Guys, you know I love a good Asian dish.  And you know that my husband is a bit meh about that whole deal-he’s an Italian food junkie.  But these salmon and rice bowls?  His fave.   Totally worthy of your meal rotation, promise!

The coconut rice is a total winner around our home.. .my kids adore it and it pairs wonderfully with basically any protein.  So I started these bowls with a base of that sweet, perfectly cooked rice.  

And then….the Sweet and Sticky Salmon.  Couple of amazing things here to note:  the marinade/sauce is a few basic pantry staples that you likely already have on hand.  Also, you can marinade the salmon overnight so the work is done…or marinade it for just 30 minutes; your call.  But heres the trick:  only use a couple of tablespoons of the marinade to actually soak the fish…and boil the rest down on the stove to create the most amazing, sticky, sweet, salty sauce for topping your bowls.  You wont believe how num.

Throw in a few steamed veggies  (I cheat all the time here and by the fresh produce steamer bags of “stir fry mix”  at Target and zap them in the micro for a few minutes before adding to these bowls-works like a charm) and you’ve got one completely solid, super yummy, craveable meal.

Sweet and Sticky Salmon + Coconut Rice Bowls

notes: be sure to use tamari instead of soy sauce if you would like to ensure this dish is gluten free.  also a tip on fresh ginger:  i keep peeled ginger root in a freezer bag and keep it in the freezer….very easy to pull out on a whim and grate frozen.

Ingredients

For the Marinade

1/3 Cup Reduced Sodium Tamari or Soy Sauce

2 Tablespoons Honey

1 Tablespoon Peanut Butter

2 Teaspoons Cider Vinegar

1 Large Garlic Clove, grated or pressed

1 Teaspoon Fresh Grated Ginger

For the Salmon + Bowls

1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil

4 (approximately 4 ounce) Salmon Filets

Steamed Vegetables (use your favorite)

Coconut Rice (recipe below)

Cilantro, for garnish

Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, for garnish

Directions

For the Marinade

Add all ingredients to a medium sized bowl and whisk until well combined.  Combine salmon and 2 tablespoons of the marinade in a plastic storage bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight.  Refrigerate remaining marinade until you are ready to prepare the salmon.

For the Salmon + Bowls

Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add salmon and cook (skin side up if they have skin on them) until you can see that the salmon is halfway cooked up the sides, about 4 minutes.  Flip salmon over and finish cooking until just cooked through.

While salmon is cooking place remaining marinade in a small saucepan over medium high heat.  Bring to a boil, drop the heat to a light boil and cook until marinade is slightly thickened and reduced by about half.

Place coconut rice in individual bowls, top with a salmon filet and steamed veggies and drizzle with the reduced sauce.  Garnish bowls with cilantro and red pepper flakes, if desired.  Serves 4

Coconut Rice

Ingredients

1 (14 Ounce) Can Full Fat Coconut Milk

2 Cups Chicken Stock

2 Teaspoons Honey

1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter

1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

2 Cups Jasmine Rice

Directions

Bring coconut milk, chicken stock, honey, butter and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in rice, cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and serve.