Have you heard? Poke bowls are so hot right now! Unless you’ve been living under a rock, I’m pretty sure this comes as no surprise, as these healthy, fresh, bountiful bowls are everywhere from Instagram feeds to Pinterest boards. In fact, our friends from Pinterest saw a 415 percent increase of poke bowl pins compared to last year. OMG! They’ve even curated a board with some of their favorites. We wanted to take the poke bowl to the next level, so we’ve combined this trend with the bento box rage to create three colorful lunches that will give your coworkers serious FOMO.
How to Make Soy Ahi Poke
Ingredients:
- 1 pound fresh ahi (sashimi grade), cut into bite-sized cubes
- 4 Tablespoons soy sauce
- ¼ cup green onions, chopped
- 3 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 medium clove of garlic, minced
- 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
Instructions:
- In a small bowl, make your marinade. Add soy sauce, sesame oil, juice from half a lime, ginger and garlic.
- Cut the green onions and add them to the bowl. Finish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Whisk together.
- Dice the tuna into small bite-sized pieces and add to the marinade. Mix so all parts are coated.
- Cover and chill in the refrigerator for an hour. After the tuna marinates, you’re ready to go!
In a small bowl, add soy sauce, sesame oil, juice from half a lime, ginger and garlic.
Cut the green onions and add them to the bowl as well. Finish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Whisk together.
Dice the tuna into small bite-sized pieces and add to the marinade. Mix so all parts are coated. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for an hour. Once your tuna has marinated in the flavors, you’ll be ready to make the bento boxes of your dreams.
Bento Box 1: Soy Ahi Poke Salad
This one is the most colorful and fun to prepare. It also packs the most healthy punch, so feel free to indulge away!
Ingredients:
- ½–1 cup soy ahi poke
- 3 cups mixed greens
- 1/3 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 avocado, halved, pitted and cubed
- 1 cucumber, thinly sliced on a mandoline
- 2 carrots, thinly sliced
- 2 radishes, thinly sliced on a mandoline
- 1 cup microgreens
- pinch of sesame seeds, for garnish
- 1 green onion, diced for garnish
Instructions:
- Prepare your vegetables. Slice carrots, cucumbers and radishes into thin slices using a mandolin. Pit and cube the avocado. Cut your tomatoes. Dice the green onions.
- Arrange tuna, cucumber, tomatoes, radishes, carrots and avocado in a pattern over your greens. Then top with microgreens and sesame seeds.
Prepare your vegetables. I like to cut five notches into my carrots so they look like little flowers when sliced on the mandolin.
Carefully use the mandolin to thinly slice the cucumbers and radish. Also, dice your green onion and avocado.
Have at it! Design your bento box in a style so fresh that you’ll be counting down the minutes ’til lunchtime.
Bento Box 2: Poke and Rice
For a heartier lunch option, go for the traditional rice and poke combo. We’ve added some avocado and seaweed salad for more flair and flavor.
Ingredients:
- ½–1 cup soy ahi poke
- 1 avocado, pitted and cubed
- 1 green onion, diced
- ½ cup cooked rice
- ⅓ cup seaweed salad or “wakame” salad
- pinch of sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions:
- Prepare your ingredients. Dice the green onion. Pit and cube the avocado.
- Arrange your poke bento box in a colorful creation.
Prepare your ingredients. Dice the green onion. Pit and cube the avocado.
Arrange your poke bento box in a colorful creation.
I know you’re not supposed to play with your food, but when it’s this good, it’s hard not to.
Bento Box 3: Poke and Quinoa Lettuce Cups
I love this recipe because you skip the rice and replace it with some tasty and healthy quinoa. Plus, the lettuce cups are so fun to make. It’s like making little green tacos!
Ingredients:
- ½–1 cup soy ahi poke
- 1/2 avocado, pitted and cubed
- 1/2 cucumber, sliced
- 1 head butter lettuce, rinsed and leaves separated
- ½ cup cooked and cooled quinoa
- sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions:
- Prepare your vegetables. Dice the green onion. Pit and cube the avocado.
- Separate and clean butter lettuce leaves.
- Craft your bento box to your heart’s desire.
Prepare your vegetables. Dice the green onion. Pit and cube the avocado. Separate and clean butter lettuce leaves.
Arrange your bento box so you can make your own cups on the fly. I like to keep the ingredients separate to prevent the lettuce from getting soggy.
I’ve never seen a lunch look so happy! Who knew that making your lunch could be so fun?
