This cauliflower gnocchi buddha bowl came as a result of not quite knowing what to make for lunch. Whenever I don’t know what to cook for lunch, I immediately go for Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi. Cauliflower Gnocchi is one of my favorite foods. It goes well with everything. And also, it’s so easy and quick to cook. Although, I do want to mention that I do not make the cauliflower gnocchi the way the instructions state to do so. I typically spray some avocado spray in a non stick skillet and then allow them to cook from frozen. I like the gnocchi to be slightly crisp and following the instructions makes them taste soggy since it involves water.
Eventually, I will be making cauliflower gnocchi from scratch. I’ve seen some tutorials online and it’s actually not that quite difficult. However, I’m not in a rush to make it because Trader Joe’s does all of the work for me with theirs. The last time I made gnocchi, I was in the kitchen for 3 hours standing. Keep in mind I was using purple sweet potato, which was a little slimy.
Instead of cooking the cauliflower gnocchi the way that I typically make it, I decided to top it with coconut aminos and maple syrup. I like to call this sauce the poor man’s teriyaki sauce without all of the extra steps. Coconut aminos and maple syrup tastes phenomenal with everything.
In conclusion, I want to mention that I know that “buddha bowls” are typically vegetarian or vegan meals. This dish technically doesn’t check off all the boxes. But I am titling all of my “bowl” dishes buddha bowls because they always contain some vegetables, a grain, and/or protein. I post these bowls I come up with to give people creative lunch ideas.
How to make a cauliflower gnocchi buddha bowl:
First off, I want to mention that I named this dish “cauliflower gnocchi buddha bowl” due to the fact I didn’t know what to name this meal. Often, I throw a bunch of ingredients together in an effort to clean out my refrigerator. Technically, the star of this cauliflower gnocchi buddha bowl is the green beans since there are lots of them.
To make this cauliflower gnocchi buddha bowl, start off by making your chicken. If you’re lazy and don’t have much time to make the chicken, use some rotisserie chicken. If you’re vegan, substitute the chicken for seitan, tofu, or tempeh. For the chicken, I simply seasoned the chicken with sweet ginger spice, garlic powder, dried cilantro, and black pepper. As far as oil, I used a little bit of avocado oil. Normally, I’ll use just avocado oil cooking spray when making my chicken because I like to watch my fat intake.
Next, cook a can of pinto beans! Yes, I’ve let you all know that I am very lazy. I don’t enjoy the long process of making beans. Although, it’s ten times more delicious than the ones in the can. I usually buy the cans of beans with low sodium and no additional additives. Cooking beans doesn’t take too long on the stove. Normally it takes 5-10 minutes for them to cook completely.
Lastly, for the green beans and baby kale, I simply just added them to the pan with the gnocchi! I buy frozen green beans because I never eat the fresh ones fast enough to justify buying them. I’ve had some bad experiences with buying fresh green beans. They’re simply seasoned with garlic powder and a little salt. Nothing more nothing less.
Want more recipes?
- Roasted Garlic Tomato Pasta
- Healthy Fried Chicken Wings
- Carrot Ginger Miso Salad
- Black Truffle Alfredo Pasta
Cauliflower Gnocchi Buddha Bowl
Ingredients
For the Gnocchi
- 1 cup Cauliflower Gnocchi
- 1 tbsp Coconut Aminos
- 1 tbsp Maple Syrup
- Avocado Oil Cooking Spray, for spraying
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp White Sesame Seeds, optional
For The Chicken:
- 1 Boneless Chicken Thigh (or pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, tofu, shrimp, etc..)
- 1 tbsp Sweet Ginger Spice
- 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Dried Cilantro
- 1 tbsp Avocado Oil
For The Pinto Beans:
- 1/3 cup Canned Pinto Beans
For The Green Beans/Baby Kale
- 1 cup Baby Kale
- 1/2 cup Frozen Green Beans
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
- Avocado Oil Cooking Spray, for spraying
Instructions
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Begin by cooking your canned pinto beans according to instructions on the packaging. You can season the beans to your liking. Turn the heat on low while you cook the rest of the dish.
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Heat a non stick skillet over medium/high heat and spray the skillet with avocado oil cooking spray. Add your gnocchi. Toss them in the skillet and cook them until they turn golden brown.
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Once the gnocchi has turned brown, add your green beans and baby kale. Season with the garlic powder and kosher salt. Continue to sauté until done. Once the baby kale and green beans have cooked, remove them from the skillet. Do not remove the gnocchi.
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Add 1 tbsp of coconut aminos and 1 tbsp of maple syrup to the skillet. Toss for 1 minute and then remove from heat. Top with the white sesame seeds.
For The Chicken:
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Add 1 tbsp of avocado oil to a cast iron skillet and heat over medium/high heat. Add all of the spices above to a bowl and mix.
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Season both sides of the chicken with the spice blend. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 35 minutes. Flip the chicken periodically. After 35 minutes, remove from heat and check using a meat thermometer that the chicken has reached 165 degrees F.
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