
What About a Buddha Bowl?

Have you heard of a "Buddha Bowl"?
You may have seen them recently on restaurant menus. A Buddha bowl is a group of foods served in a bowl, but not mixed, and is typically a vegetarian meal. Buddha bowls usually contain a whole grain - quinoa, amaranth, brown rice - and a plant protein such as black beans, chickpeas or tofu.
They also contain chopped raw vegetables and salad greens. Top with seeds and nuts, and you have a protein-packed healthy meal.
I've tried lots of combinations, and this weekend I paired cooked brown rice with spicy buffalo roasted chickpeas. Slow roasting chickpeas coated with a prepared buffalo sauce produces a crispy, spicy. and addictive snack.
Feel free to experiment with your favorite flavors.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ cup hot sauce (I used Frank's Red Hot Sauce)
2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained, rinsed and towel-dried
2 cups cooked brown rice (try brown rice in your rice cooker)
4 cups chopped butter leaf lettuce
½ cup shredded carrots
¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
¼ cup chopped scallions
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
¼ cup low-fat Ranch Dressing
Prep Steps:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat; stir in garlic powder and onion powder and cook about 1 minute. Stir in hot sauce and heat. Place chickpeas to a medium bowl. Pour over the chickpeas and stir until chickpeas are well coated.
Pour chickpeas out in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake until the chickpeas are crispy and golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Make sure to shake the baking sheet a few times while the chickpeas are roasting.
Divide the rice and lettuce among four deep bowls. Spoon 1/4 of the buffalo chickpeas among the bowls and top each with shredded carrots, red onions, scallions, and sesame seeds.
Top with Ranch and serve immediately.