Plant Based Buddha Bowls + Salads for Summer

It's hot. Summer cooking can be a challenge because it's hard to feel like being in the kitchen. In the summer, I want to eat well, but spend a minimum amount of time in the kitchen. Buddha Bowls and salads are my go-to dishes for summer. They are seasonal and they will keep you cool (we don't want to ignite your pitta-heat) and satisfied. 

I love to cook, and I'm an improviser. I love to search the web for new ideas and recipes and I love to see photos of tasty new dishes. Basically, I use the recipes as guides, not dogma. In this post, I'll share recipes I've enjoyed from the web and my own ideas around what else you can do to adapt them.
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Buddha Bowls 
The idea of the "buddha bowl" is a bowl that combines veggies and whole grains (and omit the grains if you don't do grains) and add other sauces and condiments. The sky is the limit with these. Think quinoa, couscous, brown rice, wild rice, millet, etc. as a base. Add greens, sliced raw veggies, sauteed or steamed veggies, Add proteins like tofu, tempeh, garbanzo beans, black beans, hummus, chicken, salmon or egg. Top with flavorful sauces like peanut sauce, tahini sauce, green goddess dressing. etc. Add other goodies like saurkraut, sliced avocados, sesame seeds, nuts, cranberries.
Here are a few basic buddha bowl recipes to get you started:

• Build your Own Buddha Bowl from Cookie + Kate
• Sweet Potato Chickpea Buddha Bowl from Minimalist Baker
• 15 Buddha Bowls that Will Satisfy Every Craving by Buzzfeed

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Salads
Of course. It's summer. Eat your spinach, lettuce, argula, kale, chicory, dandelions. These all cool, detox and give you light and lively nourishment for summer. Salads are easy to make and the key to a yummy salad is the dressing. If you have a blender, you can blend up several salad dressings on the weekend and enjoy them all week long. 
Here are some great salad recipes and salad dressing recipes:

• Crowd Pleasing Vegan Caesar Salad and Dressing by Oh She Glows
• Thai Kale Salad with Peanut Dressing by Minimalist Baker
• Lemon Tahini Salad Dressing by Yummy Mummy
• Vegan Green Goddess Dressing
• How to Make a Basic Vinagrette

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