Happy Tuesday everyone! Today feels so much like a Monday to me and I am struggling. We flew in from Ohio yesterday and I think I am vowing to never take a 6am flight again. 4:30am wakeups are for the birds. But, Ohio was worth it! We had such a good time seeing family and friends and embracing the wonderfulness that is Ohio in the fall. I’m not mad to be back in the beautiful 75 degree sunshine though.
So, this recipe! In honor of Ohio, I thought I would make a Buddha Bowl, which is a delicious peanut saucy dish from an amazing restaurant in Columbus called Northstar Cafe. They’re also known for their red beet veggie burger that I order if I don’t get the Buddha Bowl. Both are so good and if you’re ever in Columbus, Northstar is a must try.
This dish is simple, which is perfect for one of those nights where you need something quick, healthy and easy. It’s simply quinoa, steamed veggies, cooked chicken and your sauce. I chose to make an almond butter sauce, but peanut butter would taste really good too, and it’s what Northstar uses. We chose to top ours with chopped peanuts (a must) and cilantro, but use what you have on hand, or nothing at all. The sauce is so flavorful, you really don’t need anything else to jazz it up. Enjoy!
- 2 chicken breasts - chopped
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 3 carrots - sliced thin
- 2 heads broccoli - florets removed
- 1/2 head red cabbage - sliced thin
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- For the Sauce
- 1/2 c almond butter (or peanut butter)
- 1/4 c water (or more if it seems too thick)
- 2 garlic cloves - finely minced - or 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 3 tbsp soy sauce (GF Tamari is my favorite) or coconut aminos for a soy free option
- 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- Juice of 1 lime
- Chop all veggies and chicken and set aside
- Prepare quinoa according to package instructions
- While the quinoa cooks, steam all of the veggies until tender
- While the veggies and quinoa cooks, preheat a medium saute pan over medium heat, add coconut oil, and cook the chicken breasts with the salt, pepper and garlic powder for about 7 minutes then set aside
- Prepare the sauce by adding all ingredients to a large bowl and whisking to combine
- Layer the bowl with quinoa, veggies, chicken and sauce
- Garnish with cilantro and chopped peanuts
- Enjoy!
The picture has tomatoes? There are no tomatoes in the recipe? Josh is confused in Seattle. Very tasty though, Nicole and I just made this for the “roommates”.
Glad you and the roomies liked it 🙂 Are you sure you aren’t confusing those carrots as tomatoes?!