way to have a nutritious meal.
We need protein with our plants
I added tofu to my roasted veg as a source of protein. Tofu is a really great protein source for vegans and I love adding just before the vegetables are nearly done. I tend to cook it for around 20 minutes but you can leave it a shorter time. The tofu I buy is ready to eat so it’s pretty simple to cook and doesn’t even need this long.
Find some flavour
I love adding spices to food, it makes it so much more interesting. And if you think you don’t like vegetables perhaps you just haven’t added the right flavours.
There are so many choices, try a mix of everything or just the things you like. This is what I like adding onto my roasting veg:
- Mixed herbs
- Paprika
- Cumin
- Tumeric
- Crushed chillis
They say spice makes life more interesting, it also makes your dinner interesting too. Go crazy with the flavour to really create something special.
Plants meet grains
A buddha bowl traditionally has some grains as part of it. I love brown rice as it’s filling and can have flavour added with a stock cube or boullion powder. Moreover, it’s cheap – brown rice is one of the cheapest grains and it’s filling too!
More plants please
I’ll admit it, I’m obsessed with vegetables, they probably make up the majority of my diet. So, what’s better to pair with my roasted veg than some salad. I love dark leafy greens which are rich in iron. Not forgetting lettice which is cheap but filling.
I usually add a mixture of the following to my salads but again I will just use what I have available:
- Spinach (great for iron)
- Ice berg lettuce
- Cucumber
- Tomatoes
- Carrots (grated – although I already had enough in this bowl)
- Pickled cabbage (don’t judge it until you’ve tried it)
- Avocado
Adding in some raw veggies to your meal will add to the nutrients you are getting. Vegetables in their raw form hold lots of nutrients which can help you stay healthy. Adding a salad with your main meal is one easy way to ensure this happens. I love trying new vegan products and foods so trying out different food combinations is one way I do this.
Will you try this meal?
I feel so healthy eating meals like this, it’s quick to make and doesn’t need a lot of cooking skills. Moreover, it’s a great way to save money and use up any vegetables to avoid food waste. Will you be giving this simple way of eating ago?
The sites called 1million plants for a reason – I just love them!
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