I love recreating meals for the sake of a challenge, but also to bring my favorite restaurants to those of you at home who don’t have the luxury of living in the epicenter of vegan food (hi Los Angeles) or are trying not to eat out as much. Sweetfin is a California inspired poke restaurant with a section of their menu dedicated to strictly plant-based bowls. This particular recreation is of the Miso Eggplant & Mushroom Bowl, a bowl I genuinely love and eat all the time. Of course my version isn’t EXACTLY the same, but it has the same bold flavors Sweetfin uses.
Sushi Cauliflower Rice
Cauliflower rice is tricky to perfect, but luckily I’ve figured out how to perfect the texture so it’s not too soggy or too crunchy. Here’s how:
- Use a frozen bag of cauliflower rice if you can – it’s much quicker to cook
- Sautée the onions and all the seasoning in olive oil first, then mix in the cauliflower rice and sautee for 5-6 minutes. Cooking the seasoning first allows the rice to be more fragrant
- Don’t add water because the cauliflower won’t soak it up the way rice does – it’ll just get soggy and gross!
The miso eggplant & mushroom bowl from Sweetfin is customizable and is made with either cauliflower rice or bamboo rice – I went with the cauliflower rice to make this bowl as healthy as possible and to prove how yummy cauliflower rice can be! If you like this recipe, try my REFRESHING CUCUMBER SALAD which is a great base for bowls.
Healthy and Accessible Ingredients
I try to be conscientious of the fact that not all ingredients are accessible for everybody. For the mushrooms you don’t have to get the exact variation I used, any kind of mushroom will work. If you are unable to find sundried tomatoes, you can forgo them completely or dice cherry tomatoes and pop them in the oven. I urge you to be creative in the kitchen and work with what you have – as always, I am available to help with substitutions or ideas via Instagram @theplantcollective_
This miso eggplant & mushrooms bowl is:
- Filling
- Hearty
- Nutritious
- Packed with versatile flavors including sundried tomatoes, green onions, miso, lime, etc
Enjoy!
Miso Eggplant & Mushroom Bowl
Ingredients
Sushi Cauliflower Rice
- 1 bag frozen cauliflower
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp nori flakes optional
- 1 green onion diced
Miso Eggplant
- 1 eggplant
- 1 tbsp miso paste
- 2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
Mushrooms
- 1 cup shiitake mushrooms
- 1 cup shimeji mushrooms
Snow Peas
- 1 cup snow peas
- 1/2 juice of a lime
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Toppings
- 1 radish
- 1 tbsp lime ponzu sauce tamari or soy sauce work too
- 1-2 green onions diced
- 2 tbsp sundried tomatoes or 6-8 cherry tomatoes diced & baked in the oven
- 1/2 avocado
- 1/2 juice of a lime
Instructions
Sushi Cauliflower Rice
- heat olive oil on a pan. once hot, add green onions and all seasonings
- after a few minutes, add your cauliflower rice. mix all ingredients well and keep covered. cook for 5-6 minutes stirring every minute or so
Miso Eggplant
- chop the eggplant into bite sized pieces
- mix miso paste and tamari in a dish. add the eggplant to the skillet and pour dressing over it making sure to cover each cube
- cook for 5-7 minutes while covered stirring every minute or so. I like mine a bit charred so I cook mine closer to 8 minutes. wait until the eggplant is tender before removing from heat
Mushrooms
- rinse the mushrooms and add to your skillet. cook on a low-medium heat while covered
- after a few minutes, you may notice the mushrooms to be immersed in water. drain them and return back to the skillet. the cooking process should take around 8-10 minutes - you will know when they are done when the pan is dry and the mushrooms are golden brown
Snow Peas
- rinse the snow peas the trim the ends. add them into the skillet with the juice of 1 lime and let cook covered for 5-6 min. I like mine on the charred side so I keep them in closer to 7 minutes. If they start sticking to the pan before they are finished cooking, add a touch of water to loosen it up. be careful not to add too much water. when done sprinkle sea salt on top
Toppings
- arrange the sushi cauliflower rice, miso eggplant, mushrooms, and snow peas in your bowl. top with 1/2 an avocado
- dice radish into thin strips and add on top of the bowl along with the chopped sundried tomatoes and chopped green onion
- finish with the juice of 1/2 lime and lime ponzu sauce or tamari/soy sauce. enjoy!
