Lunch Ideas - Ginger Miso Noodle Soup

Trader Joe's has a new Ginger Miso broth I've been wanting to try.  I used it today and came up with this easy soup.  I made my own baked tofu, but you can make this recipe even easier by picking up a brick of savory baked tofu from TJ's too.

I used one full carton of TJ's Ginger Miso Broth.  I made a simple baked tofu by pressing a brick of extra firm tofu and marinating it with some soy sauce, olive oil, maple syrup, cayenne, and garlic powder.  Cut into cubes and bake at 425 degrees for about 40 minutes. 

I used used half a package of Nasoya Udon Noodles and prepared them as directed.  I sliced a handful of mushrooms and added them to the broth along with the tofu cubes, some chopped green onions, and the udon noodles.   Heat through and serve.   This made for a very filling soup for two people.

baked balsamic tofu & curry veg burrito

Make a big batch of baked tofu anytime and store it in the fridge for easy sandwiches and burritos like this all week.  The basic recipe for baked tofu is baking marinated tofu slices at 425 degrees in the oven for 20 minutes on each side.  Here I've used Balsamic salad dressing as a marinade and it's so good with the curry flavor of the veggies.

Ingredients 

Serves 4

• 4 whole wheat burritos 
• 1 package super firm tofu, drained and pressed 
• Light balsamic dressing
• Assorted veggies (pepeprs, squash, snap peas, etc.)
• Curry powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• coconut or olive oil
• Optional: tofu sour cream and vegan cheese

For the Baked Tofu

1. After draining and pressing the tofu, cut into long pieces.
2. Place in a bowl and coat with dressing evenly.  Cover and let marinate in fridge for at least 20 minutes or an hour or longer for more flavor.
3. Baked in the oven for 40 minutes turning once halfway through and brushing with more dressing.

For the Curry Veggies

1. Cook vegetables in 1 Tbs coconut oil.
2. Add Curry seasoning and a dash of salt and pepper.  I recommend the taste and adjust method when cooking with curry.  Start with a healthy dash, mix it in, taste it, and go from there adjusting up to your perfect level of curry.  

Assemble the Burritos

1. Warm the tortillas in the microwave.
2. Smear the center of the tortilla with the tofu sour cream and sprinkle a palmful of cheese on top.
3. Layer the veggies and tofu, roll up and eat!

easy BBQ tofu bites

Baked tofu is so easy and so versatile.  Use your favorite BBQ sauce and and bake up this simple recipe.  It's great for a main dish or for an appetizer.  We paired this version with some dips for our "cheese bomb party spread".


Easy BBQ Tofu Bites

• 1 block of Super Firm Tofu or Exra Firm Tofu (Pressed)
• 1/2 bottle of BBQ sauce of your choice

1. Cut the tofu in 1x1 in cubes.
2. Coat the tofu in BBQ sauce and let marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes or more.
3. Bake a 425 F for 40 minutes, turning the cubes half way through.

cold night comfort food

This cold night comfort food trio is sure to fill you up and keep you warm on a cold night.  Savory baked tofu full of flavor, maple glazed roasted brussels sprouts packed with nutrients, and beta-carotene loaded sweet potato mash are connected with the flavor of pure organic maple syrup.  Even better, all of the ingredients are budget friendly.

Baked Tofu - Vegan Eats World: 300 International Recipes for Savoring the Planet

Maple-Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Sweet Potato Mash

• Two Medium - Large Sweet Potatoes
• Organic Pure Maple Syrup to taste
• Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Cube the sweet potatoes and boil til soft
2. Drain water from pot
3. Drizzle in maple syrup and season to fast
4. Use and immersion blender to "mash" to the sweet potatoes