Deconstructed Sushi Bowls — Simply Spencer Nutrition

(This recipe is GF, PNF, TNF)

Serving size, 3-4

Okay, so this one is probably one of my new favorites. Especially pregnant – for some reason all things sushi/Japanese cuisine have really been at the top of my cravings list this go-‘round. But the struggle with sushi for me (on a normal basis, but especially pregnant), is the high carb load you get when eating all of that white rice. Brown rice is a slightly better alternative, but I really wanted to be able to enjoy the taste of the Asian cuisine I love, without loading my system (and baby’s) with lots of highly refined carbs. So, low and behold, the deconstructed sushi bowl was born!

Now if you are familiar with or are a lover of poke bowls, as am I, this is very similar. Unfortunately, I do not have fresh, sushi-grade tuna at my disposal on a regular basis. So I have substituted the raw fresh fish with cooked shrimp. It sure does the trick. But I think the best news to this recipe is that you really can’t go wrong. I am even going to use the term recipe loosely, because what you decide to put in it for the toppings could change, depending on the ingredients you have at home, or even just what you’re in the mood for.

Ingredients

For cooked shrimp

· 1 lb cooked shrimp, deveined and tails removed

· 2 tbsp ghee

· 2 cloves garlic, minced

· 2 tsp raw ginger, minced

· Salt & pepper to taste

For bowl

· 6 c raw baby spinach

· 2 c cooked cauli rice

· 2 c shredded carrots

· 2 c cucumber, sliced

· 1 c edamame, steamed and shelled

For optional toppings & dressing (serving size divided up per person)

· 1 tbsp coconut aminos (if you do not have, soy sauce works as a substitution)

· 1 tbsp siracha mayo, drizzled on top (see * at bottom of recipe for further info on this mayo)

· 1 tsp sesame seeds

· 1 tbsp pickled ginger

· 2-3 “sheets” of dried seaweed, crumbled (you will find this in the international section of the grocery store, usually coming in 2 svg size packages)

· 1 tsp sliced green onions

· ¼ avocado, sliced into long thin bites

Directions

1. Take a large saucepan and heat butter over medium/high heat; once melted and saucepan hot, add raw shrimp and stir in saucepan so that the shrimp is coated in butter and beginning to cook. After ~3 minutes, add in the minced garlic and ginger, and stir into shrimp. Be sure to toss the shrimp regularly; it will cook fairly fast and can be easily overcooked if left unattended. Shrimp may take ~6-8 minutes to cook. It will be bright pink and firm once cooked through. (When shrimp is overcooked, it becomes “rubbery” and chewy.)

2. While the shrimp is cooking, cook your cauliflower rice and edamame until done – I love to use frozen bags of both for a time saver. You can purchase in steamable bags, but also cook on the stovetop as well if you are not using a microwave.

3. Once the shrimp, edamame and cauli rice are finished cooking, you are ready for bowl assembly. I use the spinach as a base, as you would a salad. And from there, all of our prepped vegetables are ready to be added. Yes, that simple!

4. Once the vegetables and shrimp are added into a bowl, you can either choose to add the optional toppings straight into the bowl or let everyone assembly line it and build their own.

I hope you sure enjoy this recipe as much as I do, and it gives you that sushi “fix” I know I have been looking for recently. I love to keep this one in my back pocket when I have guests over, because it can be so easily personalized through the different topping choices. So have fun with it and bon appetit!

*A note on the siracha mayo – check out my homemade mayo recipe. It is the easiest homemade mayo, and much better for you! (*It does contain egg for those with food sensitivities or allergies.) Once you make the mayo, just separate ~1/4 c of mayo and add siracha sauce to the mayo and mix. I encourage you to start slow with the siracha, and add more as you would like for preferred spiciness.