Spicy Tofu & Greens Bowl

So, I’ll be honest when it comes to tofu. I absolutely love it, but I don’t cook my own as often as I should. I think it’s a combination of being a really big fan of tempeh and also being lazy and not feeling like going through the process of prepping tofu. In reality, it’s not really much of a process: open, drain, squeeze out excess water, cut, cook. I guess I’m just really lazy?

Anyway, this turned out to be one of my favorite tofu dishes ever. It was so easy and I can’t wait to make it again. You can also easily adjust the sauce recipe below if you like less spice, and you can swap in whatever veggies and grains your heart desires.

Ingredients:

• 1 block firm tofu
• The Sauce
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1/4 cup Tamari or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce if not gluten free)
  • 1 tbsp sriracha
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp agave (or honey if not strictly vegan)
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp brown rice miso
  • Juice from half a lime
• Veggies (all optional — feel free to swap in bell peppers, asparagus, onions, etc.!)
  • 1 container of shiitake mushrooms
  • 1 bunch or container of baby broccoli
  • 1 bunch of lacinato kale
  • 1/4 cup edamame
  • 1 jalapeño
• 1 cup brown rice (you could substitute quinoa, rice noodles, wild rice, etc.)
• 1 tsp. sesame seeds

Method:

1. Prepare your grain. For the brown rice, I simply followed the directions on the box, so this took about 45 minutes to cook. Quinoa only takes 10-15 minutes to prepare.
2. Prepare your veggies by washing and cutting them, then sit aside.
3. Prepare the sauce by combining all sauce ingredients together and whisking until combined. Set aside.
4. To prepare your tofu, remove from package and drain all the liquid out, then press as much liquid out of the tofu as possible. To do this, I cut the block in half length-wise, and place it on a plate between two kitchen towels, then press out the water, moving the tofu around on the towels until as much liquid is out as possible. You could also use a tofu press (like this or this) if you make tofu often. Then, slice the tofu to your desired size and shape.
5. To cook the tofu, you have options. To get the grill marks that you see on mine, I used this mini grill by Dash. I would highly recommend these because they are small, cute and get the job done fast without having to use extra oil. You could also use a larger grill if you have one, of course. I like to cook the tofu plain (without sauce) for a couple minutes in the mini grill. Then once the pieces are cooked, remove them from the heat and place in a bowl and cover with the sauce. Then, place the saucy tofu back on the grill for a minute or two — this is what gets them all sticky and really shows off those grill marks.
   • If you don’t have a grill, then I would cook the tofu in a non-stick pan (which doesn’t require added oil) on medium heat, turning it over carefully as each side browns. Then, toss the cooked tofu in the sauce once done.
6. While the tofu cooks, saute your veggies. I simply add a bit (maybe 1 tbsp or so) of coconut oil to a pan over medium or medium-high heat, then toss in my veggies, adding some salt and pepper if desired. Let these cook for 5 minutes or so, until slightly tender. Then remove from heat.
7. Prepare your bowl! Place the grain in the bowl, then top it with your veggies. Add the tofu last, and any other toppings you might like (I used edamame and jalapeño, but green onions would be so good here too!). Use any extra sauce to pour over the rice and veggies. Sprinkle with sesame seeds to finish.
8. Enjoy!