There’s nothing better than a good dose of the sun to brighten your complexion, provide the bones with minerals and give you plenty of energy. In terms of our diet, it’s beta-carotene that gives the skin that tan. By lightly colouring the skin, beta-Carotene found in vegetables, protects you from UV light, thereby reducing the negative effects of the sun and that infamous sunburn!
How wonderful nature is! Summer fruits and vegetables are packed with beta-Carotene.
Fruits rich in beta-Carotene: melon, apricot, Morello cherry, passion fruit, mango, guava, watermelon, papaya, plum, peach, nectarine, blackberry, blackcurrant, fig and rhubarb
Vegetables rich in beta-Carotene: spinach, sweet potato, lettuce, chard, dandelion, watercress, kale, green salad, red pepper and tomato.
Herbs rich in beta-Carotene: parsley, coriander, basil, thyme, spring onion, chives and sage.
WHAT EXACTLY IS A BUDDHA BOWL?
A Buddha bowl is quite simply a large salad containing different vegetables.
This balanced dish can be completed with a source of animal proteins like eggs, fish, meat or cheese.
I’ve mainly gone for fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables that are rich in beta-Carotene, ideal for this summer.
You can dip into the list of foods rich in beta-Carotene to tailor your own Buddha bowl to suit your tastes!
Ingredients for 1 Bowl:
- ½ glass of raw wholegrain (either bulgur, oats, rice)
- ½ red pepper and ½ yellow pepper
- 50g spinach leaves
- ½ tomato
- ½ avocado
- ½ mango
- ½ pomegranate
- ¼ sweet potato and 1 tbsp. olive oil
For the sauce: 2 tsps of olive oil + 1 tsp of rapeseed oil + juice of ½ lemon + salt and pepper
For the seasoning: 2 tbsps of spices: curry, turmeric, coconut shavings, coriander, chives and parsley
SWEET & SAVOURY BUDDHA BOWL RICH IN BETA-CAROTENE:
Cleaning the Vegg: Before you start to make your Buddha bowl, wash your hands; clean your working area, kitchen utensils and your vegetables thoroughly even if they are organic.
Peppers: Pre-heat the oven at 180°C, place the red and yellow peppers, without their seeds and stems, on a piece of greaseproof paper. Cook them in the oven for 35/40 minutes. The skin of peppers should start to change colour. Once out of the oven, remove the skin to suit your taste and digestive tolerance.
Sweet potato: Peel the sweet potato and cut it into large cubes. Cook them in boiling water for 5 to 10 minutes.
Grains: Cook your bulgur, rice or oats in salted water and as indicated on the packet.
Fruits: Peel and cut the tomato, pomegranate, mango, melon and avocado into cubes.
Presentation: Place a layer of grains and spinach leaves on the bottom and add each of the fruits and vegetables plus the aromatic herbs (coriander, chives and parsley). Make it look pretty!
Prepare your seasoning, then sprinkle it over your summery, sweet/savoury Buddha bowl, rich in beta-Carotene.
Bon Appetit!
