Buddha’s Bowl, a bottomless well of nature’s abundance. However, when I think of rice cakes, the first image that pops in my head is those Styrofoam disks made from compress puffed rice that high fashioned models live on. They consist of zero calories, zero nutrients, and zero taste unless of course, you use them as a vehicle to transport some type of schmear, otherwise, it’s the equivalent of eating air. What I love most about these rice cakes though, is that they explode with flavor, they’re nutrient-dense, and they come in at a svelte 90 calories per. Accented with the Peruvian Aji amariilo sauce, they make a perfect accompaniment to salad for a light, satisfyingly delicious lunch, a mid-afternoon snack, or paired with a protein for dinner. Easy to make and easily prepared ahead, I keep them individually wrapped in the freezer for a quick grab and go starter.

Recipe Notes: What you’ll need: Mixing bowl, spatula, large pot, and baking sheet. Yields 24 rice cakes. Difficulty level: Easy

Ingredients:

• 2-cups long-grain brown rice
• 1-qrt vegetable stock
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• 2-medium size zucchini or summer squash, shredded
• 2-carrots, shredded
• 1-cup red bell pepper, diced
• 4-6 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1-cup fresh or frozen corn
• 1-cup edamame
• 2-cups fresh spinach, torn into pieces
• 1/2 cup cilantro
• 1-cup sprouted or cooked lentils
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• 1/2-cup Indonesian curry sambal
• 2-Tbsp curry seasoning
• 1 1/2 cups egg whites or chia gel
• 1/2 cup chia seeds
• 1-cup rice flour
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Preparation:

1. In a large pot, bring the stock to a boil and add rice.
2. Stir and reduce to a simmer for 30-minutes
3. Meanwhile, prepare vegetables and toss together in mixing bowl
4. Once the stock is fully absorbed, add vegetables and lentils and continue to simmer for an additional 30-minutes.
5. Stir in sambal and seasoning
6. Add egg whites or chia gel, rice flour, and stir to combine
7. Preheat oven to 350
8. Spoon mixture onto a foil-lined sheet pan that has been lightly sprayed with vegetable oil, and spread evenly
9. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until brown on top
10. Allow to cool before slicing and wrapping