As a longtime bowl food fanatic, I’m super-excited about participating in the blog tour for Zsu Dever’s new book, Vegan Bowls: Perfect Flavor Harmony in Cozy One-Bowl Meals. Vegan Bowls is a book whose time has come — and Zsu Dever, with her restaurant background and gift for combining flavors, is just the person to bring it to you!
If you love the comfort and simplicity of enjoying dinner (and breakfast or lunch!) in a bowl, then this book is definitely for you. In addition to featuring some wonderful classic bowl-food recipes such as hearty soup, salad, and chili bowls, Zsu’s creativity really shines in some of the unexpected and delightful bowl combos such as Philly Cheesesteak Bowl, Reuben Mac and Cheese Bowl, and an ingenious Holiday Bowl, just in time for the upcoming season.
One of the things I like most about the recipes is they are versatile and most can be made in less than 45 minutes — that’s a COMPLETE meal, including protein, veggies, and grains, noodles or potatoes, all harmonized with a delicious sauce and garnish. In Vegan Bowls, Zsu also provides a template showing how easy it is to build your own bowl using your favorite ingredients. Best of all, the versatility allows for use of on-hand or leftover ingredients. For example, if you already have cooked rice or beans on hand, dinner can be on the table in just minutes.
As an example, in the the recipe for the Thai Panang Curry Bowl (provided below), the recipe calls for quinoa as a quick and delicious change from the usual rice. However, if you prefer rice, or happen to have some on hand, then you can use rice instead. Likewise, the recipe calls for 5 cups of chopped veggies — when I made it I cut back on the veggies just a bit and included some diced baked tofu that I had on hand for an even heartier dish. I also left out the kaffir lime leaves (since I can’t find them where I live) and opted for a squeeze of lime juice instead. The resulting meal was better than the panang curry I usually get at the Thai restaurant an hour away. With Vegan Bowls, the best bowl food doesn’t have to come from a restaurant — it can come out of your own kitchen!
Before you head to the kitchen to make this recipe for Thai Panang Curry Bowl, take a minute and enter my Giveaway to win a copy of Vegan Bowls. To enter, just leave a comment at the end of this post describing your favorite meal in a bowl. That’s it! You can enter more than once if you go to Facebook and Like my page: Robin Robertson’s Global Vegan Kitchen then leave another comment telling me you Liked my Facebook page!
This giveaway ends Sunday night, October 4th at midnight. A winner will be announced on Monday, October 5th. Enter now!
Thai Panang Curry Bowl
SERVES 4
This is such a simple recipe that it almost feels like cheating. In addition to being quick, this curry is super flexible; use any variety of vegetables that you please. (Recipe from Vegan Bowls, copyright © 2015 by Zsu Dever. Used by permission from Vegan Heritage Press, LLC.)
QUINOA
1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup green peas, thawed if frozen
CURRY
1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk, divided
1 to 2 tablespoons red curry paste
2 tablespoons peanut butter
3 (2-lobed) kaffir lime leaves
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari
1/4 to 1/2 cup water
5 cups coarsely chopped vegetables (carrot, winter squash, summer squash, green beans)
1 cup sliced red bell pepper
Sea salt and black pepper
1/2 cup Thai basil or Genoese basil
SOY-FREE OPTION: Substitute coconut aminos and 1/8 teaspoon sea salt for the tamari.
QUINOA: Heat the quinoa, broth, garlic and salt in a small saucepan. Cover, bring to boil over high heat, reduce to medium-low heat, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside for 10 minutes. Fluff with fork and add peas before serving.
CURRY: Heat 1/4 cup coconut milk in a large pot over medium heat. Add the curry paste and cook until the milk reduces a bit, about 1 minute. Add another 1/4 cup of the milk and the peanut butter and cook for another minute. Add the remaining milk, the lime leaves, tamari, and 1/4 cup of water. Add the tough vegetables (carrot, winter squash) and cook for 4 minutes. Add the soft vegetables (summer squash, green beans) and simmer over medium until the vegetables are tender. Add the bell pepper and cook until crisp tender, about 1 minute. Add more water if the curry is too dry. Season with salt and pepper. To serve, divide the curry and quinoa among 4 bowls. Garnish with the basil.
{ 93 comments… add one }
I love a curry broth with cabbage, onion, potato, carrot, cilantro, and pea shoots. Sprinkled with crushed nuts. This book looks wonderful.
Of course I like (love!) Robin Robertson’s Global Vegan Kitchen facebook page!!!
A bowl of greens, with baked tofu and a yummy sauce!
My favorite meal in a bowl is brown rice, roasted brussel sprouts, roasted butternut squash, chickpeas, sautéed kale with garlic, topped with a spicy peanut sauce!
I love rice and beans! I top it with tomatoes, scallions, plantains and home made chimichurri sauce. So good!
I have many favorite meals in a bowl, but one is for sure my special rice, that has Basmati rice, curry, green peber, green apple, garlic, veg. stock and onion in it. Fry the onion and the peber til onion clear, and add the rest and cook til rice done. One of my favorite meals.
I’d love to win the book.
Sorry of course the curry needs to get burned of first and then fry the onions and pebers.
I like to do a Southern Comfort Food bowl with stewed tomatoes, collards, black eye peas, and brown rice. 🙂
I love to throw a grain and all the veggies I can together then add black beans with hot sauce. I love hot sauce!
I also liked your Facebook page.
My favorite bowl combo is beets, brown rice, tofu and butternut squash with a peanut dressing topped with sesame seeds. I love bowls. Thanks so much for this giveaway!
I follow global vegan kitchen also on facebook.
I love peanut curry in a bowl.
I love an assortment of green vegs with chickpeas in a garlicky, ginger broth over rice noodles.
While in Toronto last time to take care of my mother, i got short on money. The most filling and comforting thing in the world was rice with corn and a lot of garlic, bit of Earth Balance and salt. Then i topped it with refried beans, shredded cheez, and around the edge of the bowl, salsa. Microwave til bubbly and enjoy.
I prefer to eat out of bowls with chopsticks and spoons. I finally bought some other cutlery and small plates, but that will remain my usual way to eat.
I love one bowl meals! My favorite hot one bowl meal is One Pot Ravioli. My favorite cold meal is a salad bowl with lots of piles of goodness! 🙂
I LOVE a good tofu noodle bowl. Lots of vegetables, blackened or fried tofu, a nice sauce. Mwah!
I love a bowl of collard greens and black-eyed peas in a tangy tomato/hot sauce over brown rice. Sometimes I’ll add a sweet potato, too.
And of course I liked your facebook page, it’s fabulous! Looking forward to cooking up these recipes!
Burrito bowl! Rice, beans, and yummy toppings!
Already like your Facebook page!
Panang curry with tofu!
Red beans and rice!
I love a classic rice and black bean bowl! With sauteed mushroom, onions, and bell peppers. Topped with salsa and cilantro!
I liked your Facebook page : )
Anything with coconut milk can’t be bad
Our go to bowl is Pizza Bowl with kale and Field Roast Sausage with a spicy homemade cashew pizza sauce. Would love to make more bowls. They rock so much easier to prepare an all in one bowl.
I love all bowl foods… But nothing compares to rice and beans with some fresh salsa, avocado, shredded kale and some sliced bananas on top. ? maybe a little hot sauce.
Honestly granola cereal and any soups on a bowl. I make an awesome bean soup with kale, which I’m having for dinner tonight.
This book would expand my bowl eatery exponentially.
God bless Robin!!!
My favorite meal in a bowl is actually what I eat for breakfast a lot. Yellow corn grits with spices and fresh fruit. So filling and warming and perfect ? thanks for making yummy recipes, robin!
Taco bowls: seasoned rice, beans, peppers, salsa, lettuce. Yum!
I “liked” your Facebook page. 🙂
I have liked your FB page forever. A nice stifado is one of my favorite one bowl meals.
I love a good Buddha bowl! One of my faves is cooked farro, sauteed greens, roasted sweet potatoes, protein of choice (beans, tempeh, tofu) and tahini-lemon sauce drizzled on top.
Everything taste better in a bowl. I like burrito bowls, salad bowls, pasta bowls. My favorite is baked potato topped with chili, cheezse sauce and broccoli topped with tofu sour cream and hot sauce.
Can’t wait to check out this new book!
My favorite “bowl” is actually one of your recipes. It’s quinoa, black beans, corn, etc… with cashew queso. I usually serve it over brown rice or romaine salad. YUM!
Oh, and I’ve been a fan of your Facebook page forever 🙂
My favorite go to bowl is your Bento Bowl. When I need to make a quick healthy dish that fits the bill. A hot dish and salad all in one bowl 🙂
Oh, and I liked your FB awhile ago.
I love these buddha bowls
I use whatever I have on hand in the freezer, cupboard or frige to make a quick bowl for lunch/main meal.
I try to keep it simple so quinoa or rice, with sweet potato, portabello mushroom, avocado, any leftover veggies from other meals and some form of protein like tofu or tempeh. Cilantro ideally! And then sometimes just Bragg’s or soy sauce.
I love a big kitchen sink salad–with veggies, beans or tofu, and a variety of different dressings to keep it interesting.
I can’t remember which of your cookbooks it is from but the Chipotle Pinto and Quinoa Bowl is my all time favorite. I have it over a bed of fresh spinach, topped with cilantro, avocado and don’t skimp on the hot sauce!
I especially love noodle bowls with Asian flavors, although beans, greens, and brown rice with a good sauce come in second. This book looks like one I have to have.
I love Korean bibimbops in bowls — delicious and so sensible. Actually, I often put whatever meal I’m making in a bowl.
Spaghetti squash burrito bowl where the squash serves as the bowl is the most recent bowl meal enjoyed. Herb seasoned polenta, roasted vegetables & sautéed greens is a favorite. Also a “what’s in the fridge & needs to be eaten” bowl happens frequently. 🙂
I just love the whole idea of bowl meals in general, so it’s hard to choose just one! Am looking forward to your new book!
Start with some brown rice, then some black beans, corn, avocado, minced onion, and top with some salsa. yum!!
I love a vegan version of Pad Thai in a bowl.
Your’s was the first cookbook I read when I first went vegetarian. I have all your cookbooks. Thank you so much for all that you do!
p.s. I liked your Facebook Page too.
I love making a chia bowl with fruits nuts coconut hemp
I liked you on FB
Any bowl that includes black beans is a hit with me !
My favoriate bowl is BiBimBap everytime.
Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy of this great-looking cookbook, Robin!
My favorite meal in a bowl…ooh…hard call to make. I, too, am a long-standing bowl-food fanatic. Guess I’ll go with my current daily knosh…barley, lots and lots of chopped cilantro, a couple handfuls of chopped spinach, briefly-steamed fresh corn cut off the cob, fresh green beans steamed with the corn, chickpeas, red onion, and a dressing made from a lot of lime juice, some olive oil, a dash of vinegar, a clove of pressed garlic, a few dashes of cholula hot sauce, a bit of cumin, salt and pepper. Sounds weird, I know, but I can’t get enough of it!
My fave kinda chances a little wth the seasons, so the veggies may vary but my love of a big bowl of veggies wth quinoa or rice noodles & my home made satay sauce & veggies stays the same, so so good. Another variation is that I sometimes feel soupy & add a little of my home made veggie stock & end up wth the most delightful bowl of satay/soup/veggies so good!
Is this open to International readers? If so I would love to enter!
My favourite bowl is usually the one I am currently eating, so right now that is Vegetable curry with dahl and rice!
Favorite bowl: brown rice, with artichoke, spinach, tofu, lemon zest and splash of olive oil and black epper
Bibimbap vegetarian in a stone bowl. The rice gets crispy on the bottom!
I love Taco Salad. It’s easy to prepare in individual bowls which also allows each person to individualize their salad.
I liked your FB page.
Pad Thai is always a family favorite!
I have liked your Facebook page Robin Robertson’s Global Vegan Kitchen.
I’m a huge fan of quinoa, roasted veggies or steamed broccoli, sweet potato, carrots, spinach and cashews with some Bragg’s liquid soy seasoning.
I liked your Facebook page 🙂
Red beans and rice, perfect for a cold night.
Tofu sofritas with pinto beans, roasted veggies (peppers, onion, zucchini), roasted corn, brown rice and fresh salsa. yum!!
I like a bowl with some kind of grain, usually brown rice or quinoa, some baked tofu, steamed kale & a yummy tahini-miso-noochy sauce!
I also liked your FB page. 🙂
Nacho bowl – black beans, lettuce, chips, scallions, tomatoes, and the delicious cheez sauce from Vegan on the Cheap!
I don’t have a lot of time to cook, so my bowls are usually brown rice and broccoli topped with tamari, nooch and hot sauce. But this new book can give me a lot of inspiration!
I love a bowl full of zucchini “noodles” with spicy peanut sauce and an assortment of colorful veggies.
I’m definitely trying this, looks gorgeous! A curry is always a great option when in doubt
I really enjoy a recipe I found called Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quinoa Bowls. Very good meatless meal in a bowl.
Pizza bowls! Anything with steamed kale… Liked you on FB :).
Noodles! Noodles with veggies!
Whole grain pasta with a red pepper sauce and lots of veggies! Especially with some bread and olives.
Peanut sauce, brown rice, Tofu and kale!
My favorite meal in a bowl is veggie chili with cornbread on the side.
My favorite meal-in-a-bowl is Udon noodles with Shiitakes, cabbage, corn & ginger/miso/mirin/sweet chili sauce. Yum!
Robin, I’ve LIKED your FB page, your blog, your books and most of all, your recipes, since I first discovered them in my early years of being vegan.
My favorite meal in a bowl is pasta!
I like your Facebook page.
My favorite bowl is black beans, rice, onion, tomatoe, salsa , avocado, olives on top of crisp romaine lettuce. But after reading other people’s favorite bowls, I think I will have to try some new recipes! Yum!
I made a huge pot of three types of beans yesterday, in honor of World Vegetarian Day and that’s my fave dish/bowl! I like them mashed up with onions, carrots and lots of spices–nothing expensive there! It’s my comfort food when it’s not stinking hot out like it has been for weeks here in LA.
I have liked your Facebook page for some time and enjoy your posts with delicious pics.
a meal in a bowl – brown rice, baked tofu cubes, broccoli, onion, carrots, ginger, miso broth
I – liked – your Facebook page.
Now that the weather is getting a little cooler, I am all about a good soup/stew! Thanks for the giveaway!
My favorite meal in a bowl is a Nacho Bowl made with baked corn tortillas, lettuce, black beans, fresh or frozen corn, tomatoes, green onions, black olives, and lime juice. It is topped with a vegan nacho sauce made with nondairy milk and nutritional yeast (and a few other ingredients). Yum! Love eating quick bowl meals after a long day at work. And I cannot wait to try your Thai Panang Curry Bowl. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
And I liked your Facebook page: Robin Robertson’s Global Vegan Kitchen. I don’t know why I took so long to find your page. Thank you again for sharing so much great vegan information. Helps me stay on track.
Does not dairy ice cream count? If not I’ll go with stir fry!
oatmeals!
Liked on Facebook.