Prepare to be wowed! The flavors in this bowl are so amazing together, and really pack a delicious punch. Actually the magic of this bowl is in the sauce and salsa!
This bowl is fun because you can swap up some of the other ingredients. I like to call it a recipe blueprint. For instance, you can use whatever protein you like. I used Soy Curls tossed with BBQ sauce, but I’ve also used diced and pan-fried tofu, and they are equally delicious. You’ll want some sort of grain too, and can use anything from jasmine to brown, red, or sushi rice. I’m sure other grains would be delicious here too. For the greens, I grabbed spinach for this bowl, but you could also use arugula, baby salad greens, shredded red cabbage, or even sliced cucumbers (if using the cucumbers, toss them with a splash of seasoned rice vinegar first).
My love affair with bowls goes back a long way, even before we started our food cart. There’s just something about the way you can build layers of incredible flavors and textures together that you don’t always get in other dishes. That is why I love to combine an outrageous sauce or two, a grain (usually rice of some kind), a protein, raw crunchy vegetables or greens, and often finish with some crunchy toasted nuts or seeds. In this recipe the sauce and salsa are my two sauces, and pair so beautifully with the rest of the flavors and textures of the bowl.
Here’s a video and recipe of me making them at our old food cart back in 2010. The big difference that I do now is use way less water. Just enough to barely coat. The ratio is 2 cups of boiling water per 8 ounces Soy Curls. That way you don’t have to drain them or squeeze them dry, and they cook much faster! I now use Better than Bouillon No Chicken Base or Massel vegan chicken stock powder and I skip the poultry seasoning.
I really hope you give this bowl a try! And if you do, I’d love to hear the combo you used.
Oh, and before I sign off with the recipe, this is the perfect time to grab and use an immersion hand blender. You know how much I love my appliances, and the sauce goes together in seconds with one, plus it’s much easier to use for this sauce than a big blender (no struggling to scrape it out of the jar). I used my new Bamix, which I am completely smitten with!
xoxo Julie
Smoky Peanut Barbecue Bowl With Pineapple Salsa
Description
The magic of this recipe is the sauce and salsa! This recipe makes enough sauce and salsa for 4 bowls.
Ingredients
Smoky Peanut Barbecue Sauce
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sweet barbecue sauce (I use Kinder’s brand, which is GF)
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 canned chipotles, or more to taste (make sure they are GF if needed)
2 cloves garlic
Pineapple Salsa
Sliced fresh pineapple, about 1/2 a peeled and cored pineapple
Chopped red or sweet onion, about 1/4 cup
Chopped jalapeño, to taste
Chopped fresh cilantro, about 1/4 cup packed, or to taste
Zest of 1 lime
Lime juice to tase
Pinch salt and pepper
The Rest Of The Bowl:
Tofu, BBQ Soy Curls, or protein of choice
Steamed rice (jasmine, Cal Rose, brown, and red rice all work well) -about 1 cup steamed rice per bowl
Baby spinach, arugula, salad greens or shredded purple cabbage -I do a big handful (about 1 cup) per bowl
Scallions, thinly sliced -about 2 tablespoons per bowl
Chopped cilantro -about 2 tablespoons per bowl
Sliced jalapenos, optional
Instructions
To Make The Peanut Barbecue Sauce:
In a large wide mouth canning jar or other tall container, combine the water, barbecue sauce, peanut butter, chipotles, and garlic. Using a stick blender, blend until smooth. Set aside.
To Make The Pineapple Salsa:
Cut the pineapple slices into bite-sized pieces. In a medium bowl, combine the pineapple, chopped onion, jalapeno, cilantro, and lime zest. Give it a stir. Squeeze in some lime juice to taste and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well, adjust seasonings to taste and set aside.
To Assemble The Bowls:
The amounts will vary depending on how many bowls you’re making, but in each bowl place about 1 cup cooked rice, a big drizzle or scoop of the Smoky Peanut Barbecue Sauce, a handful of spinach or greens, a scoop of tofu, Soy Curls or protein of choice, a generous scoop of pineapple salsa, and a sprinkle of scallions, cilantro, and sliced jalapeños. You can also drizzle with more sauce, or serve remaining sauce on the side.
Serve and enjoy!
