Buddha/hippie bowls (aka: salad bowls)

Bowls, particularly Buddha bowls, have become all the rage recently. Why are they called Buddha bowls? Because they’re bowls so full of various greens, proteins and veggies that they round out like the belly of Buddha. You could simply call them a salad bowl but it’s much more fun to call it a Buddha bowl don’t you think?

They are a delightful change from the stereotypical garden salad with simple vegetables and dressing.  My husband and I have had a few of these type of bowls at restaurants but because they can be a tad costly, we set out to make our own gut healthy, grain free version. What I’m sharing with you today is just a drop in the bucket of the endless possibilities.

The basics of a Buddha bowl, or hippie bowl as they’re sometimes called, are combining your favorites greens with various vegetables along with beans or a healthy grain. Then simply top with your favorite warm or cold dressing and some seeds or nuts for added flavor and texture.

Since I’m on a gut healing diet, I’m swapping the grains and beans for a healthy resistant starch but feel free to add them in if your diet allows. You can make your bowl as simple or as complicated as you like. I prefer to keep most of my ingredients simple and add in one or two freshly cooked warm elements that I make from scratch. There are many pre-made ingredient items that can fit into a gut healthy life, such as spiralized veggies or precooked beets, so take advantage of them. After all, we’re all busy so cut corners where you can. It won’t be any less tasty because you didn’t spend hours in the kitchen preparing it.

I had baby kale on hand that was going to go bad soon so I started by sautéing some onions in some avocado oil and added the kale after about five minutes. I flavored with salt, pepper and garlic and cooked the kale until it was almost soft.

Next I added in one of my favorite cheats. Spiraled sweet potato noodles.

These are made by Veggie Noodle Co. and while they’re a touch pricy I indulge myself at times because it cuts down my prep time significantly. If you don’t have these available at your local store, you can pick up an inexpensive spiralizer anywhere such as this one on Amazon.

***Check out my recipe for sautéed kale and sweet potato noodles here.***

I also had some mushrooms on hand so I sautéed my mushrooms up in the same pan. I simply added more oil, a pat of butter and cooked them for about 10 minutes until they were tender.

Once my warm sides were done I simply assembled my bowl together. My base was simple salad greens.  I’ve also used baby spinach which is equally delicious.  Thanks to my Instant Pot Ultra I always have boiled eggs on hand so those went on too. I added some sliced avocado, homemade sauerkraut (a wonderful way to get those healthy probiotics) and topped with olive oil and lemon juice for my dressing.  I skipped seeds, because I didn’t have them on hand, but they definitely would have added a welcome crunch to my bowl.

I hope this will inspire you to make your own healthy Buddha/hippie bowl soon.  Learn more about Buddha bowls here and for more bowl inspiration check out these beauties.

Here are two examples of simple salad bowls as well.  No cooking for any of these ingredients.  Keep it healthy.  Keep it delicious.  Keep it easy.

(Avocado, sliced black olives, raw shredded cheddar, boiled egg and fermented carrots)

(Asparagus tips, sliced strawberries, sprouted pumpkin seeds, sliced carrots and raw feta cheese)

Have you tried a Buddha bowl yet? What are your favorite ingredients on yours?

**Disclaimer:  We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.  Any purchases made through our affiliate links supports our cause at NO ADDITIONAL COST TO YOU. We simply receive a small commission on any purchases made through our affiliate link.**