On summer evenings there’s a window of time between when our deck is finally covered in shade, and before the mosquitos come out, that is perfect for dinner al fresco. And if I’ve done just a little prep early in the day, I can spend my time enjoying a nice glass of Sauvignon Blanc outside instead of standing over the stove.
This Skinny Buddha Bowl, inspired by my friend Robin Asbell, is a perfect meal for those nights.
Robin just released yet another terrific cookbook, called Great Bowls of Food, and it’s probably my favorite yet. Check out how many pages I’ve marked…
The day after her book arrived, I met a friend for lunch at Agra – where they are obviously fans of the meal-in-a-bowl concept. I ordered their Skinny Buddha {delicious!} and knew I’d be jumping on the bowl bandwagon.
I wanted to remember what was in my lunch bowl, so I pulled out my handy Paper53 app and drew it… {More “abstract” than “realist,” but at least it helped my memory!}
You can make the chicken, quinoa, kale, pickled daikon, mushrooms and dressing all ahead of time. {Consider prepping the ingredients Sunday afternoon for lunches all week.} Or hey – if you’re in a rush, just go through the salad bar at your favorite grocery store and pick up some items that are already prepared. {You’ll almost always find shredded chicken, some greens, maybe even pickled vegetables.} The combinations are endless.
I’m even thinking that the next time we have friends over for dinner, we might do a “bowl bar.”
Want a copy of Robin’s cookbook? We’re giving one away! You can enter below.
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup red quinoa, cooked according to package directions
- 1 small bunch kale, sliced thin
- 2 tsp olive oil, divided
- 1 medium daikon, peeled & julienned
- 1 medium carrot, peeled & julienned
- 1 tsp + ¼ cup sugar
- ¾ cup distilled white vinegar
- 8 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced thin
- 2 cups shelled edamame, cooked according to package directions
- 1 avocado, pitted and sliced
- salt and pepper
- Kimchi Sesame Dressing {recipe below}
- Sunflower seeds for garnish {optional}
- Place chicken breasts in medium saucepan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and add water to pan to cover by about an inch. Bring water to boil over medium-high heat, then turn down to simmer until chicken is cooked through {165º}, about 10-12 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and place on cutting board to cool.
- Toss sliced kale with 1 tsp oil, and massage with hands for about 30 seconds to soften.
- Place carrot and daikon in a bowl and sprinkle with salt and 1 teaspoon sugar. Knead for about 3 minutes, to expel excess water from them. In a separate bowl, combine ¼ cup sugar, vinegar and ½ cup lukewarm water, and stir to dissolve sugar. Pour over vegetables. Let marinate for an hour, or refrigerate for up to 4 weeks. Remove from liquid before using.
- Heat remaining oil in small saucepan. Add mushrooms and sauté until just starting to shrink and brown, about 4 minutes. Let cool.
- Slice chicken.
- Arrange chicken, quinoa, kale, drained daikon, mushrooms, edamame and avocado in bowl.
- Drizzle with dressing and sunflower seeds if using, and serve.
- ⅓ cup kimchi, drained
- ¼ cup tahini
- 2 Tbs kimchi juice
- 2 Tbs tamari soy sauce
- 1 Tbs dark sesame oil
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3 Tbs vegetable stock, or more if needed
- Pack the kimchi into the measuring cup, draining the juice back into the jar. Put the kimchi and tahini into a processor or blender and process until smooth. Add the kimchi juice, tamari, sesame oil, sugar and 3 tablespoons of stock and process until smooth. If it is very thick, add a tablespoon more of stock or kimchi juice, to taste.
- Transfer the mixture to a jar, cover loosely with a kitchen towel and let stand at room temperature for a day or two to let the probiotics ferment the mixture a little.
- Cover tightly and chill for up to 2 weeks.
Enter to win your own copy of Great Bowls of Food:
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