Sometimes… no … a LOT of times…. I love to just grab whatever RANDOMNESS is in my refrigerator and throw it together and see what I come up with.
Well this week that happened and turned into THIS! I call this kind of cooking … choose your own adventure. This exact bowl will likely NEVER exist quite like this again! My Choose Your Own Adventure blog posts are meant to inspire, rather than be strict recipes. Take tips or ideas from this and go make your own kitchen magic with the randomness in YOUR refrigerator!
I had baked tofu earlier in the week with Mexican spices – cumin, garlic powder and chili powder sprinkled onto to sliced tofu (see end of post for recipe for baked tofu.) I also had half a jar of black bean and corn salsa, random smattering of cucumber, blueberries and avocado and was craving polenta… so this beauty of a comfort food bowl was born!
I took the prebaked and spiced tofu with chopped onion, peas and warmed that up in a saute pan. Meanwhile, I cooked the polenta (we LOVE Bob’s Red Mill) per the package directions, with half veggie stock half water and a dash of cumin and chili powder for good measure. While that was cooking, I kept stirring the tofu, pea and onion mixture (and thought portobello mushrooms would be LOVELY in here but alas… don’t have any today!)
I also had the remnants of this AMAZING Spicy Nacho Dip from The Honest Stand in my fridge so threw that in the polenta after it was done cooking, to add a plant based cheezzzy spicy kick! Talk about flavor and oil free plant based AWESOMENESS! I then stirred the salsa into the tofu pea mix to warm it up.
The base of the CYOA bowl (Choose your own adddddvveeeenturreeee!) was baby greens and arugula. Topped with a hefty serving of the cheezy polenta, the tofu pea black bean corn salsa concoction, and then fresh cucumber, blueberries and avocado.
CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE BOWL:
- Greens
- Tofu
- Salsa
- Polenta
- Fresh veggies or fruit
- EAT AND ENJOY!
Listen – I know it may sound weird… Really Lori??? Blueberries???? Trust me on this. They go with almost EVERYTHING and adding fresh raw food in with all this other goodness is the best way to keep your digestion happy with ENZYMES and fiber and you have to admit… it looks pretty doesn’t it??? Our eyes LOVE the color. It lets our body know this bowl is brimming with plant based LIFE!
Check out the baked tofu recipe below for how to spice that up a million ways and add to any dish!
Baked Tofu
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
- 18 oz Extra Firm Tofu, one package Organic Sprouted tofu is best
- 4 TBS Spices of Choice See notes
Instructions
- Move your oven rack to the highest level and preheat to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Drain tofu, and slice into 1/2 inch rectangles, cutting from the shorter end. A regular 18 oz package makes six slices. Press each slice to remove excess water.
- Lay slices on an aluminum cookie sheet, or other non-stick oven safe sheet.
- Sprinkle one half of the spices on the exposed sides, then bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, use spatula to flip each slice, then sprinkle with the remaining spices. Bake for an additional 20 minutes. Remove from oven, allow to cool, then store for one week in the refrigerator or use right away in recipes.
Notes
- Mexican flavor use cumin, chili powder and garlic (fresh or powder)
- Italian sprinkle with crushed fennel, dried oregano and dried basil
- Indian, sprinkle with chana masala or tandori masala or garam masala spice blends.
- Asian, brush with tamari and sprinkle garlic and ginger powder.
Nutrition
Let us know what combination YOU try. Life is an adventure and so is cooking! Get in the kitchen and PLAY!
