This quinoa bowl is a deconstructed version of Asian lettuce wraps. You know the wraps where crunchy veggies like shredded carrots and caramelized ground meat are served in a lettuce leaf and drizzled with a tangy soy sauce?

I wanted to fit all the flavors of this wrap into a portable, one-bowl format. Here, cooked quinoa is mixed with ground protein of choice (see plant and animal-based suggestions in the recipe) that's been browned with onion and garlic, then seasoned with tamari and brown rice vinegar. This mixture is tossed with crunchy radishes, fresh cilantro, and a bright lime tamari sauce. Serve it over romaine lettuce and top with toasted cashews. This makes a great portable lunch or even breakfast. Enjoy!

Asian Quinoa Bowl with Lime Tamari Sauce

Serves 4
Notes: Recipe calls for watermelon radish and purple daikon radish. Regular radish or shredded carrot also work here.

• 1 cup quinoa, cooked

• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil

• 250 gr. (1/2 lb.) ground protein, browned (crumbled tempeh, ground Beyond Meat, or ground turkey/chicken)

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 Tbsp. tamari

• 1 Tbsp. brown rice wine vinegar (regular rice vinegar also works)

• 2 small watermelon radishes, sliced thinly

• 1 small-medium purple Daikon radish, thinly sliced

• Lime Tamari Sauce (recipe below)

• Large handful fresh cilantro (20 gr), roughly chopped

• Romaine lettuce, chopped

• Toasted cashews

Lime Tamari Sauce

Notes: This makes extra sauce. Store in fridge and drizzle over leftovers.

• 2 1/2 Tbsp. tamari

• 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (or 1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil + 1/2 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil)

• 2 Tbsp. brown rice vinegar (regular rice vinegar works too)

• Juice from 1 juicy lime

• 1-2 tsp. honey

• 2-3 tsp. sriracha

1. Heat a large saute pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add oil and ground protein. Use a wooden spatula to break up protein into small crumbles, then let brown without stirring (3-4 minutes). Add onion and garlic, stir through and cook another few minutes until onion is soft and protein is caramelized (and/or cooked through). Remove from heat and stir in tamari and rice wine vinegar.

2. While protein cooks, make the sauce. Add all ingredients to a small bowl or jar. Stir well to combine. Set aside.

3. Add cooked quinoa and ground protein to a large bowl, along with radishes, half the lime tamari sauce and cilantro. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust for seasoning.

4. If serving immediately, stir in chopped romaine lettuce. Otherwise, store lettuce separately and toss into quinoa when ready to eat. Alternatively, serve quinoa over a bed of romaine lettuce. Top with toasted cashews and more sauce, if desired.