Fact: Sweet & sour chicken was the first Asian meal I was okay with eating as a very picky child.
So when my partner requested it for dinner one night, I was pumped to make it (and of course turn it into a meal prep).
You might be wondering, wait, where’s the protein???
There isn’t any direct protein source in this meal, but that doesn’t mean you’re going to be hungry again 10 minutes after eating this. There’s plenty of protein in vegetables and even rice has some protein in it! At first, the idea seems a little weird, but try it and see how it goes.
If you know you definitely need an ingredient that’s higher in protein, here’s what to add:
- Chickpeas! Yes. Chickpeas in the sweet & sour sauce would be awesome. Bonus points if you roast them and make ’em crispy before tossing in the sauce.
- Our usual suspects: Tempeh or tofu! A fool-proof choice for an Asian-inspired meal.
- Edamame! Same as the chickpeas – this would be awesome if you roasted the edamame to make it crispy then add it to the sauce.
- More veggies! Again, veggies like kale, broccoli, peas and mushrooms pack more protein than others. Can’t go wrong with more veggies.
- Replace rice with quinoa! Quinoa has plenty of protein in it and would taste amazing in this dish.
Not into broccoli or want to change the veggies?
You can absolutely add other veggies to this dish or trade the broccoli for other options like:
- sugar snap peas
- bell pepper (which I used in mine!)
- baby corn
- carrots
- peas
- green beans
- cabbage
- onion
- greens (why not)
- zucchini
Make it yours!
And as always, you can swap out rice for other grains if you’re not a rice person.
How to add more volume or double this recipe:
As always, my first recommendation to add more volume is to start with adding more broccoli or choosing another veggie to add to the meal. You can also add another protein element mentioned above and you can always add more rice/grains!
To double this recipe, simply double the ingredients for the veggies, rice and the sauce. You’ll need to add more cooking time for the rice!
Storage & reheating notes:
This meal can be stored in the fridge for up to four days. It’s not freezer friendly.
You can reheat it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or on the stove with a dash of oil.
Happy prepping 🙂
Takeout-Inspired Vegetarian Sweet & Sour Bowls With Homemade Sauce
Ingredients
For the rice
- 3/4 cup rice I use jasmine rice
- 1-1/2 cup water
- 1/4 tsp salt
For the Sauce and Cauliflower
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup ketchup sweet chili sauce also works
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup agave, maple syrup or honey sub white sugar
- 2 TBSP soy sauce
- 2 clove garlic minced or grated
- 1 TBSP brown sugar light or dark
- 1 TBSP olive oil for cooking cauliflower
- 1 head cauliflower chopped into florets (can also use tofu, tempeh or edamame)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 TBSP cornstarch
For Veggies
- 1 TBSP olive oil
- 1 head broccoli chopped
- 2 cups pineapple canned, frozen or fresh
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- sesame seeds optional for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the rice: add the rice, water and a pinch of salt to a pot. Bring the pot to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat as low as possible. Let it cook for 10 minutes over low heat, then turn the heat off and let it steam for 10 minutes. No peeking or stirring!
- Prepare the sauce: add the apple cider vinegar, ketchup, water, honey, soy sauce, garlic and brown sugar a measuring glass. Whisk until smooth, taste and adjust flavors to your preference if desired.
- Prepare the cauliflower: Heat up a skillet over a medium flame. Meanwhile, toss the cauliflower, salt and cornstarch together in a bowl.
- Cook the cauliflower: add the oil to the pan, followed by the cauliflower. To avoid crowding the pan, you may need to add the cauliflower in batches. Cook on each side over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, depending on the size of the florets until completely cooked through and slightly golden in color. Remove the cauliflower from the pan and set aside. Repeat this process if necessary.
- With all the cauliflower back in the pan, pour in the sauce. Simmer over medium-low heat until the sauce has thickened. Toss the cauliflower to coat the pieces in the sauce. If the sauce isn’t thickening, combine 1/4 cup water with 2 tsp cornstarch and add it to the pan over medium heat and stir – this will help it thicken faster.
- Remove the cauliflower and most of the sauce from the pan and set aside. We want to keep some of the sauce in the pan to flavor the veggies!
- Cook the veggies: Add a little oil to the pan over medium heat. After a minute, add the broccoli, red bell pepper, pineapple, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, until the broccoli is a rich, bright green color. You can cover the pan so the broccoli will steam and cook faster. When the veggies are done, you have the option of tossing the cauliflower in with them to mix it all together.
- To assemble: divide the rice, veggies and cauliflower between three meal prep containers. Garnish with sesame seeds if desired. Let the meals cool for 20-30 minutes before storing in the fridge.
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