Detox Buddha Bowl with Shrimp and Quinoa (Print View)

Vibrant bowl with succulent shrimp, fresh vegetables, creamy avocado, and fluffy quinoa finished with tangy balsamic drizzle.

# Components:

→ Seafood

01 - 7 oz large shrimp, peeled and deveined

→ Grains

02 - ½ cup quinoa, uncooked
03 - 1 cup water

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 cup broccoli florets
05 - 1 cup asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
06 - 1 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced
07 - 1 medium tomato, diced
08 - 1 ripe avocado, sliced

→ Dressing

09 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
10 - 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Optional

12 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped
13 - Lemon wedges for serving

# Directions:

01 - Rinse quinoa under cold water. In a small saucepan, combine quinoa and water. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low for 12 to 15 minutes until water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
02 - While quinoa cooks, bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add broccoli and asparagus, blanch for 2 to 3 minutes until crisp-tender, then drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Set aside.
03 - Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Remove from heat.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper to create the dressing.
05 - Divide cooked quinoa between two bowls. Arrange shrimp, broccoli, asparagus, cabbage, tomato, and avocado on top in sections.
06 - Drizzle with balsamic-olive oil dressing. Garnish with fresh herbs and a lemon wedge if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything comes together in 35 minutes, so you can have a restaurant-quality bowl on a weeknight without the stress.
  • The shrimp stays tender and the vegetables stay crisp because you blanch them separately, which is the trick nobody talks about.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, but it never tastes like you're restricting yourself, just eating really well.
02 -
  • If you add avocado too early, it'll oxidize and turn brown and sad looking, so wait until the last possible moment to slice and arrange it.
  • Blanching vegetables in boiling water then shocking them in cold water is the secret to keeping them tender but still crunchy, which is what separates this from a mushy bowl situation.
  • Shrimp continues to cook a little even after you remove it from heat, so pulling it off when it's just barely pink keeps it juicy instead of rubbery.
03 -
  • Prep your vegetables the morning of if you want to save time at dinner, keeping the avocado whole and slicing it only when you're ready to eat.
  • Keep frozen shrimp on hand because they thaw quickly and mean you're always three steps away from a bowl that feels like you planned something intentional.
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