Awesome Sauce Bowl

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If you ask me, bowls are the bomb. Based on the reactions of friends and family who have tasted this bowl and its dressing, I have decided to name it “Awesome Sauce Bowl”! It is very flavourful, yet not so overwhelming that it takes over the dish. You can add any ingredients that you enjoy to the bowl and the sauce just seems to fit.

I have made this quite a few ways. My favourite has been with tofu, roasted potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower, stir-fried greens and mushrooms, cucumber, sauerkraut, sprouts, avocado and seeds. Make it with any variety of foods that you enjoy and have in your kitchen!

It can be nice to have some cooked foods along with raw foods and a topping of nuts or seeds for added crunch. Variety keeps the dish interesting. I guess it’s a bit like life.

This Awesome Sauce Bowl dressing is added oil, salt and sugar free. But don’t worry, it doesn’t taste like it! It contains peanut butter (or your choice of any nut or seed butter), an orange and dates to add flavour without adding empty calories. The sauce is also flavoured with garlic, ginger and turmeric which are anti-inflammatory foods. It is also gluten free if you need to be mindful of that.

Here is a review of just a few reasons why a plant-based diet is so great for your mind and body… Just in case you are doubting the amazingness of this lifestyle!

What eating a plant-based diet can do for you:

• Did you know that 97% of people don’t get enough fiber? By eating a variety of whole foods, you will consume enough fiber! This will allow your gut microbiota to thrive and greatly improve your overall health.
  
• Plants provide micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) that promote health. To understand more about what needs to be supplemented (on any diet) I suggest reading “Nourish“, by Brenda Davis and Reshma Shah. It is an outstanding book.
  
• According to Dr. Greger, at www.nutritionfacts.org, and in his book “How Not to Die“, a plant-based lifestyle can help prevent, arrest and reverse the 15 leading killers. These top killers are:
  
  • heart disease
  • lung disease
  • brain disease (Alzheimer’s, Stroke, Dementia)
  • digestive cancers
  • infections
  • diabetes
  • high blood pressure
  • liver diseases
  • blood cancers
  • kidney cancer
  • breast cancer
  • suicidal depression
  • prostate cancer
  • parkinson’s disease
  • iatrogenic causes (death induced unintentionally by a physician or medical system)
    

• According to an article in The Permanente Journal, “The major benefits for patients who decide to start a plant-based diet are the possibility of reducing the number of medications they take to treat a variety of chronic conditions, lower body weight, decreased risk of cancer, and a reduction in their risk of death from ischemic heart disease.” (1)
  
• Shifting toward a plant-based diet is one of the quickest most and impactful ways that we can make a positive difference in both our own health and the wellness of our planet.
  
• By not consuming animal products, the foods you eat won’t hold within them trauma from the life that they were forced to endure. This can lead to a more peaceful feeling in your body. If you don’t believe me, try it out for yourself. 😉

How to make this Awesome Sauce Bowl:

1. Blend together the sauce ingredients. Let the mixture sit for the flavours to commingle. Refrigerate if you are not planning on eating within two hours. For best flavour, return to room temperature before serving.
2. Wash, chop, roast, and stir-fry the ingredients you choose.
3. Place the various ingredients in individual bowls. Drizzle with Awesome Sauce and enjoy!

Awesome Sauce Bowl

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Serves: 4-5 Prep Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 30 minutes 30 minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• SAUCE INGREDIENTS:
• 1/2 cup peanut butter, (almond butter or seed butter can be substituted)
• 1/2 cup water
• one orange, peeled, or 1/3 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup soy sauce, or Braggs Aminos for a gluten free option
• 3 dates, pitted
• 1 large garlic clove
• 1 inch chunk of ginger, peeled
• 1 inch piece of turmeric
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (to help with turmeric absorption)
• BOWL INGREDIENTS (USE SOME OR ALL):
• 1-14 ounce block of medium, firm or extra firm tofu
• 4-5 medium sized potatoes and/or sweet potatoes, scrubbed and sliced
• 4 cups mushrooms, washed and chopped
• 4 cups spinach, kale, Swiss chard or Stinging Nettle, washed and chopped
• 2 cups of broccoli and or cauliflower, chopped
• 6 stalks of asparagus, diced
• 1 avocado, diced
• 5 radishes, washed and sliced
• 1 cup cucumber, diced
• 1 cup sprouts, washed
• 1/2 cup basil, washed and chopped
• 1/2 cup sauerkraut
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds for topping
• (You don't need all of these ingredients. Feel free to pick and choose, omit, or substitute.)

Instructions

1. Blend sauce ingredients in a Vitamix or high speed blender until smooth.  Let sit until ready to use, storing in fridge if necessary.
2. Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and roast potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower.  Toss with a tablespoon or two of olive oil, or apple cider vinegar to avoid using oil.  Potatoes will take longer to cook, so add broccoli and cauliflower after 10 minutes or so.  Bake for ~30-40 minutes, testing for doneness.
3. Meanwhile, drain the tofu, slice in half and wrap in a clean tea towel. Place a heavy pot on top.  Once most of the moisture has come out of the tofu, slice into 3/4 inch squares.  Place in a medium sized bowl and drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil (or soy sauce) and a generous sprinkling of steak spice and garlic powder.  Toss until coated.  Cook in an air-fryer at 200 degrees Celsius, tossing often, or bake in the oven with the vegetables, for 20-25 minutes, flipping once. (Tofu can also be stir-fried on the stove.)
4. Stir-fry the mushrooms, asparagus and greens in a large frying pan for approximately 8 minutes or until they are cooked but the veggies are still a bright green color.  Keep the pan moist using small amounts of veggie broth or water.  
5. Wash and chop the cucumbers, basil, avocado and radishes. Set aside. Gather the remainder of the toppings.
6. When the vegetables are roasted and the tofu is cooked, remove from the oven.  Place all the ingredients in separate bowls for serving, or make the bowls up immediately and serve.  Simply add all of the ingredients to each individual bowl or allow each person to choose their own ingredients.  Liberally cover with the Awesome Sauce and provide extra for second helpings!

                                                                     www.thevibrantveggie.com

Notes

Double the sauce recipe for added guests or just to keep in the fridge as a dressing for salads, wraps, veggies, etc. Cook extra veggies and an extra block of tofu to feed more mouths.

If you love this recipe, you might also like this Naked Buddha Bowl with Lemon Tahini Sauce. It is my version of the Buddha Bowl at the Naked Cafe downtown Kelowna.