Yummy Kidney Bean Buddha Bowl

Healthy vegan salad bowl filled with fresh vegetables, warm protein and added crunch of nuts and seeds.

My go-to lunch is assembling a Buddha bowl using ingredients I can easily find in my kitchen. This Bean Buddha Bowl is one of my favorite recipes. It's refreshing and fulfilling. You can use greens of your choice, I prefer using spinach but you can always use Kale to add an extra crunch. The best part of this bowl is crispy papad which adds so much texture to this bowl.

My favorite mantra when it comes to salads/ Buddha bowls is to avoid using dressings(store bought or homemade). Why? Because adding any dressing means extra calories, fat, sugar. I prefer getting my fat intake by adding avocados, nuts in my diet.

I also avoid oils as much as possible, even healthy ones like virgin olive oil because oil injures the guardian of our blood vessel "the endothelium layer" which produces nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is natural blood vessel dilator, it keeps artery wall from becoming thick and protects from the blockage and plaques. If you are interested in knowing more about this, please check this insightful video by Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn.

I hope you enjoy this simple recipe with no artificial/processed ingredients.

---

Ingredients

1 cup cooked(boiled) kidney beans

1 medium size tomato finely chopped

1/2 cup english cucumber finely chopped

1 cup baby spinach

1 avocado

1 thai chili finely chopped

1/4 cilantro bunch finely chopped

1 tbs pumpkin seeds

1tsp hemp seeds

1tsp flax seeds

1 small lime

1tsp garam masala

1tsp roasted cumin seeds

salt to taste

Indian papad for garnishing(optional)

---

Nutrition Value

Total Calories: 500

Carbs: 43 g

Fibre: 21 g

Sugar: 4g

Protein: 12g

Fat: 32g

Saturated Fat: 3g

Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g

Monounsaturated Fat: 16g

Sodium: 295 mg

Potassium: 1855 mg

Vitamin A: 342%

Vitamin C: 179%

Calcium: 23%

Iron: 81%

% are based on diet of 2000 calories a day

---

Instructions:

1. In a mixing bowl mix add 1 cup cooked bean(you can use canned beans, I prefer cooking raw beans), garam masala, salt, roasted cumin seeds(you can optionally use cumin powder), salt, 1 tsp lime juice and chopped cilantro.

2. Mix it well and keep it aside

3. To prepare fresh guacamole, in a bowl mash avocado, add 1/2 tomato finely chopped, chili and mix well, salt and 1tsp lime juice

4. Time to assemble buddha bowl. Place beans mix as a base, add baby spinach, chopped tomatoes, chopped cucumber

5. Using ice-cream scoop, add 2 scoops pf guacamole to the bowl

6. Garnish it with pumpkin, hemp and flax seeds

7. Serve it with side of roasted Indian papad