14 Aug Southern-style buddha bowl w/ creamy avocado dressing

This healthy 30-minute Southwestern Buddha Bowl starts with a bed of leafy greens and is topped with super foods like roasted sweet potatoes, quinoa, black beans, and avocado. Mango and corn add brightness and a subtle sweetness, and the creamy avocado cilantro dressing ties it all together.

Serves: 8 generous salads

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

Salad:

• 2 sweet potatoes
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 heaping teaspoon each cumin and chili powder (plus a sprinkle of cayenne if you like it hot)
• Sea salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 cups black beans, from ‘scratch’ or canned (seasoned with equal pinches sea salt, cumin, chili)
• 2 cups sweet corn, from a cob or canned (for time)
• 1 pepper, red, sweet green or your favourite, cubed
• ½ cup carrots, finely diced
• ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 riped avocado, cubed and mixed with lime juice
• 4 spring onions, thinly sliced
• 1 cup mango, cubed
• 4 cups mixed greens, baby spinach or fresh greens, chopped
• 1 cup quinoa, cooked (white, red or your favourite)

Avocado Cilantro Dressing:

• ½ ripe avocado
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 cup cilantro leaves and stems
• 1 large lime, juiced (2-3 tbsp to taste)
• 2 tsp sweetener of choice, to taste (maple syrup, agave, cane sugar, etc.)
• 1/4 tsp cumin powder
• 1/8 tsp chili powder
• 1 healthy pinch each sea salt and black pepper
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
• ¼ cup mango juice
• ¼ cup water (or more to thin the dressing if needed)

Topping:

• Simple Guacamole (avocado mashed with lime juice, a dash of cumin and 1 tsp chopped cilantro)
• Sour cream
• Salsa
• Grated cheddar cheese or vegan cheddar-style shreds
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel the sweet potatoes and chop into bite-sized pieces. Mix the olive oil, cumin, and chili powder together in a small bowl. Brush mixture on sweet potatoes. Roast for 10 minutes. Stir or shake the pan. Turn heat up to 425, and roast for another 10-15 minutes. Check, stir, and bake until the sweet potatoes are just barely roasty-brown on the outside. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Prep all of the remaining salad ingredients.
3. Meanwhile, pulse all the dressing ingredients in a food processor until mostly smooth.
4. Make guacamole by combing all ingredients in a bowl and mashing together.
5. In individual bowls, lay a bed of leafy greens, next add quinoa, black beans & whatever else your heart desires! Drizzle with dressing & finish with your favourite topping!

Recipes by Jackie DeKnock of Gourmet Safari