What is in a Sunshine Bowl?
- raw crunchy veggies
- whole grains – brown rice or quinoa
- Tofu
- Sunshine Sauce!
Fresh grated beets add a pleasant sweetness to the dish, and I always try to include them- here were using golden beets.
Vegan Sunshine Bowl
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: healthy veggie Bowl
- Method: assembled
- Cuisine: Vegan
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This healthy vegan Sunshine Bowl is packed full of healthy veggies, brown rice and greens, and dressed with the tastiest Sunshine Sauce. (Updated 4/2021)
Ingredients
- 4 cups hot cooked brown rice, quinoa or other whole grain
- 16 ounces (1 1/2 cups) cubed extra-firm tofu ( or feel free to buy baked tofu, or make crispy tofu)
- Drizzle of soy sauce or liquid aminos- optional
- 4 cups fresh raw crunchy veggies- grated beets, grated carrots, radish, daikon, kohlrabi, cucumber, jicama, peppers, snap peas, tomatoes
- 2 cups packed leafy greens–kale, spinach or arugula
- 2 tablespoons chives or scallions- chopped
- 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
- sprouts- optional
Sunshine Sauce:
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, raw (see notes!)or sub hemp seeds
- 1/4 cup water (start with 1/4 cup, add more as needed)
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice (half an orange)
- 1/4 cup Bragg’s Liquid Amino’s or soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, more to taste
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1–2 garlic cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- ——-
- 1/8– 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric (optional, for color)
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger (optional)
- 1–2 teaspoons bee pollen (optional, for allergy benefits)
- 1–3 teaspoons nutritional yeast flakes (optional, for rich flavor)
Instructions
Cook grain or rice according to directions. Drizzle 1 teaspoon Braggs liquid amino over cubed tofu in a bowl and set aside, letting it marinate.
Prep tofu: If using raw tofu, cut into cubes and place in a bowl and drizzle with a little soy sauce to season. Alternatively, crispy tofu would taste great here, or baked tofu.
Prep all veggies: grate or finely slice and set a side.
Make Sunshine Sauce (see notes first). Place all ingredients in a high-powered blender and blend until creamy and smooth. This may take a few minutes- and remember to scrape down the sides. If too thick, blend in a tablespoon or two more water (or add olive oil) as needed. It will thicken as it chills. Taste adjust salt and vinegar to your taste.
Assemble: When the grain is cooked, divide among 4 bowls. Top with chopped kale. Arrange veggies and tofu overtop. Drizzle with Sunflower Seed Sauce. Garnish with chopped chives ( or scallions ), sprouts, and sunflower seeds.
Notes
- If you don’t have a high-powered blender, these can be tricky to blend until completely smooth and creamy. You could simmer them in boiling water for 5 minutes and drain,or soak them in cold water for 30-60 minutes first (or overnight) to soften before blending, or sub hemp seeds. Soaked cashews would also work here.
- If you only have salted sunflower seeds, skip the salt in the recipe, adding it to taste.
Componenets can be made ahead, refrigerated and assembled for midweek meals. The dressing will keep up to one week in the fridge.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: -with 3 tablespoons Sunshine dressing
- Calories: 509
- Sugar: 9.9 g
- Sodium: 595.5 mg
- Fat: 19.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 64.1 g
- Fiber: 9.6 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sadly, not one of my favorites. 🙁 The dressing came out so watery and I wasn’t able to doctor it up. That really makes the dish, so it was just meh to me. I’ve tried a couple other Sylvia recipes and liked them though, so I’ll keep trying!
I caught the error in the recipe- I’m so sorry about that. Fixed now. I appreciate you letting me know!
I LOVE this recipe and make it often! I didn’t have all of the ingredients for the sauce the second time I made it and ended up using substitutions with great success, which I think I will repeat in the future:
-substituted the soy sauce and orange juice for one ingredient – Yuzu Ponzu Sauce
-substituted the Apple Cider Vinegar for Rice Vinegar
-left out the nutritional yeast
-added a splash of Mirin
-topped with raw pecan pieces instead of additional sunflower seeds
Love it! Thanks for sharing Lynn!
Made this tonight but next time I will change the dressing a bit. Mine came out very watery and a little too salty flavored. I poured out half the liquid and added cashew butter to thicken it and added some orange rind. Delicious bowl idea though, and a good way to use up extra veggies. Thanks!
I’m so sorry about the runny dressing, there was a typo in the recipe – but it is fixed now. 🙂
Hi. Need to add on tahini ? Or just blend without tahini sauce?
Yes, no actual tahini in it – the sunflower seeds replace it. 🙂
I’ve loved this bowl for years now and never thought to leave a rating, The dressing is SUPERB!
But plz can i use white Basmati Rice in place of Brown Rice , will it turn out to be the same ?
Of course- use any grain you like!
The pop up ads at the bottom of the screen are extremely annoying.
Thanks, I’ll look into it. Are you on mobile, desk top or i-pad?
I love rainbow salads! The dressing sounds unbelievable, I love using tahini in recipes. I’m going to have to try making this!
Your pictures are so bright and inviting! I can’t wait to give this a try 🙂
Thanks Paula!
What a gorgeous salad! It makes me happy just looking at it. We just returned from a long weekend in Idaho and I’m itching to get back to explore more places.
Your pictures are beautiful and that sunflower seed tahini sauce sounds delicious! I’ll try out tomorrow for lunch.
Let us know what you think…thanks!!!
That sunflower seed-tahini dressing sounds really nice! However, I wonder if the recipe is missing tahini? 🙂
The sunflower seeds replace the tahini in this recipe. I suppose the tahini should be “tahini”. 🙂
I see the confusion- I may change the name of the dressing.
Beautiful photos that captures the essence of an equally beautiful salad. I love dressing.
This is gorgeous! I love kohlrabi!
another stunning recipe. i love how nourishing it will be for my body!
Thanks Amanda!!
Looks so gorgeous – I love bowls!
http://youtube.com/addalittlefood
This is a beautiful salad, and so, so healthy. : )