The Summer of Love represented the dawn of vegetarian cuisine in the United States. Publications like the Whole Earth Catalog and Diet for a Small Planet helped usher in a new, conscious way of thinking about food that eschewed the traditional meat-and-potatoes diet.

Thanks to “health food stores,” the natural, organic whole foods our ancestors enjoyed before corporate farming took over the food supply.

Macrobiotics, based on Zen Buddhist principles of mindful eating, also gained a big foothold in the late 1960s. Today, everyone from classically trained chefs to “fast-casual” restaurants like Panera Bread and Sweetgreen is serving up variations of classic macrobiotic bowls, which consists of whole grains, beans, fresh vegetables, fermented vegetables, sea vegetables and sometimes seafood.

Macrobiotic principles encourage people to chew well, pay attention to your body and maintain a positive mental outlook.

How To Build a Macrobiotic Bowl

If you ever need to put together a healthy, satisfying, flavorful vegetarian (or pescatarian) dinner, here’s the basic blueprint of how to make a macrobiotic bowl:

• 40%-60% vegetables; choose a variety of fresh raw and/or lightly steamed veggies and aim for a mixture of leafy vegetables, root vegetables, and other healthy veggies like onions and squash.
• 20%-30% whole grains, such as brown, black or red rice; quinoa; barley; oats; millet; and corn.
• 5%-10% beans, soy protein and/or sea vegetables, such as black, garbanzo or pinto beans; tofu; tempeh; miso, seitan; nori; dulse; and kelp.
• Add fresh seafood, fresh fruit, fermented pickles and nuts in moderation.

Bodacious Breakfast Bowl With
Cashew Tahini Sauce

Start the day in a healthy way with this hearty breakfast bowl.

Sauce

• ¾ cup raw cashews
• ¼ cup tahini
• 2 tsp. cannabis-infused vegetable or olive oil
• ½ tsp. garlic, minced
• 1 large green onion
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 tsp. cider vinegar
• ¼ tsp. turmeric
• ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
• ¼ cup warm water

Bowl

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 large avocado, peeled and sliced
• ¾ cup white beans, cooked
• 2 tsp. white vinegar
• 4 large eggs
• 1½ cups red quinoa, cooked
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cover cashews with water and soak for at least 4 hours or overnight. Drain cashews and add to blender or food processor with the remaining sauce ingredients, except water. Blend or process to puree. Add water and process. Set aside. Arrange cooked quinoa, tomato, avocado and beans in a bowl. Bring large skillet of water to a simmer over medium-high heat, and add vinegar to the water. Carefully crack 4 eggs into the simmering water and poach them for about 3 minutes, or until the whites are cooked and the yolks are still somewhat runny. Use a slotted spoon to remove eggs, and place 2 poached eggs on top of each bowl. Top with sauce and serve immediately. Serves 2.

Southwestern-Style
Sativa Bowl

Spicy foods are not recommended on a macrobiotic diet, but the chipotle dressing adds such amazing flavor to this vegan dish that I couldn’t resist.

Cucumbers and fresh dill star in this hearty Greek-style bowl.

The gingery sauce that tops this healthy bowl also makes a terrific dressing for green salads or Asian-style slaw.

Sauce