Easy Steps to Layer a Keto-Friendly Poke Bowl
Assemble a keto-friendly poke bowl using leftovers and fresh, low-carb ingredients. Read on to create a nutritious bowl in minutes and enjoy it as if you were at your favourite Asian restaurant.Nutrition Information*:Serving size: 1 Serving Carbs: 28g Fibre: 16.5g Net Carbs: 11.5g
Ingredients
KETO-FRIENDLY POKE BOWL INGREDIENTS
Cauliflower Rice
- 1½ cups Cauliflower Rice or shiataki (konjac) rice . Healthier grains like quinoa and couscous may also work in small portions.
Protein
- ½ cup Cubed cooked salmon or your choice of protein for Raw Salmon or tuna, purchase sushi-grade fish to avoid the risk of food poisoning. Tofu is a great vegan option, while cooked meats like chicken or pork are also suitable. Cooked tuna, tilapia and cod also works.
Leafy Greens
- 1 cup Leafy Greens Spinach, seaweed, shredded lettuce, kale, mustard greens, watercress or bok choy are all great options.
Vegetables
- ¼ cup Cucumbers, carrots, green onions, red onions, red cabbage, zucchini or edamame. Also, radishes, wasabi peas, bean sprouts, and red pepper are just a few of the many low-carb vegetables available.
- To mix things up you can experiment with chopping them in different ways. For example, long julienne strips work well, or you can dice them. Also, to mix things up, pickled vegetables like beets and peppers would be great additions to building your poke bowl.
Dressings & Oils
- 1-2 tsp Sriracha, garlic sauce, spicy mayo, orange teriyaki dipping sauce, soy sauce, avocado mayo, or sesame oil. Add unique flavours to the different textures in the bowl.
Fruits
- ¼ cup Low-carb fruits like watermelon, grapes, blueberries, kiwi and raspberries. Oranges, apples, mangoes and pineapples in moderation. Use your creativity to customize your poke bowl according to your fruit preference.
Garnishes
- ½ tsp Sesame seeds (black and white), scallions, crispy seaweed, chilli flakes, garlic flakes Add texture, flavour, or crunch to your bowl. Many of these items can be found at home.
Ingredients to Avoid
- When it comes to eating rice it’s important to keep in mind that it is a high-carb grain. Similarly, soy sauce can be high in sodium, and many vegetables contain high levels of carbohydrates.
- To balance out your meal it’s a good idea to be mindful of these factors. Additionally, it’s important to be aware of the hidden macros that can be present in oils and sauces. One way to avoid consuming these hidden macros is to make your own sauces at home.
ORANGE TERIYAKI DIPPING SAUCE INGREDIENTS
- ½ tsp Arrowroot Starch
- ½ inch Ginger
- 1 Garlic clove
- 4 tbsp Water
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp Low-sodium Soya Sauce
- 4 tbsp Fresh Orange Juice
- 1 tbsp Rice Vinegar
- 2 tbsp Sweetener
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Black Pepper
- ¼ tsp Chilli Flakes
Instructions
1) Add a low-carb base layer and some leafy greens
- To begin, grab a serving bowl and fill it with warm sautéed cauliflower rice. Fluff it up a bit to make it look more appealing. You can add some sauce, but don’t go overboard since cauliflower rice can become soggy after assembling the poke bowl.
- Then, add some leafy greens, such as spinach, along one side of the bowl.
2) Arrange the ingredients along the outer edges
- Arrange the ingredients along the outer edges of the bowl to act as a barrier and hold other ingredients in place, preventing them from sinking into the cauliflower rice.
- Once you’ve done that, it’s time to add your choice of protein. In my case, I had some cooked leftover salmon cubes, which I arranged off to the side of my keto bowl.
3) Arrange fruits and vegetables in the gaps
- Now, pop in some slices of fruit and thinly sliced or cubed vegetables in the gaps between the greens in your bowl, leaving the middle section empty for now, then watch your poke bowl start to become a colourful and delicious dish.
4) Build your Poke Bowl
- Fill the middle section with some fresh and vibrant edamame or peas. This will add a nice, subtle crunch and a pop of bright green colour to your dish. To balance out the flavours and colours of your poke bowl, add slices of rich, creamy avocado along one edge of the bowl.
5) Finish Layering the Poke Bowl
- To add more texture to the bowl, you can finish off by placing stringy vegetables like bean sprouts and thinly sliced green onions in any gaps. Additionally, you can also incorporate other complementary ingredients such as chopped nuts, seeds or pickled vegetables.
6) Drizzle oil or dressing
- Drizzle your favourite low-carb dressing, spicy mayo, or hot sauce over your poke bowl. I used leftover orange teriyaki dipping sauce to flavour my keto poke bowl (the recipe is on the card below).
Orange Teriyaki Dipping Sauce (sugar free)
- Add all the ingredients for the dipping sauce in a small microwaveable bowl and heat and stir in 30-second increments or until it has turned thick.
- Alternatively, mix the ingredient in a saucepan and heat on low setting until it has become thick and dippable consistently or to your preferred texture.
- Remove the salmon from the oven and serve them on a bed of lettuce alongside a bowl of the delicious orange teriyaki dipping sauce.
Notes
Homemade keto-friendly Poke Bowl Tips
- When making poke bowls, it’s a good idea to use low-carb ingredients.
- If you’re using raw fish, make sure it’s sushi grade.
- To keep the carb count down, stick to 2-3 main vegetables, avoiding high-carb options like carrots.
- Experiment with different flavours to create your own unique poke bowl.
- To make meal prep easier, prepare extra ingredients for leftovers.
- Preparing cauliflower rice ahead of time can also save time.
- Finally, add dressings and oils just before serving to prevent the “rice” layer from getting soggy.