Tofu is one of those funny foods that everyone seems to say the same thing about. Usually, that thing is along the lines of, “it doesn’t really taste like anything.” While it’s true that plain tofu on its lonesome is pretty underwhelming, the same could be said about bread, and we find plenty of delicious ways to dress up and eat that. Unlike most bread, however, tofu is both a nutrient dense food and an excellent source of protein.
Our only complaint is that we have trouble knowing all the ways tofu can be prepared with a meal. And while the methods and recipes we’ve looked into are endless, we wanted to share a handful of ideas with you so you can enter 2018 equipped with all the tofu ideas you need to incorporate it into your diet regularly. If you like following along with this Buddha Bowl recipe and would like to do more like it, then check out our other “Tofu Tour” blog posts!
To Make These Buddha Bowls You’ll Need…
(Serves 4)
- 1lb chopped broccoli
- 1lb chopped cauliflower
- 1 medium red onion
- 1 block of extra firm tofu (12oz-14oz)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2 Tbs olive oil
- 2 avocados
- 1 cucumber
Optional for dressing:
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
- 1½ tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic
-
Heat your Oven and Prep the Tofu
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and put your unpackaged block of tofu onto a double layer of paper towels. Then take another double layer of paper towels and place them on top of the block. Apply pressure to the top layer of paper towels to get rid of excess water in the block. Once reasonably dry, cut the block into 1/2-3/4inch cubes. Cover a cookie sheet with foil or wax paper and line it with the cubes.
-
Veggie Time
If you bought your vegetables raw or uncut chop up the broccoli and cauliflower while the oven heats up. Slice the onion in 1/2inch thick rings and place all of the cut up veggies onto a cookie sheet covered in foil or wax paper. Drizzle the oil over the vegetables and sprinkle the salt and pepper as well. Make sure everything is evenly coated.
-
Throw Em in the Oven
Put both the vegetable and tofu pans in the oven (it doesn’t matter what sheet goes on which rack) and set the timer for 20 minutes. Stir the vegetables about 12 minutes in and check on both pans once the timer goes off. Depending on how chewy you want your tofu, you may choose to leave it in the oven for a few more minutes. Take out the vegetables at 25 minutes or when they feel tender.
-
Lemon Dressing and Cucumber Slices
While the oven bakes, prepare the dressing and slice up the cucumber. To prepare the dressing, throw together the lemon juice, Balsamic vinegar, oregano, thyme, and garlic in a bowl, whisk away, and set aside. -
Mix the Tofu and the Dressing
Once the tofu is baked to your preference, put the tofu in a bowl, pour 1/4 of the dressing over the tofu, and let sit for a few minutes before assembling the ingredients.
-
Prepare each Buddha Bowl
Start by putting plenty of the roasted broccoli, cauliflower, and onions at the bottom of the bowl and then scoot the tofu, sliced avocado, and sliced cucumbers next to each other at the top. Drizzle the bowl with the lemon dressing to your liking and dig in.
