This wholesome, abundant, one-bowl meal is full of tasty good-for-you ingredients. A few years ago Buddha bowls or Hippie bowls were all the rage all over Instagram. The trend while still continues has faded a bit. But it was one trend I really loved and embraced fully, because it’s endlessly customizable. With so many wholesome ingredients to choose from and so fun to put together, we enjoy them as a whole family . The idea is to build a bowl around whole grains, some protein, fresh rainbow colored vegetables with a drizzle of tasty sauce and fun toppings.
Bitchin’ Sauce
Lets talk bought this controversially titled sauce. Bitchin’ Sauce was founded by husband and wife duo Starr & L.A. Edwards. They started selling their almond based dips in the farmers markets in and around San Diego which eventually grew into a company selling a wide variety of dips everywhere, even large tubs in Costco. How cool is that! you can read about about the company and their various products here.
I made my own version for everyone who can’t find this sauce. Its vegan and made with simple ingredients, we love it so much I keep a batch in the fridge for dipping, smearing and bowls like this!
For this recipe I used chipotle with adobo sauce for heat. Replace with sriracha or your favorite hot sauce if it’s easier to find. Alternatively about ½-1 tsp chili powder works too. Liquid aminos is another ingredient that may not be available everywhere, sub with low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos. I got good results with both.
What is a Hippie Bowl
Hippie bowl is a fun catchy name for a Buddha bowl. What is a Buddha bowl? It’s a one-bowl meal consisting of healthy wholesome components, built around whole grains and cooked/ raw veggies, also called as a grain bowl. This Hippie bowl is vegan, you can of course add other proteins like an egg, cheese, grilled chicken or fish, or tofu–it’s really up to you. Hippie bowls are typically vegan, often gluten free with a variety of nutritious components. Use this recipe as a basic template and make your own version with what’s available in your area.
5 Key Components
- Whole grains: Start with any wholegrain you enjoy. Quinoa, Farro, Barley, Millet, Coarse Bulgur, Brown Rice, Fonio would all be great choices.
- Veggies: select a combination of rainbow colored veggies. Some sort of leafy greens, roasted root veggies, are a good starting point. We love roasted sturdy veggies, some raw veggies and a fruit component for balance.
- Protein: Legumes like beans and lentils, grilled tofu are excellent plant based protein choices. Other proteins like eggs, grilled chicken, salmon, fish, shrimp if you prefer.
- Dressing: A drizzle of delicious sauce or dressing brings it all together. Here are some other choices, Lemon Tahini, Almond Sesame, Carrot Ginger, but I highly recommend this Bitchin’ sauce, (recipe follows)
- Toppings: these are usually some sort of crunchy bits such as toasted nuts, seeds or herbs and sprouts.
HIPPIE BOWL WITH BITCHIN’ SAUCE
Ingredients
The Bowl
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, any color
- 4 cups kale, shred the leaves only into small pieces about 6 leaves
- 1 14 oz can chickpeas, drained rinsed
- 4 cups cauliflower florets about one small
- handful of fresh sprouts or herbs
- 1 medium orange sliced or any seasonal fruit
- 2 cups cooked quinoa or grain of your choice
- 2-3 tablespoons E. olive oil
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp mild paprika
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Bitchin Sauce
- ½ cup raw whole almonds
- 1 cup water
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2-3 tbsp garlic cloves
- 1-2 tbsp chipotle with adobo sauce or 1/2 teaspoon hot chili powder of your choice
- ⅓ cup lemon juice you may need less
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ Tsp paprika
- 3 tsp liquid aminos or low salt soy sauce
- ¼ Tsp salt more if needed
Instructions
The Bowl
- preheat the oven to 400 °F.
- Dice the sweet potatoes into cubes and break the cauliflower into smaller florets. Place them on a baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tablespoons olives oil ½ the cumin, paprika, salt and pepper. Toss to eavenly coat.
- Roast the veggies until cooked and crispy around the edges. Set aside.
- Add the shredded kale to a mixing bowl and massage with 2 tablespoons lemon juice(from the sauce), this will make it pliable and easier to eat. Set aside for a few minutes.
- Warm the remaining olive oil in a frying pan. Add the drained chickpeas and toast until it starts to pop and has crispy edges. Sprinkle the remaining spices and toss once more. Set aside.
- Cook the grain or quinoa according to the package directions.
Bitchin Sauce
- Add all the ingredients, but only 1/4 cup lemon juice to a high speed blender. Blend until smooth, add more water to thin if necessary. Taste and Adjust the seasoning or any ingredient as needed. Add more lemon juice if needed and pulse couple more times to incorporate everything well.
Assemble
- Divide each component into 4-5 bowls depending on appetite. Generously pour the sauce, mix if you prefer and enjoy.
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