Recipe: Miso Swiss Chard Buddha Bowl

Buddha Bowl photo by Emily McLaughlin

Picture a sad salad. Now picture it ten times more filling, satisfying, and flavorful. Now you’ve got a Buddha bowl.

When putting together a Buddha bowl, it’s important to choose nutritious foods that are both filling and energy-boosting. In this particular bowl, Swiss chard is the star green, and miso–roasted chickpeas and hemp seeds add necessary protein.

Swiss chard, in season now, is an oft-ignored green. It is on the bitter side, sometimes making it a little difficult to work into dishes, but this Buddha bowl recipe calls for sautéed or steamed chard, which takes some of the bitterness away.

Miso Swiss Chard Buddha Bowl
Serves 2

Ingredients
2 cups Swiss chard, washed and roughly chopped
½ cup shredded carrot
1 cup cooked brown rice, quinoa, or other grain
1 cup sweet potato, chopped
½ cucumber, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp hemp seeds
1 can chickpeas
1 Tbsp miso paste
1 Tbsp oil

For the dressing 

1 tsp miso paste
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp water
Optional: 1 tsp grated ginger

Directions

Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees. Drain, rinse, and pat the chickpeas dry. In a small mixing bowl, combine the oil and miso paste. Add the chickpeas and toss until coated. Spread the chickpeas out on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 25 minutes, then remove from the oven and toss. Bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until crispy.

Prepare your sweet potato however you choose—sauté it, microwave it, or bake it. If baking, toss the potato with a half tablespoon of oil and spread the pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees. (Pro tip: You can bake the potato and chickpeas simultaneously.)

While the chickpeas and sweet potatoes bake, mix all of the dressing ingredients. Place the dressing in the fridge to chill.

Next, steam the Swiss chard, or sauté it with a teaspoon of olive oil until it begins to wilt. Set it aside to cool.

Once the chickpeas and potatoes are out of the oven, it’s time to assemble your bowls. Start with a half cup of grain in each bowl. Next, split the chard between the two bowls. Add the rest of the ingredients, sprinkling the hemp seeds and dressing on last.