‘Health is Wealth’; the proverb itself is a testimony to the overall well-being and prosperity of an individual. In today’s fast paced life, owing to erratic schedules, long hours at work; coping up with different tasks simultaneously has all contributed to an increasing number of people who are victims of stress, anxiety and depression. Mental health issues are quite disruptive and can cause severe damage to the overall physical well-being of an individual. Hence, it becomes even more important to ward off or at least keep such elements at bay by focusing on a healthy regimen. Sticking to a healthy lifestyle plays a crucial role in the diminution of such negative factors.
Discipline coupled with an optimistic attitude, earnestness to achieve the desired goals, dedication and proper planning ensues results. These are the pivotal factors that play a dominant role in the development of a healthy lifestyle that accelerates the holistic well-being of an individual.
Let’s put it up like this! One has already won half the battle, if one strives to consciously work on his or her mental makeup to strictly abide by incorporating a healthy diet routine; whilst focusing on all the crucial components that would play an instrumental role in the journey towards a healthy lifestyle.
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Proper planning in the form of enlisting the desired goals in a chart helps to maintain a systematic record and diligently follow the set priorities to ensure that the result is successful.
Systematic diet and exercise are two fundamental counterparts for a healthy lifestyle, and they go hand in hand. An improper diet and lack of exercise can cause malnutrition in all its forms and various other health risks. Not only that, it can also cause different diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease. People have succumbed to unhealthy food choices, owing to rapid urbanisation, changing lifestyle patterns and a voluminous increase in the production of new variations of processed food items resulting in a noticeable shift in dietary patterns.
Under such circumstances, a balanced diet with adequate exercise is requisite for a healthy, prosperous, and worthwhile living. Incorporation of a balanced diet is essential to balance the level of nutrients in the body for effective functioning of the overall system. Intake of wholesome food items, such as a broad range of whole grains, fresh fruits, vegetables, proteins, healthy fats in the form of nuts, seeds etc. can pleasing the body with the right nutriments and required number of calories for effective weight management. Not to forget to mention, Water! A healthy weight management is maintained through proper intake of water on a day-to-day basis.
There is a plethora of healthy recipe options available out there. However, buddha bowl has definitely superseded all the other options; owing to its nutritional benefits, having an assorted range of exotic food items in balanced proportions, affordability aspect and minimal cooking process involved. The calories in a buddha bowl are about 415.7 calories.
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So, let us delve deeper to understand the concept of this unique dish and its widespread benefits for sustainable weight management in individuals.
Typically, a buddha bowl is defined as one dish that provides a high nutritive and wholesome balanced meal made up of adequate proportions of whole grains, rice (carbohydrates), protein, roasted veggies, and a delicious dressing to top it. Sprinkles such as sprouts, herbs, spices, nuts, and seeds add greater richness; thereby, providing a higher gradient in terms of the texture and flavour of the meal; thus, making it far more appetising, appealing, and gratifying to the senses. Interestingly, this kind of a dish is often served cold, whereas some versions of it are served with a warm base. So, one can pack it well and eat it at a preferred location without having to worry about heating it up. Before this dish got its profound name; it was quite a hit among the masses under various other names such as, ‘hippie bowls’, ‘rainbow bowls’, ‘macro bowls’ or plain simple ‘grain bowls’.
These bowls are vegan or principally vegetarian, but one can experiment with meat if required: in accordance to the tastes and family’s predilection. The term, ‘Buddha Bowl’ is coined by Martha Stewart in 2013; who was deeply impressed and inspired by a monk’s way of looking at life’s miseries. Although the term is christened after the rotund Chinese monk; ‘Buddhai Lohan’, who is widely and popularly recognized as the fond and charming ‘Laughing Buddha’ who lived many years after Gautama Buddha, the divine being and founder of Buddhism religion. The name is truly inspired from the abdominous shape of the ‘Laughing Buddha’.
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The Buddhist ideology of emphasizing ‘balance’ as a fundamental concept explains the origin of the buddha bowl in particular that swears by the preparation and presentation of a balanced healthy meal. Such meals tend to keep one satiated and at ease for longer periods of time. The wide assortment of different essential food groups, all whipped up to suit various dietary restrictions; thereby being protean enough to accommodate varying taste preferences and being an ideal meal to pack up for lunch at work showcases the versatility of this innovative conception. Having such a meal can help fight stress, fatigue, improve concentration and boost up work productivity.
Buddha bowls are easily customisable as already discussed; hence there is no set injunction on its contents, as to what it must contain. The focus is only on balance and mélange. The Indian buddha bowl is a quintessential bowl of goodness that consist of rice or millets in the form of grains. Protein may be sourced from either dal, peanuts, beans, kadhi or sathu. Cooked vegetables form the core component of this power packed bowl. Chutney or raita can be used as accompaniments to bring in an added piquant flavour to the dish. Toppings in the form of bhujiya or raw salad incorporate an element of crunch; thereby enhancing the visual appeal, flavour and texture of the overall dish. These power packed bowls are rich in antioxidants, that subsume indoles and anthocyanins. Indoles and Anthocyanins play a key role in the prevention of many diseases. A rich dark purple colour is an emblematic measure to determine the presence of antioxidants in a meal. Another rich source of various antioxidants, fibres and healthy fats are Pepitas. Pepitas in adequate proportions are required for the healthy functioning of the heart.
Benefits of the Buddha Bowl
Having a diet high in protein content and fibre leads to a potential reduction in hunger levels, thereby corresponding to active weight loss. Since minimal cooking is followed, it prevents the loss of nutrients present in the major food items that are served in the bowl; thereby making it a healthy choice and highly suitable for consumption.
Furthermore, these unique, appetising, colourful and riveting bowls manage to make the perfect balanced meal for all times of the day! Even kids cannot resist the temptation to try out this nourishing, cautiously curated yet well thought of dish. Try involving your kids, during the prep time of this sumptuous meal. You will be amazed to discover their fascination and excitement to watch the whole process of preparation and completion of the dish. Hence, you can be relieved of your child’s sustenance needs being taken care of through this simple, ideal and effective recipe. Through this recipe, the notion of leftovers or food wastage can be managed pretty well; since you can make use of any food item from the kitchen, which is deemed to be healthy enough and ingeniously tossed into the bowl.
Comprehensively to sum it all up; there is no perfect recipe to prepare a buddha bowl and that is what makes it especial meal. You can try distinctive varieties of spices, herbs and dressing to ascertain the combination that suits well on your taste buds. So, it is completely up to you! Now, once you start eating; the essential food groups present in the bowl are eventually going to mix up. So, please avoid placing clashing flavours vicinal to each other in the bowl or intensely flavoured items that can be well eaten on an independent basis. An example for the same can be to opt for some curry leaf pulao in your meal bowl. Over here, please make sure that you are not
placing it next to something such as a lauki kofta dish. Instead, you can choose to place it next to some raita made of onion and moong.
Now, enlisted below are a few classic examples of the prominent Indian buddha bowl that one cannot afford to give a miss! These lip-smacking dishes are sure to give you a burst of flavours with each bite as well as provide you with a quick veggie fix, that is of prime significance for the healthy functioning of the system. Liberty to curate the dishes, on the basis of calorie intake and nutritional requirements forms the basis of the n – number of recipes prevalent today!
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Here is presenting some interesting, fresh and quality recipes of the buddha Bowl:
Introduction of elements such as avocados, roasted sweet potatoes and microgreens to buddha bowls bring in the much-needed variation, a distinctive flavour and supplementary zing to the meal.
An assorted range of food items in perfect proportions such as:
1) Rajam Chawal, Cucumber raita, Aloo methi subzi, onion rings and papad! This incredible bowl is sure to tantalize your taste buds!
2) Sumptuous Palak paneer alongside moong dal salad, pickled carrots next to dahi aloo, baingan masala over jeera rice that does amount to a stupendous bowl of goodness!
3) Coriander flavoured rice, chana dal with raisins, tomato curry, cucumber, bhindi bhujiya besanwali and sweet potato masala discs to provide a wholesome and an exemplary meal experience!
4) Vegetable pulao along with bittersweet brinjal dish, crispy plantain, coconut and pomegranate raita seems to be a perfect recipe on a lazy Sunday afternoon!
Vegan Buddha Bowl
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The term ‘vegan’ signifies a pure vegetarian diet devoid of any dairy items and animal products such as meat and eggs. The protein for the vegan buddha bowl chosen should be either – pulses, soy, legumes or nuts. It is important to keep in one’s mind, that even the dressing must not include any form of dairy ingredient in it.
Preparation of Vegan buddha bowls using healthier alternatives can be done by –
1) Reaching out for almond milk, soy or coconut milk instead of regular cow milk.
2) Making mayonnaise at home and analysing various other complimentary vegetarian sources instead of store-bought items!
3) Tofu is a reliable and an excellent option over other protein sources such as paneer, meat and eggs.
A Protein buddha bowl consisting of adequate portions of quinoa, tofu and black beans with a hint of spice is a relevant example of a perfect Vegan buddha bowl!
A Quick rundown to make your own Buddha bowl:
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The beauty of the buddha bowl lies in its intrinsic ability to emerge as an inexplicable dish having impeccable flavours from almost any leftovers or any food item that you may discover in your fridge.
1) Choose a grainy base for your bowl to start with –
You can add any sort of grains like, quinoa, barley, polenta, brown rice or bulgur to your dish to benefit from the high content of complex carbohydrates in the form of dietary fibre that are highly essential in healthy weight management and help in controlling the level of cholesterol in the body.
2) Pile on the veggies –
Choose veggies such as crisp steamed broccoli, avocado slices, corn kernels, butternut squash, beets and green peas; to name a few, to obtain useful amounts of protein and varying proportions of vitamins, provitamins, carbohydrates and dietary minerals.
3) Addition of Legumes –
Legumes such as black beans, chickpeas, lentils or edamame must make it to your serving bowl as these are rich sources of protein and fibre. Protein is the fundamental building block of muscles, bones, cartilage and skin; whilst playing a vital role in the repair and formation of new cells in the body. Fibre aids in digestion and helps to keen oneself satiated for a longer period of time.
4) Sprinkle with crunch –
Nutritious seeds, diced fruits, nuts, herbs and chopped onion are a few noteworthy edibles that incorporate a crunchy and delectable flavour to the dish as a whole.
5) Drizzle with sauce –
The final step is to add a dressing of your choice. Now, you can drizzle peanut sauce, pasta sauce, pesto, lemon juice, miso sauce, salad dressing or any other dressing of your choice over the contents in the large serving bowl and Bingo! the appetising and moreish meal is now ready to dig in!
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Author Bio:
“Vijayshree is a self – motivated, enthusiastic professional with a strong interest and passion for art, fashion and style. She has pursued an MBA in International Business & completed her graduation in mass media; specialised in Journalism from the University of Mumbai. She is also a corporate fashion columnist for a corporate magazine.”