I've been making versions of the Buddha Bowl for years. But this year I've upped the game.
Buddha Bowl (or bowl, or grain bowl, or bhakti bowl, or ... ) is basically whatever you want in a bowl. There are some guidelines, but the gist is as follows:
Grain (rice, wheat berries, quinoa, etc.) - reasonable amount
Protein (tofu, tempeh, etc.) - not too much
Veg (fiddler's choice) - small portions
Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. - M. Pollan
Dressing options - Tamari butter, ginger miso, green goddess (endless, really)
Cook the rice. Cook the protein. Cook or don't, some or all, of the veg. Fill the bowl with the goodness you have wrought and top with dressing (not too much).
Bonus Tofu Recipe
Marinade:
4 tsp tamari
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
2 cloves garlic minced
pinch chili (red chili flakes, chili paste, you choose)
Preparation:
Mix ingredients (double it, triple it, your call ...).
Slice tofu into shapes (your choice: squares, triangles, sticks, totally up to you. The more surface area the better.)
Marinate at least two hours, up to overnight.
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Arrange tofu on screen in sheet pan. (Pro Tip: make sure some garlic and ginger bits end up on top of the pieces of tofu.)
Bake for 20 to 40 minutes, turning once or twice. If you use a convection oven, time will be shorter and tofu may be better.
Serve as you see fit. I prefer placing among the other goodies in a Buddha Bowl.
I found one blog that points to the first occurrence of "Buddha Bowl" in the lexicon as being somewhere circa 2013. I believe she cites a Martha Stewart, which is not only unfortunate (because - well - Martha), but evidence of lazy research and inaccurate assumptions. Green Sage Cafe in Asheville, NC has had a Buddha Bowl on their menu since day one. There was a restaurant in Nashville, TN for years called Windows on the Cumberland that had a Buddha Bowl on the menu at one point. This was back in the late 80's early 90's. That place closed years ago.
Doesn't really matter whence it came, the Buddha Bowl (what a girlfriend calls hipster-vegan-casserole-bowls) has been around for a long time, and it's likely to be around for some time to come.
I suggest you embrace the bowl. Here's why: it's simple, tasty, healthy, and - well - tasty.