⋆ Exotic Buddha Bowl ⋆

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Hello my wholesome community! 

If you are a follower of mine on Instagram, you may be familiar with the #RAINBOWFOODCHALLENGE I have been running for the past week with fellow foodie Samira from @alphafoodie (check her out on IG, seriously amazing content!). The aim of the challenge is to inspire both myself and YOU guys to EAT MORE PLANTS! ;) By choosing to create rainbow meals, or order dishes that contain a higher variety of colours, you are eating more wholesome dishes, and getting a wider range of nutrients. Plus, its so much more fun doing it together. I have personally really enjoyed this experience so far! By consciously selecting the ingredients I am putting into my bowls, I am choosing to eat healthier, knowing I have to share it with you guys... makes you accountable you know? So anyway it won't be the last challenge I share ;) 

So, to celebrate the love of RAINBOW FOODS, I asked my good friends from Nutra Organics, to collaborate with me by sharing an amazing, wholesome and colourful buddha bowl recipe for you guys to try at home. 

How Gorgeous is this big bowl! Image: Ema Harrison 

How Gorgeous is this big bowl! Image: Ema Harrison 

There is something about colour that evokes such whimsical joy and wonderment. Colour speaks its own language, creates its own mood, carries a presence and a connection to life itself. The sky’s celestial golden glow as the sun surrenders its last luminance before dipping into night. The soft pink blush of a cheek that has just been kissed for the first time. A deep turquoise sea infused with rays of light that pierce through her forceful swell and marble the ocean floor. Colour is beautiful.

But the wonder of colour is not limited to aesthetics. It is intrinsically linked to nutrition in the food we eat, and a visual guide to help us gather all the essential vitamins and nutrients we need from our diet. The vibrant colour of produce and whole foods is an indication of the vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients unique to that colour, and including an array of colours from plant sources helps ensure we are getting a well balanced diet inclusive of every nutrient we need to thrive.

Come with us on a journey captivated by colour, flavour and wholesome ingredients that burst forth nourishment and a vibrant celebration of life. In other words, let’s eat a rainbow! 

 

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There’s something about the harmony between raw and roasted that brings both freshness and comfort to this delicious bowl. Nutra Organics Vegetable Broth brings an irresistibly rich vegetable garden flavour to the quinoa and contains ingredients to support immunity, and the Nutra Organics nuts, seeds and pantry staples ensure the most premium quality, organic ingredients are on hand. 

Use this as a guide to make your own rainbow creation, as long as there is a balance of plant protein, good fats, whole grains, a larder of good quality pantry staples and an array colourful vegetables, you are in nourish bowl heaven!

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with fragrant quinoa pilaf, turmeric lotus chips and an avocado garden...

⋆ makes 2 big bowls


☆ INGREDIENTS

⋆ Produce:

1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed.

1/4 Kent pumpkin

2 cloves of garlic, sliced

1 lemon

1 lime

1/2 broccoli cut into florets

1 tbsp Nutra Organics Vegetable Broth 

1 cup of lotus chips - we used frozen store bought lotus chips

A selection of raw vegetables. Choose a variety of colours and textures. We used watermelon radish, daikon, edamame, snow peas and micro herbs. 

1 Avocado

1 tbsp hummus

Edible flowers


⋆ Nuts, grains and seeds:

2 tbsp Nutra Organics Pepitas

2 tbsp Nutra Organics Sunflower Seeds

1 tsp Nutra Organics Hemp Seeds

1 cup Nutra Organics Quinoa

1 tbsp Nutra Organics Vegan Savoury Flakes

1/2 tsp black sesame seeds


⋆ Spices:

Nutra Organics Himalayan Crystal Salt

Turmeric powder

Cumin powder

Fennel seeds

Cinnamon 

Cracked pepper

Smoked paprika

Dried Rose petals

Chilli flakes


⋆ Oils:

250 ml Nutra Organics Coconut Oil

Olive oil


☆ How to make:

  1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius.
  2. Lay chickpeas out on a tray lined with baking paper. Dust with salt and pepper, 1 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp of cumin powder. Place in the oven for 40 mins or until crunchy.
  3. Cut pumpkin into crescent moons  Place on a baking tray, dust with a pinch of salt and pepper and cinnamon, sprinkle fennel seeds then drizzle with olive oil. Place in oven for 30 mins or until pumpkin is tender and caramelised.
  4. Add nuts and seeds and sliced garlic to a small saucepan with a little coconut oil and cook until crispy, then sprinkle with a little Himalayan Crystal Salt. Set aside.
  5. To make the fragrant quinoa pilaf, place quinoa in a saucepan, add 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder, 1 tsp of Coconut Oil and fry for just a minute, before the quinoa begins to pop. Then add Nutra Organics Vegetable Broth Powder and 1 1/2 half cups of water. Cover and bring to the boil, reduce heat to low for 10 minutes or until cooked through. Remove lid and fluff with a fork to allow the steam to escape. Then combine the cooked quinoa and chickpeas into a bowl, season and squeeze over lemon juice of 1/2 lemon. Sprinkle through nuts and seeds and garlic.
  6. Heat 250m of coconut oil in a small or medium saucepan. Lay out lotus chips on a board then dust over with a little turmeric powder (1-2 tsp). Carefully place lotus chips into hot oil and cook until crisp (About 5 - 7 mins from frozen). Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn. Remove lotus chips from the oil and lay out onto some paper towel, sprinkle over some Himalayan Crystal Salt. 
  7. Heat a frypan with a little oil. Add broccoli florets, fry until cooked but still with a little crunch. Squeeze over 1/2 lemon juice and sprinkle with a little Himalayan Crystal Salt.
  8. Prepare the raw vegetables by cutting into small portions.
  9. Prepare the bowls by layering the components in the bowl leaving room in the centre for the avocado garden. Cut an avocado in half. Remove seed. Using a spoon, carefully scoop the avocado out of the skin so the half remains in tact. Spoon in 1 tbsp of hummus into the cavity of the avocado. Sprinkle over Nutra Organics Vegan Savoury flakes and Hemp seeds, as well as some smoked paprika. Decorate the avocado garden by sprinkling it with little garnishes you have on hand. We used black sesame seeds, dried rose petals, enoki mushrooms, chives and fennel fronds. 
  10. Garnish with a wedge of lime and edible flowers.

Enjoy! 

So much vibrant plant goodness in this bowl!

So much vibrant plant goodness in this bowl!

Hope you all enjoy this incredible recipe and it inspires you to get colourful in your kitchen! I know I am inspired to go 
create a big yummy buddha bowl myself! Oh and don't forget to check out my blog post about Vitamin B12 if you missed it.

See some links below to the Nutra Organics blog and products.  

 

Love Elsa,

xx

and remember, Eat More Plants! ☆

 

Nutra Organics Blog: https://www.nutraorganics.com.au/blog-topics

Nutra Organics Vegetable Broth can be found here: https://www.nutraorganics.com.au/vegetable-broth-garden-veggie-100g/361

Nutra Organics Wholefood Pantry staples can be found here: https://www.nutraorganics.com.au/product-list/the-wholefood-pantry/13