Meal Prep: Vegetarian “Poke” Bowl

Meal Prep: Vegetarian “Poke” Bowl

The best cooking advice I’ve ever received was to dedicate only one day a week to cooking. In San Francisco, everyone seems to be on the same schedule – taking “work hard play hard” very seriously. You wake up, work, gym, eat, sleep, repeat. Little time is left for cooking and many find their thumbs tapping on that uber eats more than they’d like. I get it- it’s tough to have energy to cook. Especially when your day starts at 5am and moves at warp speed till 10pm.

Picking one day to cook meals will last you the whole work-week and save you time each night. With meal prepping, the key is to chose recipes that will not go bad quickly. The typical “go-to” is chicken, rice, and veggies but that can get old quick. This poke bowl is a healthy, protein packed alternative that will keep you full and save you time! No need to heat it up either, tupperware it once finished, and serve it cold for dinner or lunch.

I shopped for all of my groceries at Trader Joe’s but any standard grocery store will have the ingredients. This recipe is easily modified to include fish for the meat-eaters and you can sub the Trader Joe’s Soyaki Sauces for regular soy sauce.

Vegetarian “Poke” Bowl

Serves: 4-6

Poke Bowl

  • 1 cup quinoa, dry
  • olive oil
  • pepper
  • frozen edamame
  • 2 cups pre-cooked butternut squash
  • 1 cup cremini mushrooms
  • 1 poblano pepper, chopped
  • 5 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 tbsp ginger, chopped
  • 1 firm block of tofu
  • sesame seeds
  • 1/2 sweet onion
  • 1 cup Trader Joe’s soyaki sauce

Toppings

  • 3 radishes
  • handful of cilantro, chopped
  • 1 cucumber
  • avocado

Method

  1. Cook quinoa as directed in a large stove pot. While Quinoa is cooking, wrap the block of tofu in paper towels and press for 10 minutes to get the moisture out.
  2. Once tofu is pressed and drained, cube into small squares. Add olive oil to a large saucepan then add cubed tofu, sesame seeds, minced garlic, onion, ginger, and soyaki sauce (leave some ginger, garlic, and onion for veggies). Cook on low to medium heat, flipping cubes occasionally. Cook for 15 minutes.
  3. In another large saucepan, combine edamame, butternut squash, mushrooms, poblano pepper, and leftover onion, garlic, and ginger. Add pepper as needed, stir and cover with lid for 15 minutes.
  4. While all poke bowl ingredients are cooking, prep the toppings. Slice cucumber, radishes, cilantro, and avocado then set aside.
  5. When quinoa is done cooking, add to serving bowl first. Next, add mixed vegetables, marinated tofu cubes, and fresh toppings. Pour leftover soyaki sauce from the saucepan in the bowl for finishing touches.