Living Local - Living Yoga Recipe: 'Niwas Farm Bowls

Otherwise known as the vegetarian staple, "The Buddha Bowl," at 'Niwas we aim to make the commitment to keep all of our Buddha Bowls as "local" as possible, depending on the season.

Always start with your base!
The best Farm bowl starts with a hearty base.  During summer and fall season, we like to roast a mix of potatoes and root vegetables from the Farm or from local Farm friends at the Farmers' Market.  Some options for your hearty base include (but are not limited to!):

• potatoes (baby potatoes are divine!)
• patty pan squash
• sweet potatoes/yams
• pumpkin
• turnips
• fennel
• zucchini
• cauliflower (riced cauliflower can also be a great Farm bowl base)
• various other squash options!
• Sometimes, instead of the root vegetables we incorporate our own locally grown Barley Risotto as a base (we can provide this recipe soon!)

Of course, in the winter season or early Spring, we may have to supplement with an organic quinoa or rice base.  This can also be an option.

Then select your greens!
There are so many options here!  We like to select our various lettuce greens if we cook the base in advance and can let the base cool for more of a hearty salad.  For a warm bowl, you can use beet greens, kale, and/or mizuna.  They can be fresh or sautéed for some variation.

​Then add some locally-sourced veggie pizzazz!
Keep your base and greens company with some locally sourced veggies.  At least 2 other ingredients keep the Farm bowls looking beautiful and offering dense nutritional value.  Some options we incorporate include:

• shredded carrot
• shredded and/or pickled beet
• shredded zucchini
• chopped tomato
• steamed beans
• chopped/fried cabbage
• steamed broccoli/cauliflower
• capsicum/pepper
• sliced radishes
• fruits and berries can be a nice addition too - we often incorporate Huckleberries, apples, and/or pears

Protein is a nice addition.
Some local proteins we add include chopped Alpine meadows cheese, homemade Halloumi cheese or boiled eggs.

Fresh herbs are necessary in our books.
We love our fresh garden herbs around here.  Our favorite is chopped dill however chopped parsley or cilantro can also add some depth of flavour.

Don't forget the dressing!
Farm Bowl dressing is a staple at 'Niwas.  The general recipe we use is:

• 4 parts oil (olive, safflower, or coconut)
• 1 part Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 part sweetness (maple syrup or honey)
• 1 part Tahini sauce
• 1 part tamari
• 1 part nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp ginger
• 2 scallions
• salt and pepper

Blend and voila!  Feel free to play around with the amounts and parts.  During our "local" Sadhana, we only use oil, apple cider vinegar, local honey, tamari, nutritional yeast, scallions and any herbs we see fit.

Buddha and Farm Bowls become such a fun and playful way to simplify your diet, connect with seasonal items, and share ideas with friends.  Do you have any tips for your local bowls?  We'd love to hear them!