How to Make a Buddha Bowl for Weight Loss

Oddly enough, one of the biggest trends in the and health food world right now is named after a man often depicted as having a big, round belly. Yes, you guessed it: Buddha.

Buddha bowls, sometimes referred to as glory or hippie bowls, are hearty, filling dishes made of various greens, raw or roasted veggies, beans and a healthy grain like or brown rice. Sometimes they also include toppings like nuts, seeds and dressings for added texture and flavor. (Is your mouth watering yet?) Depending on the recipe you choose to follow, the dish can contain a whole rainbow of ingredients and be seasoned in any number of ways, but the basic formula always remains the same. And the best part is, just about every Buddha bowl out there is simple to make and jam-packed with filling nutrients and vitamins that aid weight loss and overall health. If you can’t tell, we’re pretty big fans.

Scroll down to grab some inspiration and then make your own, stat!

1. Super Vegan Bowl with Parsley-Cashew Pesto

super vegan buddha bowl

msn health & fitness

Serves: 4

Nutrition: 234 cals, 11.9 g fat, 2.2 g saturated fat, 26 mg sodium, 26.4 g carbs, 2.9 g fiber, 7.3 g protein.

Cremini mushrooms, Israeli couscous and vitamin A-rich play a starring role in this nutrient-packed meal. But what really makes this Buddha bowl memorable is the parsley-cashew pesto drizzled on top. If you don’t like parsley, Tina, the talented blogger behind this dish, suggests subbing in basil or cilantro. If you wind up with any leftover sauce, try spreading it on sandwiches or drizzling it on top of eggs—it has plenty of culinary uses.

 

2. Buddha Bowl

rawmazing buddha bowl

Serves: 2

Nutrition: 614 cals, 27.2 g fat, 5.1 g saturated fat, 172 mg sodium, 82.1 g carbs, 16.2 g fiber, 16.9 g protein.

Quinoa, avocado (a fruit that’s been shown to quell hunger pangs and reduce belly fat), corn, tomatoes and olives come together to create this nutrient-packed, savory dish. Everything but the quinoa is served raw, which makes it super quick and easy to whip up. Consider it your go-to when you need to put dinner on the table in a flash.

 

3. Quinoa Buddha Bowl

quinoa buddha bowl

Serves: 4

Nutrition: 563 calories, 23.5 g fat, 3.8 g saturated fat, 73 mg sodium, 73.3 g carbs, 12 g fiber, 3.9 g sugar, 18.7 g protein (served with 2 Tbsp of dressing)

Made with a mix of quinoa, raw kale, roasted veggies and a homemade cashew-tahini dressing, this is one Buddha bowl you don’t want to miss out on. Besides have a rich herby flavor that’s sure to satisfy your taste buds, this dish serves up more than 200 percent of the day’s vitamin C. It also carries a third of the day’s iron, a nutrient that helps transport oxygen throughout the body—a very important function! Have leftovers? Top two cups of raw spinach or kale with the mixture and store it in a tupperware container. You’ll have lunch for the next day.

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4. The Big Vegan Bowl

big vegan bowl

Serves: 5

Nutrition: 556 calories, 17. 2 g fat, 2.9 g saturated fat, 114 mg sodium, 81 g carbs, 22.2 g fiber, 14.3 g sugar, 23 g protein (Calculated with with 4 tablespoons hummus, one avocado and 4 tablespoons hemp seeds.)

Got 25 minutes to spare? That’s all the time you’ll need if you want to create this Instagram-worthy bowl at home. If you’re a vegan who struggles to take in enough protein, adding this dish to your weekly lineup should be a no brainer—it packs in a whopping 23 grams of the muscle-building nutrient.

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5. Hippie Bowl

hippie bowl

Serves: 4

Nutrition: 419 calories, 24 g fat, 3.3 g saturated fat, 69 mg sodium, 43 g carbs, 12 g fiber, 10 g sugar, 13.8 g protein

Eating a meat- and gluten-free meal has never been more delicious. The bulk of this hippie bowl is made up of quinoa, chickpeas, shredded carrots, cabbage, alfalfa sprouts and radishes. Then it’s all topped off with a flavor-packed garlic-tahini dressing. This is one recipe the entire family is sure to love.

 

6. Forbidden Rice “Superfood” Salad

forbidden rice superfood salad

Serves: 3

Nutrition: 389 calories, 7.7 g fat, 0.7 g saturated fat, 331 mg sodium, 69.4 g carbs, 7.2 g fiber, 13.8 g protein

Consider this your new healthy go-to whenever a craving for strikes. Marissa, the registered dietitian who created this recipe, combines nutty black rice, edamame, sweet potatoes, red pepper, green onion and a light sesame-honey dressing in her vitamin-packed concoction. Besides being flavorful and filling, it’s super easy to make—gotta love that!

 

7. Noodle Buddha Bowl

noodle buddha bowl

Serves: 2

Nutrition: 260 cals, 17.5 g fat, 3.5 g saturated fat, 20.7 g carbs, 119 mg sodium, 7.5 g protein, 4 g fiber

This bowl is seriously good for you: the noodles are made of buckwheat, so they’re gluten-free as well as tasty; the veggies are fresh, crisp and colorful; and the sauce is made mainly of cashew butter—with a few metabolism-boosting spices thrown in.

 

8. Crunchy Quinoa Power Bowl

crunchy quinoa power bowl

Serves: 6

Nutrition: 466 calories, 29.1 g fat, 3.3 g saturated fat, 42 mg sodium, 44.8 g carbs, 8.8 g fiber, 6.8 g sugar, 12.3 g protein (dressed with 2.5 tablespoons dressing)

Although this entire bowl tastes amazing (and is packed with vitamins A and C), the dressing is the real star of the show—it’s made with , ginger, garlic and lime. Once you try it, you’ll wonder why you ever used anything else to dress up your greens and grains.

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