Shiitake and Bok Choy Vegetable Rice Bowls

This bowl just has everything – veggie-packed with a salty, spicy umami sauce and a toasty coconut sesame cashew topping. It’s so quick but so, so delicious. It’s one of our favorites and with bok choy in season here in Boston, it couldn’t be any fresher. Add this to your lineup this week – you won’t be sorry!

This recipe is vegan and gluten free and comes together in under 30 minutes.

Serves 4 | Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten free | Less than 30 minutes

3 cups of cooked white rice (1 cup dry)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 head of bok choy, sliced vertically
3 carrots, sliced thin
1 head of broccoli, chopped into florets
5 oz sliced shiitake mushrooms
1/2 cup vegetable broth
2 tbsp chopped Cilantro for serving
For the sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sesame oil divided
1/4 cup tamari
1 tbsp agave (or honey if not vegan)
1/2 tbsp minced fresh ginger
1/2 tbsp minced garlic
1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes per desired heat
1 star anise pod
The juice of half a lime (save the other half for serving!)
For the topping
1/4 cup raw cashews
2 tbsp finely shredded unsweetened coconut
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1/4 tsp sesame oil
Sprinkle of sea salt

Start by making the rice if you don’t have it pre-cooked (I rinse my rice, boil 2 cups of water, add the rice, cover, and reduce heat to low for 20 minutes or so until water is absorbed). Next, make the sauce. Combine the olive oil, sesame oil, tamari, agave, ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes and star anise pod and lime juice. Whisk until combined, then set aside to let the flavors meld.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. When crackling, add all the veggies except for the bok choy. Cook, stirring a few times for about 3 minutes, then add the bok choy on top. Pour in the 1/2 cup of vegetable broth and cover, letting steam for about 7-10 minutes or until veggies are just soft, but still have a bite to them, then uncover and turn the heat to low. Give the sauce a whisk, remove the star anise pod, then pour in most of the sauce, leaving about 2 tbsp for drizzling when serving. Stir the veggies to coat and let simmer for 2-3 minutes.

In a small skillet, combine the coconut, cashews, sesame seeds, sesame oil and sprinkle of sea salt and turn the heat to medium. Stir constantly until toasty and fragrant, about 2 minutes, then remove from heat. To serve, place 2/3 cup rice in a bowl followed by 1 cup of vegetable mixture and top with 1 tbsp of coconut sesame topping, a squeeze of lime, a drizzle of remaining sauce, and a sprinkle of cilantro.