I have to say this has been one of my favorite west coast food discoveries, so I’m not quite sure where to even begin when talking about the poke bowl. I guess the point of discovery – Pacific Catch. A few years back, while being touristy in San Francisco, I ducked into a Pacific Catch with my family, and decided on a rice bowl topped with this stuff called poke, among many other Japanese-ish ingredients. I was hooked. I had to learn more about the poke. Which is when I discovered it was a Hawaiian dish that could be made an infinite number of ways. The numerous recipes, as well as the fact I needed sushi grade ahi, kept me from exploring how to make this for a long time. Upon feasting on poke in Hawaii, however, I had a renewed interest in learning to make the most common sesame-oil laced version. So after sifting through lots of recipes, I came up with what I deemed to be the perfect poke. (more…)

Filed under:
Asian, Dairy free, Dinner, Gluten free, Hawaiian, Lunch, Salad, Vegan, Vegetarian by Courtney

I have zero control when it comes to L&L Barbecue’s macaroni salad. I know on a single trip there, I will definitely consume two portions of mac salad, along with the scoop of rice and hefty amount of Kalua pork they serve. As I type, I’m not sure if I’ll make it through this post without running out to get an order. Mmmmmm!

I’ve tried quite a few times, unsuccessfully, to recreate the mac salad since I love it so much. Last week, I think I finally hit the nail on the head. After scouring the interwebs, looking for the divine answer, I stumbled upon a post that noted the secret was the amount of mayonnaise used in the salad. Use a lot. And by a lot, I mean, use more than you think, double that, then put another couple of hefty spoonfuls in. Then maybe just another dab for good measure. (more…)

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Dairy free, Hawaiian, Side Dish, Vegetarian by Courtney

At least that’s what I was feeling yesterday while soaking up a few of the sun’s rays. The clouds finally cleared, and the temperature got up to 80, and while sipping on a bit of pineapple juice, I thought, “I should really make something with some grilled pineapple.”

Lucky for me, I had only used half the pineapple in my juice, so half was left over for grilling. I also had some chicken thighs in the freezer, so I decided a teriyaki chicken bowl with grilled pineapple would be the perfect way to end the sunny day. (more…)

Filed under:
Cooking outdoors, Dairy free, Dinner, Gluten free, Hawaiian, Lunch by Courtney