Not every new recipe a week I try works out, but every now and again, one gets elevated to permanent Pepperplate status.
Tonight's is one of those.
I've been a big fan of the vegetarian 101 Cookbooks website for many years. I also have two of Heidi Swanson's cookbooks: Super Natural Cooking, and Super Natural Every Day. (I'm been wanting her third, Near & Far: Recipes Inspired by Home and Travel, but haven't grabbed it yet.) I think I've only made one or two recipes over a decade of following her that have completely bombed. (And when I say, completely bombed, I mean they weren't winners for our taste buds. Not that the recipe was somehow bad.)
Just about a year ago, I did a Top 25 list of "new recipes a week" that were winners for our household. Lots of them were Heidi's. (And I should mention, I still stand by that list, if you're wanting a place to find some new cooking and baking inspiration.)
All this to say, tonight I made Heidi's Vibrant Vegan Double Broccoli Buddha Bowl. And even though I *may* have added a little too much garlic (is that actually a thing?), it was quite tasty — and quite pretty, with all the greens popping to the forefront. I told my husband it was like a salad, but more interesting. For what it's worth, I added all the toppings she recommends (minus the hot sauce for me — but my husband liked the hot-sauce addition). The only thing I would change for next time is I would toast the almonds longer. I think it would add a little extra both in flavor and crunch.
This Buddha Bowl was really easy and quick to put together — especially since I cooked up quinoa in my Instant Pot over the weekend — which was also super easy, thanks to my friend JL's cookbook Vegan Pressure Cooking. Her book is helping me to focus more on pre-cooking grains and beans, and to freeze them so weeknight cooking goes a lot faster. Once I've got this trick solidly up my sleeve, I'm hoping to learn to make and freeze breakfast burritos — if you have any suggestions on this process, let me know in the comments below.