Summer is here in a big way and it is time to break out the sunhats and paddleboards and hit the water! We have had record hot weather this summer in B.C. To keep the house cool, I’ve been using the oven as little as possible. The airfryer is my best friend lately! It is quick, easy and fun to use. Welcome to my new recipe – Tofu & Veggie Bowl with Orange, Garlic & Ginger Sauce. I hope you try it and love it!

We recently had family visiting which was lovely. To avoid coming in after a day of outdoor fun and having to make dinner, I prepared this recipe completely ahead of time. It was ready and waiting to place into bowls and drizzle with sauce! I prepped and pre-cooked the veggies, and the tofu marinated all day in this tasty added oil and sugar free Orange Garlic & Ginger Sauce.

This recipe is great for a quick meal and simple to prepare ahead of time. It would be perfect to make for a really big group and tastes wonderful as left-overs.

Marinate the tofu in half of the sauce for as little or as much time as you have. The beautiful thing about marinating tofu, as opposed to raw meat, is not having to discard any uncooked marinade. It is not going to contain bacteria and even feces like meat will. To find out how up to 48% of chicken is found to contain fecal matter, which can contain e-coli, click the link in the prior sentence…

Yikes… No thanks. I’ll enjoy feces free tofu please.

Isn’t tofu bad for me?

Are you worried about tofu causing breast cancer and “man-boobs”? I discussed this fallacy with a nurse friend recently. It is sad that many people who have had breast cancer are being told, even by their doctors, to stay away from soy products in their diet. It is fascinating the way the media has imbedded fear into people on this topic. Rest assured, this information is false. Studies show that people who consume soy products actually have reduced incidences of cancer and that soy is protective against diseases. For more information, please see this blog post where you will find links to information and videos from doctors on the topic of soy.

Tofu & Grain Veggie Bowl with Orange, Garlic & Ginger Dressing
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Serves: 4 Prep Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 25 minutes 25 minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

BOWL INGREDIENTS:

1 - 440 oz container of medium firm tofu, pressed and diced into 1" chunks

2 cups brown rice or quinoa, cooked

4 cups cauliflower florets, diced into bite sized pieces

2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2" cubes

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 english cucumber, sliced

1 red pepper, diced

1/3 cup parsley, or cilantro, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil, or water

salt, pepper, garlic powder, spices of choice

ORANGE GINGER SAUCE:

2 oranges zested, then peeled

6 garlic cloves

2" chunk of fresh ginger, peeled and diced

2" piece of turmeric, or 2 teaspoons turmeric powder

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

4 dates pitted

2 tablespoons soy sauce (Braggs), or other

2 teaspoons hot sauce

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Cook brown rice or quinoa as per package instructions. Set aside.

Blend the sauce ingredients, including the orange zest, and let sit until ready.

Prepare the tofu by draining and slicing it lengthwise into two equal parts. Wrap tofu well in a clean tea towel and set something heavy on it, (like a cast iron pot), in order to squeeze out some of the liquid.

As the tofu is pressing, wash and dice sweet potato, onion and cauliflower and toss in a bowl with a tablespoon of oil (or water). Sprinkle with spices of your choice and toss again. (I enjoy garlic powder and steak spice.)

Remove the tofu from the tea towel and cut into 1" chunks. Place the tofu into a ziploc bag and pour half of the orange marinade into the bag. (Keep the remainder of the sauce to use as the bowl dressing.) Gently make sure all tofu is covered in sauce. Place in the fridge and flip the bag over at least once when marinating. (You can marinate for a few minutes, or up to 24 hours.)

Bake veggie mix in a greased or parchment paper lined casserole dish at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes stirring halfway through, until tender. (If you have an air-fryer, cook in the air-fryer for about 20 minutes, tossing periodically until cooked to your liking.) Set aside.

Remove tofu from fridge. You will now cook the tofu with the marinade. Either air-fry for 20 minutes, tossing periodically, bake on parchment paper in a casserole dish at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes, flipping once halfway through, or fry in a frying pan on the stove. Set aside.

Chop cucumber, red pepper and parsley into 1" slices.

Assemble bowl. Stack rice or quinoa, tofu, roasted veggies, fresh veggies and herbs. Top with a generous amount of sauce.

Enjoy!
www.thevibrantveggie.com

Notes

- add sprouts, greens, seeds or nuts for added fiber and texture - substitute grains and vegetables for those you prefer or have on hand

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