Baked Broccoli Tofu Bowls with Orange Ginger Dressing

Baked Broccoli Tofu Bowls with Orange Ginger Dressing #grainfree #vegan #cleaneating

I’m so happy to see that some of you are open to the idea of challenging yourself to eat vegan for a week. Giving up your favorite foods (hello cheese!) might seem a little daunting at first but I think sometimes it can be beneficial to experiment with your diet and see how your body reacts.

I know I mentioned that I felt a little more bloated than usual after completely eliminating animal products but the more I think about it, I wonder if maybe my body just needed a little more time to adjust. That and maybe my brain needed more time to figure out how to incorporate certain foods to make it easier on my digestive system.

By the way, is all of this GI talk making you hungry yet?

Baked Broccoli Tofu Bowls with Orange Ginger Dressing #grainfree #vegan #cleaneating

I’m confident that these tofu bowls would have made a great addition to my week of vegan eats because they’re about as light and clean as it gets. Crispy baked tofu and broccoli are layered on a bed of fresh cabbage and topped with a tamari, citrus and ginger dressing.

It’s just enough to fill you up and entertain your taste buds without making you look like you’re carrying a food baby. Because nobody likes being asked if they’re pregnant when they’re not, amiright?

Baked Broccoli Tofu Bowls with Orange Ginger Dressing #grainfree #vegan #cleaneating

Outside of pressing and marinating the tofu, it’s a pretty easy meal to put together. I like to make the dressing and press the tofu the day before and then let it marinate in the refrigerator overnight so that it’s ready to throw in the oven when I get home from work.

I have tried only marinating the tofu for an hour as well and it was still really good so you could probably get away with letting it marinate it for at least 30 minutes if you want to make it the same day.

I also found that topping it with a little bit of orange vinegar (the same one from Trader Joe’s I used in the Orange Avocado Salad) in addition to the dressing helps the flavors pop more, but if you don’t have any that’s okay. I originally made it without and we still loved it.

Well, I hope you guys are loving citrus as much as I am lately because I’ve got a few more up my sleeve. In the meantime, enjoy this one. It’s sure to leave you feeling like a champ! :)

Baked Broccoli Tofu Bowls with Orange Ginger Dressing #grainfree #vegan #cleaneating

 

Baked Broccoli Tofu Bowls with Orange Ginger Dressing

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: 4 large bowls

Ingredients

16 ounces extra firm tofu, pressed*

4 cups broccoli florets

1 small head green cabbage, thinly sliced (approx. 5 cups)

2 cups shredded carrots

6 green onions, diced

Orange Ginger Dressing

juice and zest of 2 large oranges

3 inches fresh ginger (approx. 3 tablespoons minced)

4 garlic cloves (approx. 2 tablespoons minced)

4 tablespoons tamari (low sodium, if necessary or preferred)

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar (or orange vinegar)

2 tablespoons olive oil

additional tamari and orange vinegar for topping/to taste (optional)

Instructions

  1. After the tofu has been pressed of excess water, dice it into 1” inch squares and then transfer to a large shallow bowl.
  2. Prepare the dressing by stirring all of the ingredients together (or you can avoid mincing the garlic and ginger by placing everything into a food processor and blending) until smooth. Reserve 1/2 cup of the dressing for later then pour the remaining portions into the bowl with the tofu. Stir until the tofu is evenly coated then cover the bowl with plastic wrap or tinfoil and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours.
  3. When you’re ready to eat, preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or greased tinfoil). Transfer the tofu to the baking sheet and bake in the oven for 12 minutes on each side.
  4. Next toss the broccoli with one tablespoon high heat oil then place in the oven with the tofu and cook for 15-20 minutes, until light brown on the edges.
  5. Meanwhile prepare the bowls by layering the cabbage and carrots in the bottom of 4 separate dishes and topping with 1/2 of the remaining dressing.
  6. Once the tofu and broccoli are done cooking, distribute them into each of the bowls. Finish off with remaining dressing and top with green onions, additional tamari (to taste) and orange vinegar (optional). Serve immediately and store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Notes

*To press tofu, place between two kitchen towels or multiple paper towels and then lay a heavy book on top. Allow it to press for 1-2 hours or you can use an actual tofu press to remove excess water.

Time does not include pressing tofu or marinating it as both will vary depending on method. I prefer to prepare the tofu and the dressing the day before to save time and let the tofu marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

https://www.makingthymeforhealth.com/baked-broccoli-tofu-bowls-with-orange-ginger-dressing/