You know what to do with all the berries in your CSA box, but the veggies can feel like too much pressure. You have romaine and radishes for days. You’ve paid for them; the last thing you want is for them to go to waste. Especially if you want your spouse to agree to sign up for a summer share again next season. You need an easy way to make the most of your CSA share.
Don’t waste your time looking up fancy recipes on Pinterest. Your simple solution to not wasting produce is here. Let me introduce you to the Buddha Bowl.
According to Wikipedia, the definition a Buddha Bowl is,
…a vegetarian meal, served on a single bowl or high-rimmed plate, which consists of small portions of several foods, served cold. These may include whole grains such as quinoa or brown rice, plant proteins such as chickpeas or tofu. and vegetables.
They don’t have to be pretty, but they will always be tasty. With a CSA box or quick trip to the grocery store and a few kitchen staples, you have unlimited possibilities for simple summer meals.
If you get a weekly CSA share, chop up your veggies and wash your greens as soon as you get them home. You can cook the rice, quinoa, farro or other grain for the week at the same time. With everything ready to use, you can create your Buddha Bowl using a modified “Salad By The Scale” method from Terry Hope Romero’s new cookbook, Show Up for Salad.
At the beginning of her new vegan cookbook, Romero has a blueprint for layering your ingredients into your bowl by weight. For a delicious Buddha Bowl, I would recommend skipping the toppings and adding a little more protein and hearty vegetables. Using her method here is how I would create a Buddha Bowl for myself.
- 4 ounces curly red lettuce
- 4 ounces red cabbage and shredded carrots
- 3 ounces quinoa
- 4 ounces roasted tofu (Show Up For Salads has a variety of marinade ideas too!)
- 2 ounces pickled grapes (from her Salad Samari cookbook) or .5 ounce raisins.
You can add a drizzle of dressing if you like. On this combination, I might add my special kombucha vinaigrette or a mix of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. You can also find some easy homemade vinaigrette recipes in the Show Up For Salad cookbook. (You also find plenty of other great ways to get the most out of your CSA share in any of Terry Hope Romero’s cookbooks.)
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any easier, I have found a way to make your next Buddha Bowl take even less time and effort.
If you get a CSA share, do the same thing I recommended above. Wash and chop the veggies as soon as you get home. Or get prewashed and precut veggies when you do your weekly grocery shopping. While you’re shopping (or when you do your next Amazon order) you’ll also want to pick up a variety of Kitchen & Love quick meals.
These ready to eat and no cooking required meals are the perfect hack for your next favorite Buddha Bowl. Start with your greens and other veggies as the base of your bowl. Add the grain (quinoa or farro are their options) to the bowl, then put the contents of the veggie/dressing container on top of the grain followed by beans or tofu on the side. You can do this artfully or not, either way it’s going to taste delicious.
For example, here’s a Buddha Bowl I made one of my seasonal favorites, blueberries, and the Mango & Roasted Red Pepper quick meal along with a couple of kitchen staples.
I started with baby spinach. Then I layered on the quinoa followed by the mango & roasted red pepper mixture. One the side I added baked tofu and blueberries. I bought this baked tofu ready to eat, but I could also use the roasted tofu I make and keep on hand. This meal took me less than 3 minutes to put together.
Here is another combination you might try with the Grilled Vegetables with Herbs farro quick meal. Start with a base of your favorite greens (a kale mix would work great here) and top with the farro and grilled vegetables. Then add chickpeas, red onion and avocado.
The great thing about making your Buddha Bowl is that there isn’t really a wrong way to do it! You can use whatever produce needs to be used up quickly or the leftover veggies from the grill last weekend. You can make it look Instagram worthy or you can throw it in your Tupperware to take to work. The Buddha Bowl is your fast way to make a simple summer supper and make the most of your CSA share.
