Thai Coconut Rice Bowls with Pork

After cooking a pork shoulder in the slow cooker I love having a bunch more servings of pork to “pull” out and become a speedy dinner. This time, I made a Thai-inspired rice bowl instead of my usual BBQ or Mexican twists on the leftovers. Earlier the same week we had pulled pork on sandwiches with BBQ sauce. This bowl is an ideal use for any leftover pork or beef, shredded or ground meat.
Thai Peanut Coconut Rice Bowl - The Three Bite Rule

I made the rice in my pressure cooker using white rice for a change, and coconut milk as the liquid. It turned out great- a gentle coconut flavor that isn’t too sweet! I mixed up the sauce in the blender a full day before this dinner which meant we had the speediest dinner ever! I came home to already prepared pork, rice I made that morning, and a sauce from the day before. Assembly time! Sauces often taste even better when made in advance and given a chance to sit before serving!

Thai Coconut Rice Bowls with Pork

Ingredients: (for 4)

1 cup white rice
2 cups coconut milk (unsweetened)
~1 cup shredded pork (or steak or ground meat)
1/4 inch fresh ginger, grated or minced
1 clove/teaspoon garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon sriracha
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
3 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1/2 cucumber
1 cup shredded carrots
more fresh cilantro to garnish

Directions:

Cook the rice with the coconut milk. (My pressure cooker ratio is 1 cup rice to 1 1/2 cups liquid so I used that ratio but usually rice is 1 rice:2 liquid).
While the rice cooks, blend together the peanut sauce with: ginger, garlic, sriracha, honey, lime, soy sauce, vinegar, peanut butter, cilantro, and stream in the olive oil. (Can be made ahead of time)
Thai Peanut Coconut Rice Bowl - The Three Bite Rule
Warm the pork over medium heat in a medium skillet. When starting to warm, drizzle in ~3 tablespoons of the peanut sauce and cook for another 2 minutes.
Thai Peanut Coconut Rice Bowl - The Three Bite Rule
Slice the cucumbers into thin sticks.
Serve the rice on the bottom topped with pork, carrots, cucumber, a drizzle of peanut sauce and more cilantro.
Thai Peanut Coconut Rice Bowl - The Three Bite Rule
Enjoy!

The little one liked the elements of this, but really loved the coconut rice. He hadn’t been into rice lately so that was nice to get back to it, also since coconut rice was something new to us.

Thai Peanut Coconut Rice Bowl - The Three Bite Rule
The sauce was a bit spicy for Mr. J so I’d say I loved this most (I added in more sriracha at first so go with my quantities above!). The raw veggies make it fun with almost sweet rice and warm pork with a few crispy bits. I had leftovers for lunch the next day and loved it all over again! Raw veggies are the pre-schooler’s preference but tricky for the babe who only has 2 little chicklet teeth poking through. I’ll have to balance that a bit more as she “eats dinner” with us.

Substitute any grain cooked as the coconut base and whatever veggies you like. Need more grain bowl inspiration? I’ve got you covered. 😉

Crispy Fish Rice Bowl

We don’t eat a whole lot of fish at our house, but I like it would like our preschooler seeing it more often. Variety is key! This was totally the easiest way to make that happen on a weeknight, in a format everyone likes! I used frozen breaded fish pieces that were super quick to cook up and serve as tacos or taco bowls. I went for a bowl and Mr. J and the little guy had the same as a taco. I liked it so much I made another one for a weekend lunch one day shortly after!

The Three Bite Rule - Crispy Fish Rice Bowl

Crispy Fish Rice Bowl

Ingredients (for 2)

2 cups brown rice
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
2-4 small pieces of breaded fish
2 cups shredded red cabbage
2 tablespoons mayo
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 1/2 cups corn
1 avocado
2 tablespoons mayo
1/4 cup salsa

Directions:

Cook the rice and stir in the taco seasoning when cooked.
Bake the fish according to the package.
Toss together the cabbage, mayo, and vinegar (can be prepped the night before).
Cook the corn.
Assemble the bowls with rice, fish, slaw, corn, and avocado.
The Three Bite Rule - Crispy Fish Rice Bowl
Stir together the salsa and mayo and drizzle over the top.
The Three Bite Rule - Crispy Fish Rice Bowl
Enjoy!

I really love bowls and it was a fun variation for me outside of regular taco night. Try it with a little one or one who doesn’t love fish. This is such a gentle flavor of fish and when it is accompanied by other foods everyone has seen, it makes it easy. The crispy factor is also super appealing. I love this and will definitely make again!

Rice Bowl Round Up

I just saw a request for meals for families that can be prepped ahead. Grain bowls are definitely a go-to for me and I’ve shared a bunch! I liiiive for meals prepped ahead to speed dinner time up and eat foods we like. They’re so conducive to leftovers and allow for some individual customization. To celebrate this busy time of year or this busy stage of life, here are my fav grain bowls plus my formula!

Grain + protein + veggies + sauce + something fun = the best grain bowls! I start with a theme and strive to hit a bunch of the following elements.

Bahn Mi Bowl - The Three Bite Rule

Grains: I tend to go with brown rice. I strive for a healthy one especially since it isn’t the highlight in these anyway. Brown rice in the pressure cooker is so fast, and is fluffier than I can even describe. I also like cracked wheat or bulgur. I’ve also done couscous, rice pilaf, orzo, and quinoa.

Protein: Pre-cooked ones speed it up like meatballs or chicken sausages. We’ve done his & hers by using some shrimp since they cook so quickly (hers) and reheated leftover steak (his). Falafel baked in advance is handy to just warm too!

Veggies: go for some raw and some cooked. These bowls are a good use for any leftover or small amounts. The raw ones allow for come warm/cold contrast and freshness and the cooked ones make these bowls filling. Herbs are great in these two if you have some around from anything else!

Sauce: I love a drizzle across the top of sauce or dressing. I’ve done pesto, honey mustard salad dressing, teriyaki, salsa, hummus, creamy caesar dressing, etc. Make your own or buy it. Sometimes I doctor up another condiment (like ranch + cilantro + taco seasoning or like sriracha + mayo). It ties it all together or can be good as a little dip.
sausage_arugula_bowl_dress_590_390

Something fun: my best grain bowls have something extra. Something we don’t have every day, or always with dinner makes it exciting like crispy wontons, toasted nuts, black sesame seeds, etc. Fruit can be great or some special cheese is always appreciated.

I find them more filling than salads and more fun than the same things on a plate as separate entities. These are also a go-to since the little one loves rice and when chopping stuff for him, it is easy to do the same for all of us. He’s 3 so we give him all the foods we’re eating, though he tends to eat them separately and sauce is sometimes for dipping versus drizzled on top.

Bahn Mi Bowl - The Three Bite Rule

My favorites:
Sausage, Arugula, Walnuts, and Apple Rice Bowls
Teriyaki Chicken, Edamame & Pineapple Rice Bowls
Pork Bahn Mi Bowls
Chicken, Bacon, Avocado Rice Bowls
Burrito Bowls with Mexican Street Corn
Italian Meatball Rice Bowls
Falafel Rice Bowls

Some runners up:
This one could have used more ingredients, but had good flavors: Ground Turkey Teriyaki Rice Bowls
This one could use a touch more variation in texture, but gave great variation: Chicken & Sweet Potato with Peanut Sauce Rice Bowls

The Three Bite Rule - Italian Grain Bowl
I may incorporate weekly grain bowls into the rotation once we have an infant and toddler in just about 10 weeks! These might be a fun way to intro some lesser-consumed veggies at your house. If this format feels daunting, start with favorite flavors- think: BBQ chicken; cobb salad ingredients with ranch or blue cheese dressing; or taco fillings to start!

The Three Bite Rule - Burrito Bowl

These are kind of the anti-casserole. While I enjoy a lasagna, pot pie, layered casserole, these are easier for me, and don’t need a hour in the oven. Plus, they feel appropriate for any season instead of winter-worthy foods. Our toddler doesn’t love foods all cooked together…it also feels like all my eggs in one basket so I reserve those for my favs: chili or pot pie.

What I Ate: Teriyaki Turkey Rice Bowls

What I Ate’ is a series of posts for so-easy-this-doesn’t-need-a-recipe but I’m sharing with you for the idea or inspiration.

I love a build-your-own rice bowl and have adapted many times. The little one can eat his weight in brown rice so this one came together easily in the spirit of a weeknight dinner to be prepped in advance. Those mad rushes between daycare pick up, arriving home with a sweet request for playtime outside, and dogs who have missed humans mean that once 6ish strikes dinner neeeeeds to be well underway.
The Three Bite Rule - Teriyaki Bowls

I made the brown rice in the pressure cooker that morning, roasted the broccoli most of the way that morning, AND cooked the ground turkey the night before. #winning Photowise, I wish I had tons more add ins, but this was quick & easy so it won’t win an instagram prize, but it is real-life!

Teriyaki Turkey Rice Bowls (for 3-4)

Ingredients:

1 cup brown rice (& liquid as rice instructs)
3/4 pound ground turkey (or sub ground chicken/pork/beef)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
2 small heads of broccoli
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Directions:

Cook the rice according to the package. (If cooking it in advance, add a splash of water when reheating.)
Brown the ground turkey in a large pan. When it has cooked for about 3-5 minutes, drain off any moisture. Then add in half of the teriyaki sauce (1 tablespoon) and the garlic to cook another 3-5 minutes. (If prepping in advance, cook less and ensure to cook through before serving.)
Roast the broccoli with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper for ~10 minutes at 375 degrees.
Whisk together the remaining teriyaki sauce (1 tablespoon) with sesame oil and rice vinegar.
Assemble with rice on the bottom, broccoli, ground turkey, a small drizzle of sauce (careful, it is strong flavored), and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
Enjoy!

I loved this. It was super flavorful and a nice balance. I would also love other add ins, like: edemame; lightly sauteed purple cabbage; and bean sprouts.
The Three Bite Rule - Teriyaki Bowls

I tend to grab ground chicken since it is 99% of the time priced lower than ground turkey but this time the turkey was on sale. These bowls would be an easy use for any leftovers, or could be reduced for a single serving. The little one was most into the rice and the crunchies (sesame seeds).

Sausage, Arugula, and Walnut Rice Bowls

This rice bowl continues the obsession! I used grilled sausage, arugula, mushrooms, apple, toasted walnuts and rice with a drizzle of honey mustard. It was the perfect barely-needing-cooking for a summery dinner. It kind of is a nod to fall with the apples & nuts but the sausage, apples, walnuts, and arugula beg for the mustard.

The Three Bite Rule - Sausage, Arugula, and Rice Bowl

Sausage, Arugula, and Walnut Rice Bowls

Ingredients: (for 2-3 servings)

1-2 cups of rice/grain of choice (I used brown rice)
2 Sweet Italian Sausage (or chicken sausage)
1 cup mixed mushrooms
1 apple, chopped
2 cups arugula
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
1/4 cup honey mustard

Directions:

Preheat the grill then grill the sausage.
Cook the rice and keep warm until serving.
In a dry skillet, toast the walnuts stirring regularly for 5 minutes over medium heat.
Empty the nuts out and saute the mushrooms in a little butter until golden in the same skillet.
Assemble the bowls with rice at the bottom and top with sliced sausage, nuts, mushrooms, arugula, apple and then drizzle with honey mustard.
Enjoy!
The Three Bite Rule - Sausage, Arugula, and Rice Bowl
Love! I live for the bites with all different elements.  I like the nutty brown rice, with arugula, with apple, with nuts, with honey mustard. Ohh yes.