Buddha bowl with apricot kernel oil recipe

The only requirement of the colourful palette of ingredients that make up any Buddha Bowl is that they make you feel better, look better, be better. After all, that’s why the Buddha’s name is attached to this dish, a new staple of contemporary diets, isn’t it?! 

Well, maybe… Zen priest Dan Zigmond, who wrote “Buddha’s Diet,” explains “Buddha woke up before dawn every morning and carried his bowl through the roads or paths wherever he was staying. Local people would place food in the bowl as a donation. And at the end he would eat whatever he had been given. That was the original Buddha Bowl: a big bowl of whatever food villagers had available and could afford to share."(1)

That does make for a very nice story, but there’s also another, less high-minded explanation floating around. It’s called a Buddha Bowl because the bowl is round, like the Buddha’s belly. Whatever the reason (and we bet there are nearly as many possibilities as there are variations on a Buddha Bowl), it seems nearly unanimous that this dish needs to be served in a big bowl.  Not that these elements wouldn’t look just as appetising and vivid laid out in a rainbow on a plate; and that pretty, colourful composition is another characteristic of a modern-day Buddha Bowl.  But then it would just be called a really good and really nice looking salad, and not a Buddha Bowl.

A buddha bowl is a great way to pack it all in.

A Buddha Bowl is a meal-in-a-bowl comprising of a grain, a green, and a bean (yes, it’s meant to rhyme!) Although it’s not always vegetarian and could be made up of the slightly less catchy-sounding a grain, a green, and a protein, many versions focus on plant-based ingredients. The healthier and more wholesome, the better.

Our Buddha Bowl was dreamed up one evening when we really felt like something super light, so the grain was omitted – but we supplement our bowl with the omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids, polyphenols, vitamin A and E, and other valuable nutrients found in apricot kernel oil.

A tangy dressing of lemon, sea salt, and chilli flakes ties everything in beautifully. As simple as this recipe is, it contains an abundance of protein, fibre and healthy fats. Clean and rich in flavour – just what we love in a meal.

Which ingredients?

This dish is perfect for adding in whatever you may have lying around your kitchen. Some seeds would add a lovely texture. Any fermented or pickled vegetables that might be in your fridge would bring an extra kick. Sprouts, dressings, yummy gloopy stuff like salsa or tahini, and any fresh herbs you may be growing would be natural supplements to this recipe. Carrot ribbons would make it look even more fetching than it does already. And, of course, if you fancy something slightly heavier than we did that late, exhausted after-work night, you could add a grain.

Quinoa, amaranth, good ole rice, faro, teff, fonio, spelt, barley, or millet are some of the grains we try to keep in our cupboards for just this kind of eventuality. A few intensely flavourful olives or capers on top would work very well too – olives are rich in oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid. Black olives are rich in iron, which helps red blood cells to move oxygen throughout the body.(2) Olives are an essential part of the Mediterranean diet. It is a continual source of inspiration to us in our cooking.

We hope it goes without saying that any produce you may be ready to throw out should go into your Buddha bowl – it’s the perfect way to rescue that stray potato from becoming landfill, and rebirth it as Buddha himself! It really doesn’t get much better than that, does it?

Which green?

We’ve opted for Romaine leaves in this recipe, but choosing between the wide array of greens available is one of our favourite decision-making activities ever! Romaine has 2g of fibre per cup, or per serving. This means that 5% of your recommended daily intake is taken care of. Fibre is so important because it helps waste go its way along your intestinal tract. It keeps your body clean and efficient.

A serving of Romaine also contains 4mg, or 40% of your RDI of vitamin C – essential for heart health. That's because vitamin C stops cholesterol from staying along your blood vessels. Plus, Romaine has got 247mg, or 10% of the potassium you should be eating every day to keep your muscles strong and robust.(3)

But above all, this leaf is just so refreshing, which is why we chose it for this particular salad. It hit the spot perfectly after a long day. Depending on your mood, another green could work nicely, too.

Apricot kernel oil benefits

Erbology Apricot Kernel Oil is organic and cold-pressed. It brings radiance to skin and hair. Among its many other health benefits, it helps to maintain and re-balance the immune system, due to the optimal balance of good fats that it contains.(4)

Research has shown that this oil relieved colon inflammation and ulcers in rats, which could be useful in treating IBD [Inflammatory Bowel Disease].

Aside from its health benefits, apricot kernel oil is beautifully flavourful, with a delicate, sweet, nutty taste that is highly complementary to a wide range of foods. Buddha’s belly will be happy, we reckon.