Market bowls: The Midwestern Buddha bowl

For those of you who know me, know that I thrive during farmers market season! Every weekend (that I am in town), you will find me at the St. Paul's market with my straw bag. Anyone who has joined me at the farmers market knows that my first stop is the Golden's bagel stand for an egg & cheese bagel sandwich and cold press coffee (basic, I know). After I am fed and caffeinated, I must do a lap around the market, survey the stands, and take inventory of the options before committing. After my initial lap, I be sure to swing by Bar 5 meats to pick up eggs, meat (always some philly cheese brats) and a dog bone (best $5 spent). Pro tip: Bar 5 offers a punch card - once you fill it up, you get a choice of 1 lb ground beef, ground pork or breakfast sausage. I then head to for some organic microgreens (great on top of eggs, salads and duh, the market bowl) and whatever produce I feel like working with for the week.

Ok, as you can tell I am in a committed relationship with the farmers market. A weekly meal around the Lukas household is a Market bowl - a meal that I coined based on my winter specialty buddha bowls, but with Midwestern farmers market finds (clever, I know). Market (and buddha) bowls are incredibly easy, versatile, cheap, nutritious and often carry leftovers into the week.

Base: Start with a grain! I usually prefer a sprouted brown rice, but quinoa or farro would also work well.

Protein: I have become a big fan of the brats provided at the farmers market (see note above about Bar 5's Philly Cheese brats). I feel like vendors take pride in the flavor of brats or hot dogs they create, so you can really switch up the flavor every week. Some flavors that we have tried include bloody mary, cherry jalapeno, and blueberry wild rice. You can also do chicken, shredded beef or pork, steak or a couple soft boiled eggs - I just highly recommend brats because what is more Midwestern than a brat cooked via stove top in beer and finished on the grill?

Veggies: Use whatever you have in the fridge or whatever they happen to have out at the market. My favorites include eggplant, green beans, peppers, carrots, red onion, garlic and/or garlic scapes, broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes (sweet or regular) radishes, microgreens, sweet corn, cabbage, beets - the possibilities are seriously endless and evolve with the season. I regularly roast a large pan of vegetables on Sundays - lately, it has been for these bowls, but roasted veggies are also good for scrambled eggs throughout the week, reheating as a side for another meal or even on its own. I prefer to roast vegetables at a higher heat of 425 - not only does it cut down the cooking time (hello, hanger), but also gives the vegetables a nice crisp. I highly recommend using avocado oil because it does not denature like olive oil at a higher temp. Drizzle with your favorite oil, seasonings and pop in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Be sure to check the tenderness of the root vegetables, like the potatoes and carrots, as they can take a little longer. Pro tip: use a combination of raw and roasted vegetables to add different flavors and textures.

Toppings: Anything! I tend to slather avocado on everything, so that is my go to. Sometimes, I will get fancy and make an avocado crema. Another favorite is hummus or plain greek yogurt, but literally the possibilities are endless, and if you ask Mr. Lukas, ketchup or BBQ is also acceptable.

Ingredients: brown rice, brats, roasted cauliflower, sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts, red onion, pepper and topped with micro greens and garlic scapes. 

Ingredients: brown rice, arugula, brats, roasted potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, red onion and topped with radishes, garlic scapes and avocado.

Ingredients: brown rice, brats, roasted carrots, eggplant, green beans, potatoes and topped with red onions, micro greens, peppers and avocado crema (obviously, feeling fancy here)

Ingredients: brown rice, brats, roasted carrots, potatoes, peppers, eggplant and topped with sweet corn and avocado.  Also, please notice here, that I am NOT a professional food photographer. Chances are I am trying to get a semi-decent shot before I eat my arm off. 

Here is an example of what I call the 'assembly line'. Mr. Lukas and I can go through and choose which ingredients we want and how much - Market bowls are totally customizable, which makes them great for family gatherings or with kids (I am assuming this because as you can see in the bottom left corner of this photo is the furry foot of our child).

I hope that I have almost convinced you to get out to the farmers market this weekend and every weekend through the fall! I am always looking for market buddies (Mr. Lukas doesn't always enjoy my wandering), so let me know if you need a buddy.

XOXO,
Dee