What is a dragon bowl?

A dragon bowl is essentially a power bowl which is a flexible, easy way to eat healthy and get creative.  Some people claim that dragon bowls use hearty proteins as a base, where as power bowls use more grains as a base, but honestly you can put whatever you want in either!  It basically is a combination of healthy ingredients that together make a nutrient complete meal.  You can make them vegetarian or add meat proteins.  They can be raw or include cooked ingredients.  Sometimes we prefer the crunchy raw vegetable bowls, whereas other times we go for a hot dragon bowl with quinoa,  roasted peppers and baked sweet potato.  Just try and makes sure you have a variety of vegetables, protein, and a grain.  Top with any dressing you like and get creative and inspired by different cultures (Asian, Mexican, Mediterranean etc).   Thinking in terms of different cuisines helps us decide what ingredients we want to add.  Some of our favorite optional ingredients are fresh herbs like cilantro, nuts and seeds (pumpkin, chia, cashew, almonds, pecans), alfalfa sprouts etc.  These bowls are also a great way to experiment with new grains and different kinds of proteins like lentils or tofu.  There's no end to the number of combinations you can create so go crazy and share your dragon bowls!  

Note: Spiralize and ziplock a bunch of veggies before the work week starts and then make a big batch of quinoa.  Throughout the week add in different things to make meals fast! (chick peas, avocado, canned lentils, chicken, tuna, tofu etc!)

Dragon Bowl Dressing

Serves 3-4

• 3 tbsp nutritional yeast * Available at health food stores

• 3 tbsp avocado or olive oil

• 1 tbsp maple syrup

• 2 tbsp tahini

• 3 tbsp water

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tbsp of tamari

• Juice 1 lime

• Juice 2 lemons

• 1 teaspoon of sriracha

• 1 tbsp of almond butter

• 1 garlic clove

Dragon Bowl Ingredients

• 1 cup of red quinoa

• Spiralized zuchinni

• Spiralized sweet potato

• Spiralized beets

• Spiralized carrots

• Chopped red cabbage

• Alfalfa sprouts

• sesame seeds

• pumpkin seeds

• Avocado

• Chick Peas

Why Use Nutritional Yeast?

A description pulled from Fat Free Vegan Blog. Read more about it here. 

"As you can guess from its name, nutritional yeast is packed with nutrition, particularly B-vitamins, folic acid, selenium, zinc, and protein. It’s low in fat, is gluten-free (check specific brands for certification), and contains no added sugars or preservatives. Because vitamin B12 is absent from plant foods unless it’s added as a supplement, nutritional yeast that contains B12, such as Red Star Vegetarian Support Formula, is a great addition to the vegan diet (though I strongly recommend taking a supplement as the only way to be sure you’re getting enough). Not all nooch has B12, so check the label carefully before buying.

The vitamins and minerals are all well and good, but truthfully, I use nutritional yeast for its flavor, which has been described as cheesy, nutty, savory, and “umami.” Just a tablespoon or two can add richness to soups, gravies, and other dishes, and larger amounts can make “cheese” sauces and eggless scrambles taste cheesy and eggy."