Tofu Power Bowls

January 20, 2019

Nutritious, flavor-packed veggie power bowls with crispy baked tofu, kale, edamame, carrots + THE BEST creamy peanut sauce of your life!

Oh. my. goodness. I have really done it. I have overloaded on beignets.

Going between Cafe du Monde and Cafe Beignet here in New Orleans, I probably have had about 27 beignets in 2.5 days. And I don’t have an ounce of regret about it.

Except I am now heading back to Los Angeles, and the first thing I need is this power bowl. IMMEDIATELY.

Yup, I’m doing a “power bowl cleanse”. Meaning I am stuffing myself with all these perfectly spiced crispy baked tofu bites smothered in the best peanut dressing ever.

Not to mention, look at all these colorful veggies – massaged kale, edamame and carrots. But you can always substitute or add any other veggie of your choice.

Just make sure you have enough peanut sauce for all your veggies. That’s all I ask.

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Nutritious, flavor-packed veggie power bowls with crispy baked tofu, kale, edamame, carrots + THE BEST creamy peanut sauce of your life!

Ingredients:

1 cup farro

1 (16-ounce) package extra firm tofu

2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided

2 cups shredded kale

1 1/2 cups shelled cooked edamame

2 carrots, peeled and grated

3/4 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves

1 lime, cut into wedges

For the creamy peanut sauce

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

2 teaspoons dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon sambal oelek (ground fresh chile paste)

1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

Directions:

To make the creamy peanut sauce, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, sambal oelek, ginger and 2-3 tablespoons water in a small bowl; set aside.

Cook farro according to package instructions; set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place tofu on a paper-towel lined plate; press a paper towel and heavy skillet over top of tofu to absorb excess water. Let stand 15 minutes before dicing into bite-size cubes.

In a large bowl, combine tofu, cornstarch, chili powder, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Stir in 1 tablespoon olive oil until well combined.

Place tofu in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Place into oven and bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown and crisp, flipping halfway.

In a small bowl, add kale and drizzle with remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil; season with salt and pepper to taste. Massage until the kale starts to soften and wilt, about 1-2 minutes.