Happy Monday, friends! Hopefully you’re all powering into this Monday after a relaxing weekend. Our co-ed ultimate frisbee team played in Mile Zero Ultimate’s summer league playoffs this weekend followed by parties, friendship and fun! We didn’t finish how we would have liked (we lost the game to play in the finals and ended up placing 3rd) but hey. You win some, you lose some. The hubs and I are headed c̶a̶m̶p̶i̶n̶g̶ glamping this week and then we’re off to Bonavista (a small community on the Bonavista Peninsula in Newfoundland) for a few nights with friends. Bonavista has become a real tourist hot spot here on the island. I live a few hours from it and, oddly enough, I’ve never been. Excited for a staycation filled with coffee, good food, nature and friends!
I’ve been experimenting with a lot more plant based proteins as of late in an effort to incorporate less animal protein into my diet. One of my fave tofu dishes is the crispy tofu bowl from Fresh in Toronto, so I guess you can say the Tiger bowl was my inspo for this creation.
Give this a try and let me know what you think!
Have a great week, lovelies!
Sincerely,
Les
Ingredients:
for the crispy tofu
- 1 package (12oz) extra-firm tofu
- 1tbsp avo oil
- 2 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tsp chili garlic sauce
- 2 tbsp tamari
- 4 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 4 tbsp coconut sugar
- 2 tbsp vegetable stock (or water)
- 5 tbsp runny almond butter (smooth)
for the bowl
- 2 ‘nests’ of dried rice noodles
- 1 tsp avo oil
- 6 baby boy chow, trimmed and cut in half
- 1 beetroot, julienned
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 1/2 cup chopped green onion
- 1/2 cup toasted slivered or almond pieces, toast on a pan until lightly browned and fragrant
- 1 avocado, halved and cut into thin slices
Method:
Preheat oven to 400 F. The key to crispy tofu is to get most of the water out of it, so wrap your block of tofu in some paper towel or a clean dishcloth and lay something heavy on top of it. I use a pot or plate with something heavy in it (a few canned goods etc). Let it sit like this for 10-15 mins. While you’re waiting and the oven is preheating, whisk together all of the tofu ingredients minus the tofu and olive oil. Set aside. Cut the tofu into small cubes, toss in avo oil and spread out on a parchment paper covered cookie sheet. Bake tofu in the oven for approximately 20 minutes, turning halfway. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil, remove from heat and add 2 nests of rice noodles. Soak the noodles according to package instructions and then drain and rinse with cold water. Set noodles aside. In a wok or large skillet, heat avo oil over medium heat and add bok choy. Sauté until slightly wilted and browned. Remove from skillet, cover to keep warm, and add tofu and half of the sauce to the wok. Heat tofu and then add 2nd half of the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more water of veg stock to thin. Assemble bowls with half of the noodles, tofu, beets, sprouts and boy choy. Divide remaining sauce and drizzle over noodles and bok choy. Garnish with avocado, green onion and almonds dividing half of each between the to bowls. Dig in and enjoy!
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