There’s no worse feeling than having lectures that fill up the whole day and a one-hour lunch break. It’s so short that it’s barely sufficient to recover from staring into a laptop screen for hours. Ordering a take-away could be an option but there’s no real satisfaction from this. Definitely not what I have when I cook something by myself. Why then, even though I love to cook, do I always feel that I have so little time besides preparing my meals? No moment to breathe, go outside into the fresh air or take a break in the rush of the studies. Every day, lecture or not, we all need (brain)food. Every day it’s the same sequence of food and studying, food and studying, food and studying. It’s a routine that’s so much ingrained into us that we don’t even realise it’s happening. But if you’re home and think about it too often, the repetition becomes a burden. To be standing in the kitchen, cooking something that’s going to disappear into your gut today and tomorrow. And starting all over again.
Looking for change in my life and the possibility to combine it with a meal that’s quick and tasty has become the essential thing. That’s why a fun mix-and-match buddha bowl is the way to go for busy, lazy students like you and me. A rainbowy bowl as this one makes me cheerful and my gut happy. Because who doesn’t like to have a little rainbow to brighten up the day?
Recipe for 2 Buddha Bowls
- 1 middle-sized sweet potato
- 1 fennel
- 1 big carrot
- ½ broccoli head
- 1 package of natural tofu
- 1 red bell pepper
- 90 g quinoa (e.g. tricolor)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil with butter flavour
- 1 avocado
- 1 clove of garlic
- 2 tbsp of water
- some lemon juice
- some thyme
- some salt, pepper and chilli
Heat up the oven to 220 °C.
Start with cutting the sweet potato into small cubes. Drain the water from the tofu and chop into small cubes as well. Cut the fennel into quarters and then slice it up. Chop the carrot and the bell pepper into short strips. Divide the half broccoli head into smaller florets, cut if needed.
Prepare a tray lined with a baking sheet. Throw the carrots, the fennel and the potatoes onto it, drizzle with olive oil, add the spices and mix everything until well coated. Then put it into the oven for 20 min.
In the meantime, rinse the quinoa with hot water and transfer into a pot with 250 ml water. Add a pinch of salt to the water and bring to boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for approximately 15 min. In another pot put the broccoli florets into boiling water, cover and let it simmer for 10 min.
In a small pan heat the rapeseed oil and then add the tofu. Fry, stirring from time to time, until golden brown and crunchy on each side.
In the remaining time prepare the avocado pesto. Cut the avocado in smaller parts and combine it with the garlic, water, lemon juice and the spices in a narrow container. Blend it with a blender until smooth and creamy.
Assembly time! In a large bowl, place the quinoa at the bottom, then the baked vegetables, cooked broccoli and bell pepper and top it with the avocado pesto. You can also add some sesame seeds, chili, or coriander.
