Sweet Potato Mung Bean Buddha Bowl

So you’re looking for something fresh, packed full of protein and flavor and easy right? Well, I have found that healthy food is all about being prepared and prepped. Sure you have to take the time to prep it, but if you do it while you aren’t starving it makes life super simple and helps keep you on the right track. Plus as hard as it is to believe healthy food keeps you full longer besides all the other benefits. Those who know me well know I am a health nut. Healthy eating and living. So when I was asked if I wanted to participate in a Buddha Bowl recipe share, I was super excited!

I wanted to be sure to keep in mind that not everyone is used to healthy eating, but many want to give it a try. So I set out to make a super healthy bowl that didn’t require a ton of work. Most of the ingredients in this bowl get thrown into water – and most anyone can toss something into water, whether to cook it or wash it. See we are already off to a good start. I started to make an avocado tahini dressing, and stopped. OK I actually finished it but then I thought, this would be my holdup – if I had to get the food processor out, and look for all these ingredients at the store…so since I thought it would hold me up, I decided to scrap it and go with our family’s favorite vinaigrette dressing instead. It’s simple, it’s light, and you can use it for so many things from marinades to salads.

I made this bowl have two versions -one with chicken and one without. Why? Because my daughter told me that if I was serving it to her for lunch it better have some kind of meat in it…so I cooked a small chicken breast, sliced it and tried to make her happy 🙂 I also tried to keep my ingredient list from getting crazy odd. I think the most outrageous ingredient I have are Mung Beans, and if you aren’t sure you will like them, don’t know where to find them or OK are just scared because of the name, sub in any small white bean you like and can easily get your hands on. Mung Beans are tiny and I used a sprouted one, which reminds me more of a really large sprout than a bean. Plus I like saying their name..mung 😉 I followed the package instructions and prepped them in about 10 minutes. I found them in the organic grocery section of my grocery store. That’s also where I get my sprouted quinoa. If you can’t tell I’ve become a huge sprouted anything fan, from rice to bread to beans. They are so much better for you, and easier to digest as well.

This recipe will give you four good size bowls – make it for dinner, or have four at the ready lunches – you can even layer the ingredients in a mason jar for easy transport to work. I would layer the dressing on the bottom, quinoa, beans, greens, sweet potato, radish and seeds – then just dump it out and mix it up at lunch time.

Sweet Potato Mung Bean Buddha Bowl

2 medium size roasted sweet potatoes (about half a sweet potato per bowl) Cut into cubes, spread on a sheet pan, with olive oil, salt & pepper. Roast in a 425 degree oven for about 15 minutes.

Quinoa -make as per package instructions (once cooked I used about 1/3 cup per bowl)

Mung Beans – make/soak as per package instructions (once cooked again, about 1/3 cup per bowl)

medium head of Lacinato Kale aka flat leaf kale

medium head of Red Chard

Each bowl got about 1 1/4 cups of greens

4 large radishes (one per bowl)

small package of pea sprouts – if you can’t find pea sprouts sub in your favorite sprout.

Simple Lemon Vinaigrette

juice of one lemon

1 large garlic clove smashed and chopped finely

1 TBSP brown mustard

5 TBSP Olive Oil