Farro Lentil Buddha Bowl
Enjoy A Delicious Spicy Mediterranean Salad
This Farro Lentil Buddha Bowl is a tasty fusion of Mediterranean farro, lentils and olives mixed with spicy Asian dressing. The Mediterranean grains, lentils, olives, capers and fresh vegetables has a wonderful texture and great combo of flavors. Topping it off with a Middle Eastern tahini blended with vegan mayonnaise and a punch of Asian sriracha and yondu or soy sauce. Eat this Buddha bowl with dipping your veggies and grains and eating everything separate. Or… mix this all together and add some fresh lemon or lime. This is a perfect large salad for 4 side salads or 2 large main course vegan salads. This salad goes well with all kinds of main course dishes from Mediterranean, Middle Eastern to Asian or just by it’s self.
What Is Farro in Lentil Buddha Bowl?
Farro grain is a popular ancient healthy grain that is a versatile favorite of Italy and originated in Mesopotamia. It is high in protein, fiber and nutritious in magnesium, zinc and some B vitamins. It contains more calcium and carbohydrates than quinoa but more nutritious then quinoa. As a choice in carbohydrates farro is a good carb that is easier on blood sugar than pasta or white rice. It contains antioxidants and is a good anti-inflammatory as well. Farro has so many health benefits that it is worth some heavy research if you are looking for an alternative grain to supplement your diet. Although, if you are sensitive to gluten it is not a gluten-free grain.
Why Use Black Beluga Lentils And Were To Get Them
Of all the different color lentils, black lentils are the most nutritious of all lentils. They have the highest amount of protein, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and iron. This is a cheap way to pack your vegan or plant-based diet with nutrients and protein. Topping it off with a good way to protect yourself from heart disease and stuffing your diet with beneficial cancer fighting polyphenols and folic acid.
I believe a variety of foods is the spice of life. I love all sorts of lentils. They all have their own nutritional values, benefits and textures, but these black beluga lentils for this Farro Lentil Buddha Bowl is one of my favorites. I get my black lentils from Clearcreek from Montana. I buy it through Amazon. This company has a very high quality lentil and for 4 pounds of black beluga lentils it is a great price for under $17. dollars.
Please don’t forget to clean and wash your lentil before cooking them. Lentils sometimes have little pebbles and clumps of dirt in them. Sort them by holding a few of them in the palm of your hand and looking at them closely to see if you see any pebbles. I know this is tedious work but it is better then comping down on a pebble. When washing them make sure to rinse them under cool water in a sieve. Then after all this work these little gems ready to cook.
How To Make Farro Lentil Buddha Bowl
When I make this Farro Lentil Buddha Bowl I start with cooking the farro first because it can take longer to cook. If you use whole farro grain it can take up to 40 minutes to cook but if you use half cut grain it can take 15 or more minutes to cook. So it all depends on what kind of farro grain you use. Just fallow the directions on the bag and make sure to rinse them under cool water in a sieve to clean them. I also use vegetable broth, sea salt and vegan butter to cook the farro in. I find that it gives it a lot of flavor.
Next I cook the black beluga lentils that only take about 15 to 20 minutes. I like to cook the lentils and farro in separate pots at the same time. Timing is everything in cooking so make sure you check your timing with the farro before starting the lentils if you want them to cook and be done at the same time. I do add some vegetable broth, sea salt and onion and garlic powder to flavor to the lentils. As you will see in the recipe below.
While these two are cooking I make the Spicy Buddha Sauce. This is very easy to through together. Just add all the ingredients into a small bowl mix well and put into the refrigerator until you want to use it.
Constructing The Farro Lentil Buddha Bowl
After everything is cooked and chopped and you are ready to construct your Buddha bowl make a bed of spinach or mixed baby greens at the bottom of the bowl (like in the video). Add your small bowl of Spicy Buddha Sauce off to one side on top of the spinach or mixed baby greens in the bowl. Then add your Buddha bunches all the way around the bowl. Starting with the red cabbage, black lentils, cherry tomatoes, vegan cheese, farro, kalamata Greek olives or a mix with green olives,( I like the salty taste of the green olives and capers in this bowl) lemon wedges and green onions, capers and toasted sunflower seeds around the sides. If you are waiting to eat this Buddha Bowl until later leave out the toasted sunflower seeds and add just before eating. This helps them to stay crunchy.
Presto! Put plastic wrap over it and put in the refrigerator until ready to eat. Perfect for a picnic, lunch or dinner. I really love these Buddha Bowl creations. I hope you like this Farro lentil Buddha Bowl as much as we do. Enjoy!
Farro Lentil Buddha Bowl
Equipment
- 2 Medium pots with lids
- 1 Large spoon
- 1 Large Buddha bowl
- 1 Medium sieve
- 1 Small bowl for sauce
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Set of measuring cups
- 1 Set of measuring spoons
Ingredients
Farro
- 1 cup Farro, rinsed and drained
- 3 cups Vegetable Stock
- ¾ tsp Sea Salt
- 1 tsp Vegan Butter or Olive Oil
Black Lentils
- 1 cup Black Lentils, or desired lentils
- 3 cups Vegetable Broth
- ½ tsp Onion Powder
- ½ tsp Garlic Powder
- ¾ tsp Sea Salt
Buddha Bowl
- 4 cups Organic Baby Spinach, or Organic Mixed Baby Greens
- 1¼ cup Organic Red Cabbage
- 1½ cups Cooked Black Lentils
- 12 Organic Cherry Tomatoes
- 1½ cups Vegan Cheese, cheddar or spicy
- 1½ cups Cooked Farro
- 20 Greek Olives or Green Olives or Both
- ½ cup Green Onions, sliced
- 3 Tbsp Capers, optional
- 3 Tbsp Toasted Sunflower Seeds, optional
- 3 Lg Wedges of Lemon
Spicy Buddha Sauce
- ¼ cup Vegan Mayonnaise
- ¼ cup Tahini
- 1 Tbsp Sriracha Sauce
- 1 Tbsp Yondu Sauce or Soy Sauce, Yondu is a vegetable sauce that taste like soy sauce without the soy
Instructions
Farro
- In a sieve clean and rinse the farro under cold water. Drain
- Put drained farro in a medium pot that has a lid. Add the vegetable broth to replace the water in the cooking instructions. Add the sea salt and vegan butter or olive oil. Follow the cooking instructions on your bag of farro for cooking time, temperature and use of lid.
Lentils
- Measure out lentils and search through lentils for any small stones. In a medium sieve rinse the lentils well under cold water. Drain.
- In a medium pot with a lid add the lentils, vegetable broth, onion powder, garlic powder and sea salt. Follow cooking instructions on lentils, cook until desired tenderness. ( about 15-20 minutes)
Spicy Buddha Sauce
- In a small 1 cup size bowl add the vegan mayonnaise, tahini, sriracha sauce and yondu or soy sauce together. Mix all together and set aside.
Buddha Bowl
- In a large bowl add in a bed of spinach at the bottom of the bowl. Then add the small bowl of spicy buddha sauce to one side on top of the spinach. Work from one side of the bowl adding the red cabbage next to the spicy Buddha sauce and work all the way around the bowl to the other side. Adding cooked black lentils, cherry tomatoes, vegan cheese of choice (cheddar or spicy) cooked farro, 20 Greek olives or green olives or both. Then add the green onions around the side along with the capers and toasted sunflower seeds. (all this is shown in the YouTube video)
- Serve as is to dip the veggies and grains in the sauce or mix all together with the spicy Buddha sauce as a large salad.
- Serves two large salads or 4 small side salads.
- Enjoy!