Tuna poke bowl meat

Poke bowls are so healthy and delicious*! For those of you who don't know, they're warm rice with cold, raw (marinated) fish and veggies on top. It's basically a sushi bowl. We ate them as often as possible while we lived in Japan. This tuna recipe was SO GOOD. Next on my to-do list is find a sticky rice recipe. (For the first go-round we used sticky rice bowls you heat in the microwave from Costco.) Use any veggies you want, really, but my favorites are avocado (pretty much a must-have), shredded/thinly sliced carrot, diced cucumber, and sliced green onion. One restaurant in Japan even cracked a raw egg onto the hot rice. It was...kinda good, but I'm not trying it at home. Be creative! The kids don't love raw fish but they ate what they "had" to. Serves 4.

Tuna Poke Bowls
1 lb. sushi-grade tuna
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 tsp. honey
4 c cooked sticky rice (warm)

Spicy Mayo
1/4 c. light mayonnaise
1 tsp siracha

Toppings
2 avocados, peeled and sliced
1/2 c peeled, shredded/sliced carrot
1 c peeled, diced cucumber
1/4 c sliced green onion
1 Tbsp. black sesame seeds

1. Dice tuna into 3/4" cubes. Add tuna, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and honey to a medium bowl. Toss to combine; let sit (marinade) while preparing veggies and spicy mayo.

2. Spicy Mayo: Add mayonnaise and siracha to a small bowl. Stir to combine; season with salt and pepper. If you want it spicier, add more siracha. Spoon into a plastic bag; cut a small corner tip off. Set aside.

3. Divide evenly between 4 bowls: cooked rice, top with tuna, sliced avocado, carrot, and cucumber. Sprinkle green onion and sesame seeds over top. Squeeze spicy mayo over all. Serve immediately.

*1 bowl has 490 calories, 60 g carbs, 10 g protein, 25 g fat, 4 g sat. fat, 2 mg cholesterol, 649 mg sodium, 754 mg potassium, 12 g fiber, 3 g sugar, 147 vitamin A, 12 mg vitamin C, 63 mg calcium, 3 mg iron.

Grilled Hawaiian Chicken Teriyaki Bowls

My husband doesn't get overly excited about dishes too often, but he did about this one. We ALL loved it but my 5 year old. Coconut rice is the only rice my kids will eat, and the sauce? YUM! You could probably add whatever veggies you wanted and it'd still be amazing. Don't use chicken and it's vegetarian. Use gluten-free soy sauce so it's gluten free. YUM! Thank you, Lauren Allen, for this amazing recipe! Serves 4.

Grilled Hawaiian Chicken Teriyaki Bowls

6 boneless, skinless chicken tenders
1 zucchini, sliced into chunks
4 mini bell peppers, or 1 large, seeded and cut in half
1 small or 1/2 large pineapple, peeled and cut into spears
1 small onion, sliced into wedges
1/2 c toasted sweetened coconut flakes, optional

Coconut Rice - (you can use my coconut rice or this one)
2 c water
1-15 oz. can coconut milk
2 tsp light brown sugar, packed
1 tsp salt
2 c white or jasmine rice

Teriyaki Sauce

1 c water

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

3/4 c brown sugar

1/2 c soy sauce

1/2 c pineapple juice, or orange juice

1 tsp garlic powder

3/4 tsp ground ginger

For the coconut rice:
1. Stir the water, coconut milk, sugar, salt and rice into a rice cooker. OR
Add the water, coconut milk, sugar and salt into a a large saucepan; bring to a boil then stir in rice. Return to a boil.
2. Reduce heat to low and cover; cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat source and let sit at least 10 minutes.

For the Teriyaki Sauce:
1. In a small saucepan, dissolve corn starch into the water. Turn burner to medium and stir in brown sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, garlic powder, and ground ginger. Bring to a boil; turn down heat and simmer 4 minutes.
2. Pour 1/2 of the sauce over the chicken and marinate at least 15 minutes (at least 30 minuets if you're using chicken breast halves).

GRILL:
1. Spray grill with cooking spray and heat to medium heat (350 degrees).
2. Coat vegetables and pineapple lightly in olive oil. Grill vegetables for 4-5 minutes on each side. Cook pineapple 3 minutes on each side. Set aside.
3. Grill the marinated chicken 2-3 minutes each side, or until no longer pink inside. Let rest 5 minutes before slicing into thin strips.

To Serve:
1. Add coconut rice to each bowl.
2. Top with grilled veggies, pineapple and chicken.
3. Drizzle teriyaki sauce on top.
4. Sprinkle with toasted coconut, if desired.
Serve immediately and enjoy!

Asian Beef with Snow Peas

This was a super easy, tasty dish! I love those, especially since most days are crazy busy. Serve over hot rice or egg noodles. Thanks Marbalet for the recipe! Makes 4 servings.

Asian Beef with Snow Peas

3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp corn starch
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger root (thumb sized root)
1 Tbsp minced fresh garlic
1 1/2 lb beef round steak, cut into thin strips
8 oz snow peas

1. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar and corn starch; set aside.
2. Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir-fry ginger and garlic for 30 seconds. Add the steak and stir-fry for 4 minutes, or until evenly brown. Add the snow peas and stir-fry an additional 3 minutes. Add the soy sauce mixture and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Lower heat and simmer until sauce is thick and smooth. Serve immediately over hot rice or egg noodles.

Smoked Salmon Sushi Roll

I crave sushi fort nightly and it gets pretty pricey. The thought of making it myself has intimidated me far too long. These rolls were SO incredibly easy and delicious! Tempura style makes it 200x better. It's cheaper than a restaurant and just as good. Note that you have to cook the rice ahead of time so it can  mostly cool off. I only had one choice of seaweed wraps that I could find and thankfully they were awesome. Makes 6 rolls. Serve with soy sauce, pickled ginger, and a dollop of wasabi for dipping.

Smoked Salmon Sushi Roll

2 c Japanese sushi rice
2 c water
1/4 c brown sugar
6 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
6 seaweed sheets
8 oz smoked salmon, cut into long, thin strips and separated into 6 portions
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, sliced thin and separated into 6 portions, optional
1/2 cucumber, peeled, sliced thin and separated into 6 portions
1/4 c 1/3 less fat cream cheese, cut into thin slices
wasabi sauce or paste, optical
soy sauce, for dipping

1. Cook rice in rice cooker or on stove according to directions with 2 c water and brown sugar. Add rice wine vinegar to hot rice. Spread on large plate to cool. Cut into 6 equal wedges like you would a pie.
2. If using bamboo mat, place plastic wrap on top of it. If not, just use plastic wrap. Place 1 seaweed sheet on plastic wrap. Place 1/6 of rice on top and press as flat as possible, leaving at least 1/2 inch on top and bottom uncovered for sealing. At this point you can carefully turn wrap over so the rice is on the outside (sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds first, if desired), or leave the rice on the inside. Add a line of salmon, avocado, if using, cucumber and cream cheese to the rice, close to the bottom for easier rolling. You could even add a thin line of wasabi to add some spice. Otherwise, serve a dab in your soy sauce for dipping.
3. Slightly wet top of seaweed with wet fingertips. Roll from bottom, closing as tightly as possible. Cut roll into pieces (about 10); repeat for all 6 sheets. Serve immediately.

Chicken Long Rice

This tasty Asian side dish goes great with any meat or as is. It's a nice light, healthy, soup-like sauce with nice thin noodles. mmm...I like chicken thighs because I can almost always find them for under $1/pound and they're so good! I like to serve it with slow cooked kalua pig and leave out the chicken thighs, but include them when serving as a main dish. My whole family loves this! Serves 4-6.

Chicken Long Rice

1 8-oz pkg sai fun noodles (aka bean thread noodles)
3 Tbsp avacado, olive or grapeseed oil
3 large carrots, peeled and cut into thin slices
3 celery stalks, washed and cut into thin slices
2 small zucchini, peeled and cut into thin slices
1 tsp garlic powder
2 c shitake mushrooms, or other mushrooms (shitake have a wonderful texture and flavor but can be pricy)
6 chicken thighs
1 1-oz piece fresh ginger root (1 to 1 1/2 inch piece), minced, or 1 tsp ground ginger
salt and pepper, to taste
3 c chicken broth

1. Soak noodles in warm water for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in wok over medium-high heat. Add carrots, celery, celery and zucchini and stir fry until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir garlic powder into vegetables. Add mushrooms and cook until they begin to sweat.
3. Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper. Add ginger root and chicken to pan, tucking thighs under the vegetables to make sure they get direct heat. Cook both sides of thighs until they're good and brown, then add chicken broth.
4. Reduce heat to medium, and cook until broth reduces by half. Drain noodles, cut in half with kitchen scissors and stir into chicken mixture; cook noodles 5 minutes and remove from heat. Here you can shred the chicken but I love to serve it on the bone. Serve warm.

Baked Teriyaki Chicken

I loooove chicken teriyaki and this recipe is delicious without being too overpowering like some I've tried. Found online (allrecipes?). Perfect with rice and a steamed veggie. Makes 8-12 thighs.

Baked Teriyaki Chicken

8-12 chicken thighs
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp cold water
1/2 c white sugar
1/2 c soy sauce
1/4 c apple cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1. Lightly grease 9x13 baking pan; set aside.Rinse chicken thighs, making sure to remove any skin, and pat dry; place inside greased pan.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine cornstarch, water, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger and ground black pepper. Let simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens an bubbles.
3. Brush chicken with sauce. Turn pieces over and brush again.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, brushing with sauce halfway through. Turn chicken over, brush with sauce and bake another 30 minutes, brushing halfway through, or until no longer pink and juices run clear.

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

I LOVE sweet and sour chicken. I usually order it when I go to an Asian restaurant. This recipe tastes REALLY GOOD and uses ingredients usually found in the kitchen. My kids loved it! Serve with white or coconut rice. Serves 4.

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

Chicken:
2-3 boneless chicken breasts
salt and pepper, to taste
3/4 c corn starch
2 eggs, slightly beaten
3 Tbsp vegetable oil

Sauce:
3/4 c sugar
4 Tbsp catsup
1/2 c vinegar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp garlic salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
2. Rinse chicken breasts in cold water then cut into 1" cubes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Heat oil in large skillet. Meanwhile, dip breasts in corn starch (or shake in gallon ziplock to coat) then dip into eggs. Add to heated oil and cook until browned but not cooked through. Place chicken in greased 9x13 baking dish.
4. Mix sauce ingredients in small bowl until well blended; pour evenly over chicken. Bake for one hour, stirring chicken every 15 minutes.

Egg Drop Soup

I bought wonton shells (wrappers) at the grocery store (found them in a refrigerated area of the produce section), sliced them into thin strips, and fried them over med-high heat in 1/4" of oil to eat with this delicious soup. Such a fabulous recipe, if I do say so. :) If you like egg drop soup from the restaurant, you'll like this! Serves 4.

Egg Drop Soup

6 c chicken broth, divided*
3/4 tsp fresh ginger, grated, or 1/8 tsp ground ginger powder
1/4 c fresh chives or green onion, chopped
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
4 oz mushrooms, sliced (optional)
2 Tbsp corn starch, or more if desired
5 eggs
salt and white pepper, to taste

1. Pour 5 c of the chicken broth in large saucepan. Mix 1 remaining cup of chicken broth with corn starch; set aside. Add  ginger, chives or onion, soy sauce, sesame oil, and mushrooms if using, to saucepan. Bring to a boil; lower heat and let simmer 5 minutes. Add corn starch and broth mixture; stir. Add more corn starch if you like a thicker soup.
2. Beat the eggs in a small bowl. Drizzle into boiling broth, the thinner the stream the better. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

* Or use 6 cups water and 6 tsp chicken bouillon.

Kung Pao Chicken

This is nice, quick, easy and tastes better than any Kung Pao I've ever eaten! You can adjust the spiciness according to taste: I used 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes because that's about all my kids can handle and it was still fabulous. If you want it even spicier, add more pepper flakes or even hot sauce. I served over coconut rice, but plain rice or fried rice would be great, too. There is plenty of sauce, but if you want less you can cut the last 8 ingredients in half. Recipe inspired from chinese.food.com. Serves 4.

Kung Pao Chicken

1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 2 large breasts, cut into 1" bite-size pieces
1 1/2 Tbsp corn starch
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 green onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 to 3 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, according to desired spiciness
1 tsp powdered ginger or 2 tsp fresh ginger
1/4 c rice wine vinegar
1/4 c soy sauce
1/4 c sugar
1 c dry roasted peanuts*

1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile, combine chicken and cornstarch in zip-lock bag. Toss to coat. Add to skillet and cook 6 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink.
2. Move chicken to side of skillet and add onions, garlic, pepper, and ginger. Cook 20 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove skillet from heat.
3. Combine vinegar, soy sauce and sugar in small bowl. Mix well. Add to skillet and return to burner. Stir to coat chicken.
4. Add peanuts and cook 5 minutes or until heated through and sauce reduces slightly to sticky glaze, stirring occasionally.

* If you don't have peanuts, you can substitute with about 2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter, though you'll miss out on the added crunch!

Filipino Chicken Adobo

My husband lived in the Philippines for about 2 years and many of their dishes, but this is one that has always stood out. He said this was pretty darn close to the real thing. It was delicious! Even the little ones loved it. You can substitute balsamic vinegar for the rice vinegar; it gives the sauce more zip. Serve over hot rice--cover with the juice for super savory deliciousness! Serves 4.

Filipino Chicken Adobo

3 large potatoes, pealed and cubed
1/2 c low sodium soy sauce
1/2 c rice vinegar
1/2 c water
1 bay leaf
8-10 whole black peppercorns
2 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley, or 1 tsp dried
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick, optional

1 Tbsp olive oil
5 chicken drumsticks and/or thighs
1/2 onion, chopped
1 Tbsp garlic, minced


Slow Cooker Method:
1. Add potatoes, soy sauce, vinegar, water, bay leaf, peppercorns, parsley and cinnamon (if using) to slow cooker and mix well; set aside.
2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and onion and cook until chicken is golden brown, about 5 minutes each side. Add garlic last 30 seconds of cooking and add skillet contents to slow cooker, making sure chicken is buried in between the potatoes and will get plenty of juice. Pierce chicken pieces with fork, a couple times each.
3. Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours or 4 hours on high. Remove cinnamon stick, if using, before serving.

Stove Top Method:
1. Place potatoes in medium sauce pan, cover 1 to 2 inches in water, and boil until knife or fork enters center of one easily; drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, mix soy sauce, vinegar, water, bay leaf, peppercorns, parsley and cinnamon in small bowl; set aside.
3. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and onion and cook until chicken is golden brown, about 5 minutes each side. Add garlic last 30 seconds of cooking.
4. Pour juice mixture (step 2) over chicken and bring to a boil (keeping heat at medium). Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 45 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove cinnamon stick, if using.

Asian Coconut Rice

This rice recipe is EXCELLENT! It goes great alongside any Asian dish with its subtle coconut charm. And it's so easy to make! I love it, love it, love it. Serves 4.

Asian Coconut Rice

1 - 13.5 oz can coconut milk
1 1/2 c water
1 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/2 c uncooked jasmine rice
2 Tbsp shredded coconut, optional

Rice Cooker Instructions
1. Add milk, water, sugar and salt to rice cooker; stir together. Add rice and coconut, stir once more, close lid and cook. Stir and serve.

Stovetop Instructions
1. Add milk, water, sugar and salt to medium saucepan; stir together. Add rice and coconut; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender (the coconut milk will kind of coat the top so don't mistake that for unabsorbed liquid). Stir and serve.

Fried Rice

I tried a couple recipes before I tweaked this one to my liking. :D I think it tastes just like Chinese take-out. So yummy! It's great because you can use any veggies you like; just dice them up and toss them in the pan with the rest. Another great thing: this recipe uses ingredients one usually has around the house. If you want to sweeten it, add 1 Tbsp of sugar. And I love that it works with any meat. Use as a main or side dish. Serves 4-6.

Fried Rice

2 Tbsp sesame oil
1 c mushrooms, sliced
4 stalks celery, diced OR 1 c bean sprouts
1 c frozen peas, defrosted
2 large carrots, diced
1 c cold cooked pork, chicken or shrimp, diced
2 green onions, diced
3 c cooked rice, cold
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp olive oil (optional)
3-5 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp pepper

1. Heat sesame oil in large skillet or wok, between medium and med-high. Saute mushrooms for 2 minutes. Add celery or bean sprouts, peas, carrots, pork, onion and rice; cook and stir for 6 minutes.
2. Push rice to side of skillet. If mixture seems too dry, add the 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add beaten eggs; stir until eggs begin to firm then stir them into the rice mixture.
3. Stir in 3 Tbsp soy sauce, making sure to mix well. Taste a small, cooled bite. If it needs more flavor, add another Tbsp soy sauce up to 5 Tbsp (or more, if you'd like). It's important you stir the rice mixture very well each time. Serve hot.

Marniated Pork

This pork is so yummy! Add juice to sheet before baking and serve over white rice. Or throw the juice out and serve with pork fried rice or chow mein, omitting the meat if desired. Very flavorful! I served it with orange slices and carrot sticks and it was a big hit with the husband, kids and the friend we had over for dinner.  OR you could chop your favorite vegetables (carrots, mushrooms, etc), heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in large skillet. Add veggies and cook until tender (8-10 min). Then add marinade juice and simmer 10-15 minutes. Pour over rice, then place pork pieces on top. Serves 4.


Marinated Pork

1 lb of pork loin (cut into bite sizes)
2 stalks of scallion (green onion), diced
5 garlic cloves, diced
4 thin slices of ginger

2 Tbsp honey
3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp oyster sauce
1 Tbsp ponzu sauce*

2 tsp sesame oil
sesame seeds, optional

1. Mix all the ingredients together except toasted sesame seeds. Place in air tight container or zip-lock bag. Add pork and let  marinate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. Toss the marinade about every few hours to assure the sauce is soaking in all the pork pieces.
2. Once the meat has marinated sufficiently, preheat oven to 400. Cover jelly roll pan (if going to cook sauce with pork) or cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Place pork on pan, fat side up. Sprinkle sesame seeds over meat chunks, if using. Add some marinade, if desired. Cook for about 35 minutes, or till the edges turned slightly brown. Let sit 5-10 minutes before serving. 

*if you can't find ponzu sauce, like me, mix 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp lemon juice and 1 Tbsp sugar

Chicken Chow Mein

Sometimes you just want Chinese, but don't know where to find good takeout (or just want it homemade). The nice thing about this recipe is you can really use whatever veggies you want. I tried thicker noodles and angel hair, and loved the angel hair best. :D The recipe easily feeds a family of four, if not more. Enjoy! It's yummy! :D

Chicken Chow Mein

Marinade:
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp Chinese rice wine or chicken broth
1/4 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp corn starch
***************
Sauce:
2 tsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp cornstarch
3/4 tsp sugar
2 Tbsp oyster sauce
1/3 c cold water
 **************
1/2 lb cubed chicken meat (one large breast)
1 8-oz package chow mein noodles
1/4 c butter
8 oz mushrooms, chopped
2 sticks celery, chopped
1 carrot, pealed and chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 (15 ounce) can baby corn, drained
1 c bean sprouts


1. Mix marinade in zip-lock sandwich baggie.  Add chicken. Marinade in refrigerator at least 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
3. Mix sauce in medium bowl. Set aside.
3. In a wok or large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink. Shove chicken to side of pan and add celery, carrot, onion and garlic; cook until the onions are tender. Add chicken broth and baby corn. Continue cooking until celery is cooked but still crisp. Stir in the bean sprouts and soy sauce.
4. Slowly stir sauce into vegetables. Sauce should start to thicken a little.  Add noodles and cook until most of the sauce is absorbed, up to 6 minutes.