Sweet Potato and Red Bean Buddha Bowl

I think Power Bowls and Buddha Bowls have become my newest favorite dish to enjoy for lunch.

If you check out my Instagram Clean Food Mama you might have guessed that.

They are a delicious and a great way to get in some high-protein plant foods and other green and fresh veggies.

Buddha Bowls are one of my favorite go-to meals. Packed with a plant-based protein, some greens, and veggies, they are a great dish that ensures I get in some of my nutrition for the day.

They can be as simple with a few raw or cooked ingredients. And they never disappoint.

I just cannot get enough of them. Each time I make them, I add in a new veggie, so no one is alike.

This dish is a perfect example of “Eating the Rainbow.”

 

Meal planning and prepping make for great Power Bowls and Buddha Bowls. Make it easier on yourself by preparing some of the ingredients ahead of time. Make a batch of beans and rice in the Instant Pot, roast a sheet of sweet potatoes. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble your Bowl. 

Or choose some pre-cut vegetables at the store and canned beans. Either way, making a Plant-based Power Bowl or Plant-based Buddha Bowl doesn’t have to be difficult.

Creating a Power Bowl or Buddha Bowl is as simple as adding in a plant-based protein, whole grains, vegetables, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, seasonings, and topping it with your favorite dressing.

Here are some ingredients that you can use for your next Power Bowl or Buddha Bowl:

Plant-based protein:   Quinoa, lentils, black beans, red beans, garbanzo beans.

Leafy Greens: Spinach, arugula, butter lettuce, romaine lettuce

Vegetables:  Sweet potatoes, onions, bell peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, yellow potatoes, corn, peas, cabbage, brussels sprouts, asparagus.

Whole Grains: Brown Rice, Wild Rice, whole grain pasta (including whole wheat, brown rice, and chickpea)

Fruits: Apples, mandarin oranges, dried fruit, mango

Healthy Fats: avocados, nuts, and seeds

Toppings: Flax seeds, raw pumpkin seeds

Herbs & Spices: Cilantro, parsley, salt, pepper, oregano, red pepper flakes,

Oil-free and dairy-free dressings:

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Lemon Garlic Dressing

Cilantro Lime Dressing

Cashew Ranch Dressing

Spinach Ranch Dressing/Dip

Oil-free Peanut Dressing

All you need to make this recipe is:

• 2 small sauce pans

• Large bowl

and these ingredients.:

• 2 Cups of Spinach or your choice of
• greens
• 1/2 Cup Sweet Potatoes, chopped
• 1/2 of 15 oz Can of Red Beans
• 1/4 Cup Red Cabbage, chopped
• 2 Sweet peppers, diced
• 1/2 Roma Tomato, diced
• 1/2 Green Onion, diced
• 1 Avocado, peeled, seeded, and
• halved
• 1/2 Cup Cilantro, leaved, and
• chopped
• 1 TBSP Raw Pumpkin Seeds
• 1 TBSP Flax Seeds
• Black pepper to taste

• To make this dish, start with a small sauce pan add in chopped sweet potato and water and cook on high for about 15 minutes until soft.
• Remove from heat, drain, and set aside.
• In a small sauce pan add in 1/2 can of red beans, and cook on low for about 5-7 minutes, remove from heat, and set aside.
• Layer the bottom of a large bowl with spinach.
• Add the sweet potatoes on top along the side, then add the red beans on top along the side and then add the remaining ingredients on top of the bed of spinach along the edges.
• Add the avocados on top and sprinkle some pepper on top, mix all together and serve.

What are some of your favorite ingredients that you would put in a Buddha Bowl?

Enjoy!