Building a nourish bowl

Hi there, happy March 1st! I hope you all had a great weekend and have a great start to your new week as well. I wanted to talk about one of my most essential dishes in this post, a nourish bowl, or as some might call a "buddha bowl." A nourish bowl is essentially a fancy name for a lot of veggies, grains, rice, and protein all put together with some kind of dressing on top.

When I first transitioned to a plant-based diet, I had a lot of learning to do (I'm actually still learning) about the best ways to nourish my body with whole foods that will keep me full. I was honestly a huge meat eater prior to the summer of 2019 and it took a bit of work for me to learn how to cook, and even more so how to cook with plant-based protein sources.

I discovered that 1) I love most of my food served in bowl form, and 2) nourish bowls are an amazing way to pack in tons of nutrients and food groups into one type of meal. I listen to a variety of podcasts on gut health and being plant-based, and one of the major takeaways I've found is the importance of plant diversity within your diet. Our bodies need a diverse range of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains to really thrive. This is especially essential to gut health as our gut microbiome flourishes most when fueled with a diverse range of foods.

If you read my intro blog, you know I struggle with gut health. Educating myself and trying new foods are just a few of the coping mechanisms I use to improve my overall health and wellness. I am in no ways calling myself an expert on eating perfectly plant-based, I am still learning more each and every day. However, I just wanted to share this nourish bowl as I've found it to be one of the most satisfying plant-based meals and variations of this dish have become a staple in my diet.

Just a side note, if you're curious about my favorite podcast it is most definitely the Plant Proof Podcast that talks a lot about living a plant-based lifestyle.

Now, on to the recipe and how to build your bowl!

1. The first step of any nourish bowl is your base of grains. I like to use jasmine rice, brown rice, or some kind of quinoa.

2. The next step involves your vegetables. This is a great way to clean out your fridge and throw whatever veggies you'd like in here, some of my favorites include: zucchini, baby broccoli, mushrooms, spinach, arugula, or baby bok choy.

3. Now, on to protein. Some of my favorite sources are: tofu, sweet potatoes, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, and quinoa.

4. Finally, we have our healthy fats and dressing. I love about 1/4 of an avocado for my healthy fats on bows because it's so creamy and adds some hearty sustenance. For dressings, I love to make my own with bases like tahini, hummus, or vegan pesto.

Above is just my brief description of all my bowl essentials and below is today's featured recipe:

Vegan Nourish Bowl with Sesame Ginger Tahini Dressing

(serves 1)

Ingredients:

• Jasmine rice

• Veggies of choice (here I used about 1/2 zucchini, 1 whole baby bok choy, and 1 cup of spinach)

• 1/4 block of crumbled tofu

• 1 small sweet potato

Dressing Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons of creamy tahini

• 2 teaspoons of coconut aminos (can sub tamari or soy sauce)

• 1 teaspoon of sesame oil

• 1 teaspoon of ginger powder

• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder

• a pinch of salt

Additional seasonings used:

• Garlic powder

• Salt

• Pepper

• Ginger powder

• Onion salt

• Turmeric

Method:

• Begin by preparing your base, I was lazy here and used Trader Joe's microwave jasmine rice (great if you're in a rush). If you're making rice or quinoa just cook according to the package and set aside.

• Next, wash and cube your sweet potato. Toss them in a bowl with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a bit of garlic powder. I threw them in the air fryer for about 15 minutes at 375. You can also just bake for about 20 minutes at 350!

• Chop all your veggies and add to a pan seasoning with garlic powder, onion salt, salt, pepper & a pinch of ginger powder. Crumble in your tofu and season with turmeric for the rich, golden color. Make sure to add your spinach last so it doesn't burn!

• The last step is to make your dressing! Just add all the ingredients listed to a small bowl and stir, add water as needed to thin and mix till well combined.

• Finally, assemble your bowl! Add the rice, veggies, and potatoes to your bowl, drizzle dressing on top and add in about 1/4 of a ripe avocado. Finish with some sesame seeds or everything but the bagel seasoning and enjoy! xx

Check out my food Instagram @tanya_tastes for more recipes like this. :)