You’ve probably noticed that I’ve been in a baking mood recently. I’ve been baking almost every day, producing breads, tarts, and other treats – it’s been great! However, I can tell I’ve been going too hard with the baked goods when I start to feel a little gross. At those moments, I’m more inclined to cook than bake and I want to make something a little lighter and more veggie-heavy.
Enter: Buddha bowls! One of my favorite restaurants has a Buddha bowl on their menu that changes daily based on what’s in season, but it always has a grain, a legume, some vegetables, and an interesting sauce. They’re fucking delicious, and they have the added benefit of (probably) tacking years onto your life. My boyfriend wasn’t hungry when I made this recipe, but he tried one bite and said “wow… okay, I’m hungry now.”
This recipe starts with sweet potatoes, which I cut into rounds and roasted in a liberal shower of oil, garlic, and salt. Then I made some buttery buckwheat, which is one of my favorite grains because it’s soft and mushy instead of pellet-y and gross (I’m looking at you, quinoa). You can leave out the butter if you’re vegan, but otherwise I recommend using it because it makes the buckwheat absolutely irresistible. I topped the potatoes and buckwheat with some simple sautéed kale, chickpeas, and a sprig of parsley purely for the aesthetic.
In my opinion, the sauce is the best part of this dish. I combined soy in two forms – miso and soy sauce – with sweet balsamic vinegar and a bit of almond butter, which makes the sauce creamier and richer. It’s incredibly tangy and complex on its own, but drizzling it over the Buddha bowls lends the dish a beautiful, subtle brightness.
Sweet Potato Buddha Bowl with Almond Miso Dressing
Ingredients
- Avocado oil for roasting
- 1 sweet potato sliced into thin rounds
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- 1 cup buckwheat groats rinsed
- 1 tbsp butter optional
- 1 large handful of purple kale
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- ¼ tsp miso
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp smooth almond butter
- 1 tbsp neutral or olive oil
- 1 can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Curly parsley optional, for garnish
Instructions
- SWEET POTATOES: Preheat the oven to 400º F. Toss the sliced sweet potato with a dash of avocado oil, the garlic powder, and some salt and pepper to taste. Roast for about 15 minutes, or until soft and lightly browned.
- BUCKWHEAT: While the sweet potatoes roast, add the buckwheat groats and butter (optional) to a small pan along with 1 ¾ cup water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer covered for 18-20 minutes or until soft.
- KALE: Add a splash of avocado oil to a pan and heat on medium. When hot, add the kale and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- SAUCE: add the balsamic vinegar, miso, soy sauce, almond butter, and oil to a bowl. Whisk to combine, then add water little by little until you've achieved a thin, pourable consistency.
- ASSEMBLY: Add half the buckwheat, a scoop of chickpeas, some kale, and a few rounds of roasted sweet potato to each of two bowls. Garnish with parsley and drizzle the sauce on top.
2 comments
That looks so good! Youll have to make some next time I see you!
Great post 😁