Sticky Sweet Chilli Aubergine and Hummus Rainbow Bowl

The ultimate bowl to celebrate the best of homegrown British vegetables – a sticky sweet aubergine rainbow bowl filled with colour, texture and flavour. Served with hummus and buckwheat this is the perfect vegan, gluten-free and vibrant dinner or lunch bowl.

There is nothing better than a buddha bowl in my opinion for lunch or dinner. It is basically the greediness in me meaning that I don’t have to limit myself to a few core ingredients but have a little bit of everything in one meal. Buddha, nourish or rainbow bowls – whatever you want to call them – are also great meals to clear out the fridge or to use up what you have left. They are not demanding and there are no strict rules.

For my rainbow bowls, I tend to use the following combination:

1. A hearty wholesome grain or carbohydrate (quinoa, brown rice, buckwheat, roasted potatoes, sweet potatoes)
2. A source of protein (beans, legumes, tofu, tempeh, peas, avocado)
3. A mix of cooked vegetables (lots of colour)
4. A mix of raw vegetables (think texture)
5. A good sauce (vinaigrette, tahini, lemon juice and olive oil, balsamic glaze, tahini)
6. Some healthy fats (avocado, nuts, seeds, tahini, hummus)
7. A good crunch on top (seeds, nuts)

Once you’ve got the basics it is so easy to make a really delicious meal or to prepare a big batch of a few ingredients and then mix and match to make different bowls throughout the week.

For this Sticky Sweet Chilli Aubergine and Hummus Rainbow Bowl, my grain of choice is buckwheat while I’ve sourced the protein from the avocado and hummus. The cooked vegetable part is my favourite: sticky sweet chilli aubergine. Simply score the flesh, marinade in some sweet chilli sauce and sesame oil and then BBQ or roast in the oven until tender and sticky. I’ve also added in a charred mini green bell pepper which came straight from the garden. Similarly, I’ve sautéed a little homegrown broccoli. 

The raw vegetables are equally fun and versatile: chopped tomatoes, sliced radish and some salad leaves.

Arrange all the components, cooked and raw, in bowls, top with some creamy hummus, fresh herbs, and then sprinkle with your crunch!

I hope you will love building your own buddha bowls and enjoy this Sticky Sweet Chilli Aubergine and Hummus Rainbow Bowl – it is packed with flavour, texture and colour. It comes together quickly and easily as it relies on simple, wholesome plant-based ingredients. Serve this up to guests so they can make their own bowls unique and save leftovers to make dinners and lunch boxes a breeze throughout the week.

For more buddha bowl recipes, have a look at my Golden Rice Nourish Bowl, Butternut Squash Macro Power Bowl and Beetroot and Date Quinoa with Tamari Kale and Mushrooms. Plus, it’s so easy to make your own hummus – how about Simple and Creamy Hummus or Smoked Red Pepper and Walnut Hummus.

Sticky Sweet Chilli Aubergine and Hummus Rainbow Bowl

• Servings: 2
• Time: 30 minutes plus marinating option
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

A sticky sweet aubergine rainbow bowl filled with colour, texture and flavour, served with hummus and buckwheat - this is the perfect vegan, gluten-free and vibrant dinner or lunch bowl.

Ingredients

• 1 aubergine, halved lengthways
• 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• For the bowl:
• 100g buckwheat
• Olive oil
• 1 pepper (or 2 baby peppers)
• 100g broccoli, florets and stem
• 1 handful cherry tomatoes, chopped
• 2 radishes, sliced
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1 handful salad leaves
• Simple and creamy hummus
• To serve: fresh mint, sriracha hot sauce, spicy mayonnaise, sesame seeds, cashew nuts, chilli flakes

Directions

1. Score the flesh of the aubergine in cross-hatch pattern and rub over the sesame oil and sweet chilli sauce, seasoning with salt and black pepper. Leave to marinade in a covered dish for 30 minutes (or you can use straight away).
2. Either grill the aubergine on the BBQ for 10 minutes until tender and charred or roasted in a preheated oven at 160Fan/180*C for about 30 minutes, until softening and charring.
3. Meanwhile, cook the buckwheat according to packet instructions, drain and leave to cool.
4. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the pepper and broccoli with some salt and black pepper until blistering but still retaining some bite.
5. To serve, arrange the salad leaves in 2 bowls, top with the buckwheat, grilled sticky aubergine, sautéed pepper and broccoli, chopped tomatoes, sliced radishes, avocado slices, a good dollop of simple and creamy hummus and any other toppings desired.

I hope you will love these Sticky Sweet Chilli Aubergine and Hummus Rainbow Bowls and I can’t wait to hear your feedback. Leave me a comment below and tag me in your creations – I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest  – please say hello!

With rainbow bowl love x