Poke Is Easy, Protein-Packed, and Perfect for Summertime Gains

Summertime is basically here, and that means lots of sunshine, cookouts, and beach bodies. After spending the winter and dreary spring indoors, we’re all itching for a change of scenery and diet. If you’re sticking to a meal plan, the same staples that carried you through the past few months probably aren’t doing it for you anymore. Slow cooker braised meat is great for cold December nights, but in the summer, we want something light and fresh that still fuels your body.

Enter poke (pronounced PO-KEI.) If you’re a sushi lover, you’re going to love poke, because it’s basically a deconstructed tuna roll. The raw fish dish has been a staple in Hawaiian cuisine for decades, but it has recently hit the New York City food scene, so now the humble dish is officially très chic. Poke is one of those things that’s ridiculously easy to make, but super impressive to serve to guests (or that hot date from the gym.)

As long as you’ve got great ingredients, then you’re set up for success. High quality fish is a must — this is a time to venture to Whole Foods, look for a respected fishmonger in town, or catch your own fish. Frozen fish fillets will not be delicious.

Poke is also particularly friendly for those of you on meal plans, because the macros are easily partitioned. This recipe is for 4oz of fish, which makes it easy to scale up or scale down depending on how your allotted macros for the day. Pair it with some sushi rice (make your life easy and just pick some up at the local sushi joint), and you’ve got a meal that will fill you up without weighing you down.

Hawaiian Style Poke

Serving size: 4oz

Prep Time: 5 minutes, plus 20 inactive minutes

Ingredients:

4 oz sushi grade tuna, salmon, or yellowtail, sliced into bite sized cubes

1 tbs soy sauce (for gluten free, substitute Bragg’s Liquid Aminos or any GF soy sauce or tamari.)

1 tbs fresh ginger, grated

1 ½ tbs sesame oil

4 scallions, whites thinly sliced

1/4 avocado, cubed

Sushi Rice

Method: 

1. In a small bowl, combine sliced scallions, ginger, sesame oil, and soy sauce.

2. Add sliced fish and toss to combine. Let fish marinate in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.

3. Just before serving, toss in avocado. Garnish with sesame seeds, nori, or spicy mayo and serve over warm sushi rice.

Macro Breakdown for 4oz poke and 1/2 cup sushi rice:

Fat: 12g

Protein: 28g

Carbohydrate: 33g

 

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