{"id":444628,"date":"2026-09-23T01:32:23","date_gmt":"2026-09-23T01:32:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/444628\/"},"modified":"2026-09-23T01:32:23","modified_gmt":"2026-09-23T01:32:23","slug":"build-a-budget-friendly-poke-bowl-with-epcc-culinary-arts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/444628\/","title":{"rendered":"Build a Budget-Friendly Poke Bowl With EPCC Culinary Arts"},"content":{"rendered":"

El Paso, TX (KFOX14) \u2014 Back-to-school cooking can put pressure on a family\u2019s grocery budget, but that does not mean meals have to feel basic.<\/p>\n

During a sponsored Daytime segment, Chef Steven Lowry and El Paso Community College student Ava Duran demonstrated a colorful poke bowl that can be adjusted for different preferences and portion sizes.<\/p>\n

Lowry described the bowl as a flexible combination of a grain, a lean protein and fruits or vegetables. The studio version began with about 1 1\/2 cups of steamed sushi rice, although another grain can be used as the base.<\/p>\n

Grilled chicken was added for protein. Tuna and tofu were offered as alternatives, including a meat-free option.<\/p>\n

Add fresh toppings<\/p>\n

The toppings demonstrated during the segment included sliced avocado, cucumber, green onion, chopped cilantro, diced mango and sesame seeds.<\/p>\n

Families can place the ingredients out buffet-style and allow everyone to build an individual bowl. That makes it easier to accommodate different preferences, including picky eaters who may not want every topping.<\/p>\n

Finish with two sauces<\/p>\n

The first sauce was a sesame-oil vinaigrette made with soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and sesame oil.<\/p>\n

Lowry recommended placing the ingredients in a squeeze bottle, shaking them together and drizzling the vinaigrette over the completed bowl.<\/p>\n

The second option was a spicy mayonnaise made with mayonnaise and sriracha hot sauce. It can also be mixed in a squeeze bottle and added in a drizzle across the top.<\/p>\n

Exact sauce measurements were not provided during the segment, allowing home cooks to adjust the flavors and heat level to their preference.<\/p>\n

Turn it into meal prep<\/p>\n

The ingredients can also be prepared ahead of time. Lowry said the components can be covered and refrigerated for up to three days.<\/p>\n

Keeping the rice, protein, toppings and sauces in separate containers allows family members to assemble fresh bowls throughout the week. Leftover ingredients can also become lunch for the following day.<\/p>\n

EPCC\u2019s farm-to-table approach<\/p>\n

Lowry said EPCC\u2019s culinary program has been in place for more than 20 years and extends beyond learning how to cook and bake.<\/p>\n

During the segment, he highlighted hands-on work involving mushroom growing, honey harvested through an apiary, wine and beer education, and other experiences that connect food production with the finished dish.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt really encompasses everything from farm to table,\u201d Lowry said.<\/p>\n

Learn more about the degrees, certificates and training available through EPCC Culinary Arts.<\/p>\n

Customizable EPCC Poke Bowl<\/p>\n

Yield: Not specified; scale the ingredients to the number of bowls needed.<\/p>\n

Base<\/p>\n

About 1 1\/2 cups steamed sushi riceAnother prepared grain may be substitutedProteinGrilled chicken, amount according to preferenceTuna or tofu may be substituted<\/p>\n

Toppings<\/p>\n

Sliced avocadoDiced cucumberChopped green onionChopped cilantroMedium-diced mangoSesame seedsSesame-oil vinaigretteSoy sauceRice wine vinegarSesame oilThe segment did not provide ingredient ratios.Spicy mayonnaiseMayonnaiseSriracha hot sauce<\/p>\n

The segment did not provide ingredient ratios.<\/p>\n

Assembly<\/p>\n

Place the steamed sushi rice or preferred grain in a bowl.Add grilled chicken, tuna or tofu.Arrange the avocado, cucumber, green onion, cilantro and mango over the base.Sprinkle with sesame seeds.Combine the sesame vinaigrette ingredients in a squeeze bottle and shake well.Combine the mayonnaise and sriracha in a separate squeeze bottle.Drizzle one or both sauces over the completed bowl.Serve immediately or keep the components covered and refrigerated for later assembly.<\/p>\n

Meal-prep note: The segment recommends refrigerating the prepared components for up to three days.<\/p>\n

\"Photo1.png\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"El Paso, TX (KFOX14) \u2014 Back-to-school cooking can put pressure on a family\u2019s grocery budget, but that does…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":444629,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[138,140,139],"class_list":["post-444628","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-el-paso","tag-el-paso","tag-el-paso-headlines","tag-el-paso-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/444628","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=444628"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/444628\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/444629"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=444628"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=444628"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=444628"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}