TOFU QUINOA BOWLS + VEGAN SESAME OYSTER SAUCE

I respect anyone trying to save money, but I don’t subscribe to the idea that “going vegan is too expensive”. It’s all about respecting your body and your budget at the same time... The numbers don’t lie! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

Dry quinoa triples when cooked, so it’s a great grain to get the bang for your buck. I used one cup of it to feed two people! Cost for the entire meal? $11. Cost of going#plegan? Priceless.

Ingredients:

1 package extra firm tofu 

1 cup dry tricolor quinoa

1 T grape seed oil 

1 T sesame oil 

1 inch ginger, minced

3 gloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup vegan Oyster sauce or Mushroom sauce

2 T Sambal chili paste 

2 T coconut sugar 

1/2 cup water

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced 

1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

1 carrot, thinly sliced 

1/2 cup of fresh green beans 

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400° F. You’re cooking it high so the exterior is crisp, but the interior remains nice and soft!

  2. While it is heating up, strain the tofu in a tofu press to remove extra moisture — this is key for getting those crispy bites!

  3. Slice the tofu into bite sized pieces and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Place on a parchment lined sheet and put into the over for 15 mins.

  4. Once the tofu is going, measure out 1 cup of quinoa (you can use whatever kind you like, I used tricolor). Rinse the quinoa then put into your instant pot with 2 cups of water on high for 4 minutes. You can also do this on the stovetop— just bring the mixture to a boil, then cover and simmer until the moisture is gone + the quinoa is fluffy.

  5. Put a pan on the stove on high heat. It is so important to get the pan pre-heated prior to adding your cooking oils!

  6. Add 1 T grape seed oil and 1 T sesame oil to the pan. Once the oil ripples, add your ginger and garlic.

  7. Pour in 1/2 cup of Vegan oyster sauce and stir until fragrant.

  8. Stir in 2 T of chili paste (you can add more if you like it spicier) and 2 T of coconut sugar. Let simmer until bubbles have formed in the center, then stir in 1/2 cup of water.

  9. Add in your tofu to soak up the sauce and turn on low.

  10. While the tofu is simmering, heat a wok or non-stick pan on high heat. Add a splash of oil and let it rise in temperature. Once the oil is smoking, throw in your veggies and cook for just a few minutes so they maintain crunch.

  11. Plate your quinoa bowls and top with furikake seasoning!

Charity Morgan