BUDDHA BOWLS

For Vegans, Vegetarians, and Pescatarians Tanja Dusy, Grub Street (SEP 30) Softcover $26.95 (126pp), 978-1-911667-05-6

Mindful, healthful eating is the essence of Buddha Bowls, a cookbook that explores popular, Asian-inspired meals that balance grains, toppings, and sauces to satisfy hungry bellies any time of the day.

Tanja Dusy’s recipes put vegetables and fruits at the fore. They emphasize healthy carbs and plant proteins. Most are either vegan or vegetarian, though there are plenty of suggested variations for omnivores. Whatever the Buddha Bowl combo: the emphasis is on nutrition and elegant presentation, shown in the book’s composed, bright photographs.

The cookbook tees off with a generous selection of nonstandard breakfast ideas, from comforting coconut rice slathered with mango compote to bowls packed with raw and cooked veggies adorned with sprouts, seeds, and crispy toppers, like dukkah and spicy granola.

Gliding from Easy Bowl recipes to more intricate, layered Super Bowls, the book globe-trots with its flavors: There’s Indian daal; an intriguing Bavarian Bowl of durum wheat, sauerkraut, and a cream cheese dip; a Korean Rice Bowl gussied up with swirls of seaweed omelet; and an Aladdin’s Wonderful Bowl brimming over with tabbouleh, tahini, and falafel.

Good knife work and a passable understanding of the art of the garnish are key to elevating a homemade Buddha Bowl from good to great, but otherwise there are no tricky kitchen skills to master. With only a smattering of unusual ingredients, like dried barberries and ground linseed, the book’s basic recipe pages introduce simple techniques like making quick vegetable pickles and simple cheeses like labneh and paneer; others focus on different cooking methods for staple ingredients, like chickpeas, kale, and tofu.

Buddha Bowls is an enthusiastic guide to whipping up quick, appealing meals that are perfect for busy weeknights. The recipes are great alternatives to take-out—and a whole lot easier on the eyes, gut, wallet, and planet.