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Mediterranean Rainbow Buddha Bowl | Created in Partnership with Sabra Canada #sponsored // JustineCelina.com | #glutenfree #dairyfree #vegan

MEDITERRANEAN RAINBOW BUDDHA BOWL

My Mediterranean Rainbow Buddha Bowl is inspired by the vibrancy of Mediterranean culture, sun drenched days and fresh, colourful ingredients! These festive, nutrition packed Buddha bowls are an explosion of plant based flavours, textures and colours sure to leave you feeling fully satisfied, but never stuffed. An unconventional medley of quinoa, chick peas, cucumbers, pickled beets and carrots, olives and medjool dates are topped with zingy Lemon Za'atar Vinaigrette, a generous dollop of Sabra Greek Olive Hummus and a kiss of fresh mint. The best part? These jubilant Buddha bowls can be on your table in less than 30 minutes and enjoyed year round!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mediterranean
Prep Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Author Justine

Ingredients

EASY PICKLED VEGETABLES

  • 1 resealable mason jar
  • 2 carrots
  • 1 beet
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup vinegar
  • 1/4 cup agave nectar
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns
  • 1/8 tsp Himalayan pink sea salt

LEMON ZA'ATAR VINAIGRETTE

  • Juice from 2 lemons
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp olive brine
  • 1 tbsp Italian parsley
  • 1 tsp shallot
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 tsp za'atar
  • 1/8 tsp cumin
  • 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 tsp Himalayan pink sea salt

MEDITERRANEAN RAINBOW BUDDHA BOWL

  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 2 19 oz. cans chickpeas
  • 4 mini cucumbers
  • 1 cup mixed olives
  • 16 medjool dates

GARNISH

  • Fresh mint
  • Za'atar
  • Cumin
  • Squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Instructions

  1. My Easy Pickled Vegetables require some advance planning, but they totally make the dish! Start by adding vinegar, water, peppercorns and salt to a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes -- in the meantime, chopping your carrots and beet into matchsticks. After the pickling liquid has boiled for 5 minutes, remove it from heat and set aside to cool for 5 minutes. After slightly cooled, add vegetables to a resealable mason jar and pour pickling liquid over top. Seal the mason jar and allow it to cool for 2 hours before popping it into the fridge for up to 1 week (a light pickle is achieved after 4 hours, but ideally you would prepare the Easy Pickled Vegetables the night before you plan to serve the Mediterranean Rainbow Buddha Bowls).
  2. Prepare quinoa according to the package directions (typically, cooking time is about 20 minutes -- which gives us just enough time to prepare the Mediterranean Rainbow Buddha Bowl!).
  3. Let's get started on the Lemon Za'atar Vinaigrette. Mince your garlic, shallots and Italian parsley. Combine with the other vinaigrette ingredients in your Vitamix (or similar) and blend until smooth. Pour into a server and set aside.
  4. Prepare the rest of the Mediterranean Rainbow Buddha Bowl ingredients. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then add them to a large mixing bowl and dress lightly with approximately 1 tbsp of Lemon Za'atar Vinaigrette. Chop cucumbers into matchsticks, chop medjool dates and pit olives if necessary. Chop mint for garnish.
  5. At this time, the quinoa should be finished cooking. Remove from heat and fluff lightly with a fork, then set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
  6. Begin assembling your Mediterranean Rainbow Buddha Bowls! I like to start with the quinoa first in the upper left hand corner, then work closewise adding my chickpeas, then cucumbers. Then sdd the Easy Pickled Vegetables on the other side of the quinoa and the olives below that. Add the dates between the olives and the Easy Pickled Vegetables. Pour the Lemon Za'atar Vinaigrette on top to dress each bowl. Then, add a big dollop of Sabra Greek Olive Hummus in the middle (seriously, don't be shy -- I like about 1/4 cup!).
  7. Garnish with chopped mint, a light sprinkling of za'atar, cumin and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
  8. Serve immediately and enjoy!