Buddha Bowl Super Salad with a Choice of Three Dressings
10-15 minutes
40 minutes from scratch, 10 if using pre-cooked, chilled grains
Serves: As many as you wish
A creative and easy way to use cooked wholegrains - tasty, healthy, filling and nutritionally balanced.
It's also really adaptable - alfalfa and beansprouts are always available to buy or sprout at home as are other veg. It can be fancy or simple and can be made according to your financial and health needs - see below
CAN'T COOK, WON'T COOK? Try
pre-cooked wholegrains in sachets - widely available in most supermarkets and healthfood shops - try brown rice; quinoa; couscous; bulghur; wholegrain mixtures.
leftover home-cooked wholegrains, as above
ready-made vinaigrette, eg French or Balsamic. For an omega-3 boost, add a glug of cold-pressed rapeseed oil to the dressing (Aldi's is excellent and good value) or a handful of walnuts to the salad
Budget - use cooked pulses and cheaper vegetables and nuts/seeds, eg sunflower or sesame
Raw - this could be completely raw, eg using sprouted grains and pulses (check out this link) and only fresh vegetables (some could also be put in a dehydrator)
Diabetic/low-fat - use the third dressing - and go easy on avocado, seeds and nuts.
Nut-free - omit nuts (and seeds if they are also an allergen for you)
Gluten-free - use rice, quinoa or millet. Use tamari (gluten and wheat-free soya sauce). Avoid flavoured tofus etc, as these usually contain wheat. Replace smoked tofu with plain tofu, cubed, fried and drizzled with tamari (GF soya sauce)
Soya-free - avoid ingredients such as fresh soya beans or soya sauce
Ingredients:
- 225g/8oz raw wholegrains (eg brown rice; quinoa or millet) OR 450g/1lb pre-cooked wholegrains (2 pouches if using). See notes above
- 2 tbsp toasted sunflower seeds
- Large handful of Pak Choi or Cos lettuce, shredded
- 1 red pepper, diced or thinly sliced into strips
- 2 sticks celery, diced
- 1 large carrot, grated
- 1 tin beans - eg kidney or flageolet - drained and rinsed (or 250g home cooked beans)
- 30g/1oz walnuts or other nuts, chopped or halved
Other options - choose a handful of some of these, according to appetite, taste and budget
- Chopped avocado
- Rocket leaves, chopped with scissors
- Lightly steamed asparagus spears
- Steamed and cooled fresh soya beans OR broad beans OR peas
- Artichoke hearts - in brine or oil
- Sundried tomatoes, roughly chopped
- Alfalfa or other fresh sprouts
- Pumpkin seeds
- Almonds
- Chopped dates or unsulphured apricots
- Sprinkling of nutritional yeast flakes
- Thinly sliced smoked tofu
- Marinated tofu pieces
- Arame (dried sea vegetable) soaked in water then rinsed and drained - a small handful per person
- Grilled tempeh
Dressings: (these quantities can easily be halved or quartered)
1. Mediterranean & Omega-3
- 60ml/4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 110ml/7 tbsp mixed omega-3 oil or linseed (flax) oil
- 90ml/6 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp date or maple syrup
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced into 2-3 chunks
- 1 dsp nutritional yeast flakes (optional)
- Salt and black pepper
2. Oriental Omega-3
- 60ml/4 tbsp rice vinegar OR 2tbsp each of cider vinegar and water
- 1 tbsp shoyu or tamari soya sauce
- 2 tbsp light miso
- 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
- 1½ tsp maple or date syrup
- 2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated OR 2 tbsp pickled ginger, chopped
- 60ml/4 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 110/7 tbsp mixed omega-3 oil or linseed (flax) oil
3. Low-Fat
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice
- 2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
- 1½ tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
OR ready-made vinaigrette -see notes above
Method:
1. Cook grain of your choice if you don't have leftovers - a vegan stock cube or little bouillon powder added to the cooking water enhances the taste, as does a little chopped fried onion/garlic plus some herbs. Allow to cool completely then chill for at least 20 minutes.
2. Make the dressing of your choice and set aside.
3. Mix all the salad ingredients including any optional extras into the cooked grains. Make it look pretty! Stir in the salad dressing and serve. Eat slowly and mindfully - savour each mouthful
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