Are you ready to spice up your life a bit? And no, I am in no way referencing the Spice Girls, though I am not ashamed to admit my love for the all girl pop group ;). This time, I am talking about spicing up your life with a nutritious, delicious, and flavorful meal. I hope you like spicy!
Kung Pao Tofu and Veggies
*Adapted from Kristen’s recipe.
Ingredients
1/2 block extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed
1/3 cup yellow corn meal
EVOO cooking spray
water, for cooking
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 TB fresh ginger, grated
1/2 small yellow onion, sliced
1 bunch green onions, sliced (reserve half for topping)
1 red bell pepper, sliced
3/4 cup sliced baby bella mushrooms
3/4 cup broccoli, chopped
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/8 cup whole cashews, chopped
1 1/2 TB sriracha sauce
3 TB low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 TB seasoned rice vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
red pepper flakes, to taste
Directions
1. Cut tofu into cubes. Place into a Ziploc bag with cornmeal and seal. Gently shake the bag until all of the pieces of tofu are coated with the cornmeal.
2. In a medium skillet that has been sprayed with cooking oil spray, heat the tofu over medium heat. Cook each side of the tofu for approximately 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown. Resist the urge to flip the tofu more often.
3. While the tofu is cooking, line a large skillet with a thin layer of water. Heat over medium-high heat until very hot. Once hot, lower the heat to medium and add garlic, ginger, onions, half of the green onions, and red peppers. Cook for approximately 6 to 8 minutes, or until softened. Add additional water, as needed.
4. Add mushrooms, broccoli and carrots to the large skillet. Cook an additional 5 minutes, or until all of the vegetables are cooked through. Add additional water, as needed, to prevent sticking and burning.
5. Stir in cashews, sriracha sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes. Lower the heat to low and simmer for approximately 5 minutes.
Serve the Kung Pao Tofu and Veggies over whole brown rice and top with remaining sliced green onions.
This really is an all-around nutritious and delicious meal. Carbs = check! Vegetables = check! Protein = check! You get it all in one dish. Oh, and it sure is tasty, too! As I mentioned earlier, these Kung Pao Tofu and Veggies have quite a bit of a kick to them! If you cannot handle the spice ;), I would suggest leaving out the red pepper flakes and reducing the amount of sriracha sauce used. But you can bet that I certainly was not going to do that. I love sriracha sauce way too much! I did, however, have a huge glass of ice water to chase it down with :).
Oh, and for the heads up, you can certainly choose to bake the tofu. However, I love this cooking method, as it produces a nice, crispy texture. To each their own, though, right? Either way that you prepare the tofu, it is bound to taste delightful!
