Buddhist food is the cuisine of East Asia and adopted by the believers of Buddhism – the main characteristic of Buddhist menu is that it is completely vegetarian, adhering to the Buddhist concept of ahimsa. Buddhist food mainly consists of vegetarian food known as zhacai, do chai in, shojin ryori and sachal eumsik in different countries of the world.   

Buddhist Menu Ideas

Breakfast

• Breakfast couscous served with fresh fruits – This is prepared mainly with rice milk, apple juice, unsweetened cranberry juice, whole wheat couscous, bananas peeled and sliced, apple juice and salt and cardamom for taste. Cow milk is often substituted by soy milk – this makes a healthy breakfast when served with fresh fruits.
• Apricot crunchy toast- This forms an integral part of healthy breakfast Buddhist menu is prepared with Italian or any other thick French bread, corn flakes crushed well, apricot preserves, apricot nectar, maple syrup, and nondairy margarine for the purpose of frying and silk tofu. This healthy breakfast is served with maple syrup.
• Rice Pudding – This forms an interesting pudding prepared with brown rice, vanilla rice milk, raisins, maple syrup, vanilla extracts and cinnamon. This forms a very filling breakfast idea and can be eaten cold or warm.

Lunch

• Fruit Salad Rainbow – This is a very colorful salad, healthy and nutritious and perfect for starting your lunch. It is prepared with watermelon, cantaloupe, pineapple chunks well drained, chopped plums, green grapes and also red seedless grapes. The melon is usually hollowed and drained pineapple, blueberries, green berries, purples and plums and mixed together before serving for lunch.
•  Blueberry banana walnut pancakes  – Delicious and healthy pancakes are prepared with wheat flour, baking powder, mashed bananas, granulated sweetener, fresh defrosted blueberries and oat milk is the main course of Buddhist menu. This forms an everyday menu item in Buddhism following households. The pancakes are cooled before serving with pecans and almond toppings.
• Ginger Bread with applesauce – Ginger bread is served with apple sauce prepared with brown sugar, honey, nutmegs, and cinnamons with adjusted seasonings.
• Broccoli roast – This forms the main side dish – broccoli cooked with herbs and salt, over medium heat till the broccoli becomes soft and edible. 

Snack Ideas

• Strawberry smoothie seasoned with cinnamon– This healthy smoothie is prepared with frozen strawberries, chopped bananas, maple syrup, and cinnamon and soy milk. The ingredients are mixed well and blended for a smooth paste.
• Banana blueberry muffins with smooth crumb topping– Ripe bananas are used with flour, baking soda, vegetable oil, non diary margarine, frozen blueberries and flour. Muffins are normally baked for 25 minutes before serving.
• Roasted almonds, nuts – These form great munching ideas and is normally carried by Buddhist monks whenever they travel. These are nutritious and offer the required calories necessary to keep the energy levels high.

Dinner menu is normally similar to lunch menu, though monks prefer to have fruit salads before going to bed. Buddhist menu is not quite versatile and does not offer too many options but offers healthy and nutritious meals.

Image credits: peru-recipes.com, kalynskitchen.blogspot.com