Vegan protein buddha bowls filled with an abundance of plant based protein from seeds, peas and quinoa! Nourishing, satisfying and oh so delicious, these bowls are dairy free and gluten free.
Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian or simply trying to cram some more veggies into your life, it feels really awesome when you craft together a totally plant-based meal. All those beautiful veggies, seeds and grains! Major feel good vibes just looking at the darn bowls, then you get to eat them. Yum yum.
It can be more tricky to get all your macronutrients in when you’re just focussing on the veggies, though. Where do you get your protein? There are a few options:
- soy products – e.g. soy milk, edamame beans, tofu, tempeh;
- legumes i.e. beans – chickpeas, lentils, black beans, kidney beans, white beans, etc.;
- nuts and nut butters;
- seeds and seed butters;
- high protein grains – e.g. quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth.
I think the default options tend to be either soy products or cooked beans, but I wanted to do something a little bit different here. So while these vegan protein buddha bowls are super nutritious, they’re pulling their protein from a combination of lesser-used plant based sources!
Using peas (technically they’re a legume, but probably not the first one you think of), quinoa, crunchy seeds and tahini, these lusciously green vegan protein buddha bowls pack approximately 20 grams of protein. Plus an abundance of fibre, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats (helloooo tahini dressing). They will not only keep you satisfied for hours, but also give your body all of the essential macronutrients it needs.
My favourite aspect of these vegan protein buddha bowls is the peas! They are always stashed away in the freezer and I don’t think they often get much time in the spotlight. But they’re just so awesome – so cheap, so accessible and they keep forever. The humble pea is a kitchen staple and really pumps up the avocado mash in these bowls.
p.s. how beautiful are the bowls in these pictures?! They’re speckle bowls (19cm diameter size) by Maxwell & Williams (from the Caviar Speckle collection). I received them as a gift from M&W recently and have been using them for as many meals possible, they are SO pretty!
Vegan Protein Buddha Bowls (soy free)
Vegan protein buddha bowls filled with an abundance of plant based protein from seeds, peas and quinoa! Nourishing, satisfying and oh so delicious, these bowls are dairy free and gluten free.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup quinoa - measured uncooked
- 1 cup peas - I usually use frozen
- 1 avocado
- 1/2 lemon
- 1 cup chopped broccoli
- 1 cup chopped zucchini
- Large handful salad leaves e.g. cos lettuce, baby spinach, rocket, etc.
- 2 tbsp hemp seeds
- 2 tbsp sunflower seeds
- salt and pepper to season
- pinch chilli flakes - OPTIONAL
Dressing
- 2-3 tbsp tahini
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 lemon
- 2 tsp brown rice syrup or maple syrup
- salt and pepper to season
Instructions
Prepare quinoa. Rinse quinoa and prepare according to packet instructions. (Or, cook by the absorption method - 1 cup of water for 1/2 cup quinoa, cooked covered at a gentle simmer for 12-15 minutes til fully absorbed).
Prepare vegetables. Lightly steam the broccoli and zucchini and set aside to cool.
Make the avo-pea smash. If using frozen peas, lightly steam/microwave/boil them til thawed and soft, allow to cool slightly and then place in a bowl with the avocado. Squeeze in the juice of 1/2 lemon. Mash together. Season with a touch of salt. Set aside.
Make the dressing. Whisk together the tahini, olive oil, juice of 1/2 lemon and rice malt syrup with a few tablespoons of water until it is a smooth, runny consistency. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
Assemble the bowls. Divide up the quinoa, then the salad leaves and steamed vegetables, then the avo-pea smash, then the seeds. Season with salt and pepper, chilli flakes (optional) and then drizzle over the dressing. Serve.
Recipe Notes
*You can use pumpkin seeds and/or a sprinkling of chopped nuts as a substitute for the sesame and sunflower seeds in this recipe. Mix it up, they add protein and crunch! 🙂
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