By Samantha Schwalm
What’s in a bowl? Today it seems everything! Where did these “bowls” come from? Has anyone else noticed they are showing up everywhere you turn? Will we all be walking down the street with a latte and tuna poke in our hands? Let’s face it, one can only hope.
As with most things in cooking, they came from China. In fact, the oldest pottery bowl was found in China, which dates back 20,000 years ago. The bowls everyone is talking about, our spin-offs to the bowls in the diet fad called the Buddha Diet. This is a diet that became popular around 2013. However, did Buddha really create these bowls? Yes & no, according to Zigmond, (one of the creators of the Buddha Diet), Buddha would wake up before dawn. He would carry a bowl in his hands and go door to door, asking the local villagers for food donations. Whatever food was placed into his bowl he would eat. He felt food should stay in its place. It should not take over everything else in your life. This concept is the basic principle of the Buddha Diet. Simple vegan grain bowls filled with vegetables.
Today the bowls are still filled with vegetables, but also contain tuna, salmon, chicken or tofu. Americans, like myself, seem to not be able to get enough of them. You can find them on almost any menu of any restaurant. Poke Poke & Aloha Poke places are popping up all over the city. Thus allowing us to order bowls whenever our hearts desire. My favorite bowls are filled with green vegetables and some kind of protein. Personally, I use the bowls as a good way to get rid of leftovers.
Here is how to make a simple bowl at home:
Take a plate or pasta bowl
Make a 1/2 cup of quinoa (or cauliflower rice), and place in the center of the plate or bowl
If you have leftover vegetables feel free to use them!
If not, here are my favorites all in 1/4 or 1/2 cup portions:
Roasted Brussels sprouts
Green beans
Asparagus
Edamame
6oz portion of baked salmon
Place all of these vegetables around the quinoa, and place the Salmon on top of the vegetables.
To bake the Salmon
Preheat a 350 oven
Grease a baking sheet, place salmon, and season with salt and pepper
Bake for 25 minutes
Avocado cilantro lime dressing:
In a food processor
Squeeze 1 lime
1 avocado
1 bunch of cilantro
1/2 cup of plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1 clove of garlic
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
Blend until smooth
If the dressing seems thick, add 1 T of cold water until desired consistency
