Rainbow Buddha bowl is a healthy, filling and a delicious wholesome meal. It's a colorful bowl composed of vegetables proteins, healthy grains and nutrients.

Rainbow in my bowl!!

Rainbow Buddha bowl is a satisfying bowl of goodness, filled with cooked rice, boiled red kidney beans, blanched broccoli, roasted bell peppers and sliced cucumber. I combined this with almond butter lime dressing to give it a touch of sweetness and it just turned out perfect! Buddha bowl is a simple way where you can also use your leftover food which is sitting in refrigerator. 

I had the most indulgent weekend ever. I had lots of chocolates and yummy treats, so I decided to make Buddha bowl for lunch. I picked up these gorgeous broccoli and colorful bell peppers at the farmer’s market this past weekend. Luckily, I had enough cooked rice and beans in my refrigerator to make this power-packed meal.

While each portion of this plate has its own individuality and uniqueness. Red kidney beans are full of protein, fiber, vitamin and nutrients. Though rice doesn’t offer much in terms of nutrients but is a good source of carbs. You can always switch white rice with brown rice since it has more nutrients and is relatively low in calories. I totally love the combination of broccoli and bell peppers as they add crunch, color and sweet flavor to the meal. Broccoli is one of my favorite cruciferous vegetable. It is rich in dietary fiber, minerals, nutrients and antioxidants and bell peppers are rich in antioxidants and other vitamins.

Buddha bowl is a versatile meal. To make this, obviously you'd have to make rice and beans ahead of time. I always try to make it differently, depending on what is available at my home. Follow these few simple steps to make a this beautiful Rainbow Buddha Bowl that I have listed below. 

RAINBOW BUDDHA BOWL

Serves: 2 People

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes 

Author: The Food Root

INGREDIENTS

Red Kidney Beans:

3/4 cup red kidney beans

2 cups water

3/4 tablespoon salt or as per taste

Rice:

1 cup rice

2 cups water

3/4 tablespoon salt or as per taste

Broccoli:

1 head broccoli

2 cups water

1/2 tablespoon salt or as per taste

Roast Veggies:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1/2 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

1/4 teaspoon chili flakes

3-4 garlic cloves, chopped

1/4 tablespoon salt or as per taste

Chop Raw Veggies

1 cucumber, finely sliced

Dressing

1/4 cup Almond butter

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

1 tablespoon ginger, minced

2 tablespoons water

Salt and pepper as per taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare Red Kidney Beans: Wash 3/4 cup red kidney beans, under the running water. Drain and soak them overnight or in the morning for at least 4-5 hours. After soaking the beans, rinse them with fresh water. Now place a pressure cooker, add beans with enough water and pressure cook them for at least 40 minutes on medium-low flame. After 40 minutes, turn off the heat and wait for the pressure to release completely. Add salt and stir it for few more minutes till it's properly cooked. Drain the water off the cooked beans and let it cool for some time.

2. Boil Rice: Rinse 1 cup basmati rice with cold water, soak it for about 30 minutes. Place a saucepan with double amount of water to boil. Add salt and loosely cover the pan. Reduce the heat and cook the rice for about 10 minutes. Stir it once and turn off the flame. Let the rice sit for about 5-7 minutes. Drain the rice using a colander or a strainer. Let it cool for some time.

3. Blanch Broccoli: Wash the broccoli and cut them into large individual florets. You can also cut the stem into thin circular pieces. Bring in a large pot of water to boil. When water starts to boil, add broccoli florets and a pinch of salt into it. Meanwhile, fill a bowl with cold water preferably with ice cubes in it. Set it aside. After 3-4 minutes remove the florets with slotted spoon in a colander or a sieve. Now immediately, plunge the florets into the bowl of cold water. After a minute, strain them. Keep it aside.

4. Roast Veggies: Wash the pepper, slice it into half, remove the excess seeds and slice off the thin strips length wise. Heat olive oil in a skillet, add chili flakes followed by sliced bell pepper and sauté until it turns golden brown, about 5 minutes. Sauté it and season them with salt and garlic cloves. Toss it for about a minute on medium flame and turn off the flame. Set it aside.

5. Chop Raw Veggies: Chop any raw veggies you like. It depends on your taste. I added fresh cucumber in my bowl.

6. Prepare the Dressing: To make a dressing, whisk 1/4 cup almond butter, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 1 tablespoon minced ginger and 2 tablespoons water in a bowl, add salt and pepper to taste.

7. Assemble: Assemble your bowl, add red kidney beans, rice, broccoli, roasted bell peppers and sliced cucumber. Season the bowl with salt and pepper. Drizzle the yummy almond butter lime dressing and gently toss them to combine. Enjoy!!

ENJOY YOUR RAINBOW BUDDHA BOWL, AND LET US KNOW HOW YOU LIKE IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!

 

Masala Khichdi | Vegetable Khichdi Recipe | Makar Sankranti Khichdi

What could be more wholesome and comforting than a big bowl of masala khichdi. A full meal on it's own and super easy to make! If you are looking for something hearty and warm, make this dish immediately.

Khichdi is a common delicacy to eat during Makar Sankranti. It’s a comfort food as it is quick to prepare and light on stomach. 

Sankranti also known as Pongal, is the ‘harvest festival’, falls on the 14th of January each year. This festival marks the beginning of spring season and is celebrated with lots of pomp and fervour. Making Khichdi is just a part of the celebration.

Khichdi is traditionally made with rice and lentils, tempered with Indian spices. It’s a nutritious meal for both kids and adults, and mostly considered as a sick food. 

Masala khichdi is a delicious take on the famous traditional Indian khichdi. It's a fulfilling meal where rice and lentils are cooked with vegetables and fragrant spices. Not only it’s healthy, it’s a soul satisfying meal with versions that are so different depending on the regional influences. 

Unlike other traditional simple khichdi recipe you’ve seen, this recipe is made with lots of veggies and flavourful spices. It’s a satisfying dish, perfect for lunch or dinner. 

Vegetable masala khichdi can be cooked in one pan but I like to cook the dish in two. I pressure cooked rice and lentils for 2-3 whistles, and cooked vegetables in a separate pan. This also retained the texture of rice and lentils and saved lot of my time. 

It’s an open end recipe and it’s variations are endless. I added moong lentils you can use any lentil of your choice. You can add veggies of your choice and add brightness to your dish. I added loads of seasonal vegetables like; potatoes, onions, fresh green peas, capsicum, cauliflower and carrots, and, tempered with fragrant whole spices - cardamom, cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon, cumin seeds and pinch of asafoetida, along with some ginger, garlic, green chilis.

Top it with ghee and accompany these delicious dish with yoghurt, pickle or papad. You can also make this dish without onion and garlic on the eve on Sankranti. And, if you want to make this dish vegan, than substitute clarified butter with your choice of vegan oil. 

Do try this recipe, I'd love to hear how it turns out for you?

Masala Khichdi

Yield: 4-6 servings

Preparation time: 15 minutes 

Cooking time: 30 minutes 

Author: The Food Root

Ingredients 

1/2 cup rice,

1/2 cup moong lentils

2 tbsp clarified butter (ghee)

1/2 tsp cumin seeds 

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 cloves

1 bay leaf

1/2 inch ginger, grated

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 

2 green chillies, finely chopped 

1 onion, chopped 

1 tomato, chopped

1 tsp salt or as per required

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp red chilli powder 

3/4 tsp coriander powder

1/2 garam masala

1 carrot, chopped

1 potato, chopped

1 capsicum or bell pepper, desseeded, chopped

1/2 cauliflower florets, chopped

1/2 cup fresh or frozen green peas

5 cups water

handful of coriander leaves

Directions 

1. Wash rice and moong lentils together. Allow them to soak for atleast 15 minutes.

2. Drain the excess water and transfer them into the pressure cooker. Add some salt, turmeric powder, bay leaf and 5 cups of water and pressure cook it for 2 whistles on medium flame. When done, keep it aside.

3. Meanwhile, chop all the veggies; potatoes, onions, tomatoes, capsicum, cauliflower, carrots and keep it aside.

4. Heat a pan over a medium flame, add cumin seeds, cinnamon and cloves. When the seeds starts spluttering, add pinch of asafoetida.

5. Add ginger, garlic, green chillies, onion and some salt. Sauté everything together and let them turn golden in colour on medium heat for at least 3 minutes.

6. Next add chopped tomatoes. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, till the tomatoes starts to soften. Add salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and coriander powder and mix it well. Let the mixture cook till the oil separates.

7. Add all the chopped veggies; potato, fresh peas, capsicum, carrot, cauliflower in the pan and give it nice mix. Cover with a lid and lower the heat from medium to low and cook for 4 minutes.

8. Remove the lid and cook the mixture for next 5 minutes, on a medium flame. Stir it occasionally.

9. Add add cooked rice and lentils in the pan and toss it with the vegetables mixture and continue to mix together for 3-4 minutes on a medium flame. 

10. Now, add some garam masala at the end and continue to cook for another 2 minutes.

and turn off the flame.

11. Now, transfer the Masala Khichdi to a serving bowl and and garnish it with fresh coriander leaves.

12. Serve it with yogurt, pickle or papad and enjoy!

Notes

1. Soak rice and lentils for atleast 15 minutes .

2. You can use any type of lentils, but I prefer using moong lentils as it taste the best and it’s light on stomach.

3. To make this dish vegan, substitute clarified butter with your choice of vegan oil.

4. You can add your favorite veggies of your choice.

5. You can add more water later to adjust the consistency of the khichdi.

6. You can cook this dish in a instapot or a pressure cooker. 

7. Spices like cumin seeds, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf can be avoided. You can make it according to your taste and requirements.

VEGETABLE FRIED-RICE

Indulge in this one pot meal dish and take your tastebuds on an interesting ride...!!!

This hearty and wholesome one pot meal dish is loaded with garden fresh veggies, vinegar, dark soy sauce and assorted spices. Flavored with the aroma of cumin seeds, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf, this is an extremely delicious recipe for rice lovers and a simple satisfying meal for a lunch, dinner or any kind of occasion!

Vegetable fried rice is a Chinese dish of cooked rice, mixed with vegetables, sauces and spices that has been stir fried in a frying pan. It's one of the most popular Chinese dishes, consumed mainly in Asia and Middle East regions. It's often served as a complete dish or can also be enjoyed with fresh yogurt, salad or your favorite curry!!

Fried rice are mostly prepared with the leftover rice but can also be prepared with the freshly cooked rice. It's a complete dish on it's own and is just like what you get at your favorite Chinese restaurant. I love eating vegetable fried rice. It's absolutely one of my favorite things to eat. It's easy to prepare and a great recipe to use up the leftovers!!

It's a simple delicious meal made from white rice. I have worked with aged good quality basmati rice. You can use any type of white rice in the dish. I have used freshly cooked rice but it's advisable to use the leftover rice because there is more moisture in the freshly cooked rice whereas the leftover rice are little more dried and are easy to work with.

It's versatile meal. I always try to make it differently, depending on what is available at my home. You can add your favorite veggies and your favorite stir-fry sauces. Spices like cumin seeds, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf can be avoided. You can make it according to your taste and requirements.

Hope you give it a try and love it as much I do!!

VEGETABLE FRIED RICE

Cooking time of Basmati Rice - 
Soaking time : 30 minutes               
Boiling time : 10-12 minutes
Resting time : 30 minutes

Preparation time : 15 minutes
Cooking time : 20 minutes
Serves : 4 people
Author : The Food Root


INGREDIENTS
200 grams or 2 cups Basmati Rice
4 cups - water
1 tablespoon - salt
2 tablespoon - oil
1/2 teaspoon - crushed cumin seeds (jeera)
1 - green cardamom (choti elaichi)
1- bay leaf (tez patte)
3-4 cloves (lavang)
1/2 inch - cinnamon (dalchini)
1/2 teaspoon - crushed cumin seeds
1 inch long - ginger, grated
5-6 - garlic cloves, chopped
1 - onion, chopped
1/2 cup - beans, chopped
1 - carrot, chopped
1- potato, chopped
3/4 cup - cauliflower, chopped
1/2 cup - green peas
2 - green chillis, chopped
1/2 teaspoon - red chili powder
1/4 teaspoon - garam masala
1/2 teaspoon of salt or as per taste
4-5 cashews, chopped (optional)
5-6 raisins (optional)
1 tablespoon - soy sauce
1 tablespoon - vinegar
chopped coriander leaves


METHOD
1. Rinse the basmati rice with cold water and soak it for about 30 minutes.

2. Next, cover a saucepan with a lid to bring 4 cups of water to boil. Add 2 cups of basmati rice, followed by 1 tablespoon of salt and loosely cover the pan. Reduce the heat and cook the rice for about 10-12 minutes. Don't overcook it. Stir it once and turn off the flame. Let the rice sit for about 5-7 minutes. Drain the rice using a colander or a strainer let it cool for sometime.

3. Heat 2 tablespoon of oil in a pan and add crushed cumin seeds, cardamom, bay leaf, cloves and cinnamon. Wait till they crackle. Then add grated ginger, chopped garlic and a chopped onion. Sauté it on a lower flame till it turns golden brown.

4. Add peas and the other chopped veggies (beans, carrot, potato, cauliflower) in the frying pan and stir it for 2-3 minutes on a high flame. Mix it well.

5. Cover the lid and let the mixture cook for 7-8 minutes on a lower medium flame. Stir it occasionally. The vegetables should be tender yet still have a crunch

6. Next, add chopped green chillis followed by the spices - red chili powder, garam masala and salt and stir it well.

7. Then, sprinkle some cashews and raisins in the mixture. Stir it gently on a low flame.

8. Next, add the cooked rice in the pan, toss it with vegetables and continue to mix together for 3-4 minutes on a medium flame. Make sure to check nothing is sticking to the bottom.

9. Pour in some soy sauce and vinegar and toss to combine. Turn off the flame and remove it.

10. Now, transfer the vegetable fried rice to a serving bowl and garnish it with fresh coriander leaves.

11. Serve them as a complete dish or enjoy it with fresh yogurt, salad or your favorite curry!!


NOTES
1. Soak basmati rice or any type of white rice for 30-40 minutes.

2. I have used freshly cooked rice but it's advisable to use the leftover rice because there is more moisture in the freshly cooked rice whereas the leftover rice are little more dried and are easy to work with.

3. Do not overcook the rice.

4. This recipe works best with aged good quality basmati rice.

5. You can add your favorite veggies and your favorite stir-fry sauces.

6. Spices like cumin seeds, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf can be avoided. You can make it according to your taste and requirements.