I’m going to keep this one simple: This is our current favorite thing to eat. It is so delicious, full of the flavors and textures that we often crave. And unlike salted caramel pound cake, it is actually healthy. It comes from the new book Bowl and Spoon by the smarties over at The Sprouted Kitchen, Sara and Hugh Forte. I like the food they make, and I like their books. This one is full of delicious recipes that are served in (#?)bowls, large and small. It feels just right for spring, and I have a lot of recipes bookmarked to try.
The recipe, as written, serves four people. If you are two or one or three, no worries. Keep the components separate (tofu, noodles+veggies, dressing) and combine them all when you are ready to eat. We found that it all kept surprisingly well, and was almost as delicious on the second day. We preferred eating half of an avocado with this (rather than the quarter of avocado called for), but you do you. Julienne peelers are great, and make this easy.
Slivered Vegetable and Soba Salad with Mapled Tofu (Recipe adapted from The Sprouted Kitchen Bowl and Spoon by Sara and Hugh Forte)
- 14 ounces extra-firm tofu
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- Freshly ground pepper
- 6 ounces soba noodles
- 1 bell pepper, seeded and sliced thinly
- 3 carrots, peeled and julienned into long strips
- 1 seedless cucumber, julienned into long strips (avoid the seedy core)
- 1 bunch of cilantro, coarsely chopped
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- 1 large avocado (or 2?)
Dressing
- 1 tablespoon yellow miso paste (if you have a darker color, just use less)
- 1 (3-inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 1 teaspoon honey
- zest and juice of 2 limes
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1-2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce (plus more for serving)
Drain the tofu and press out excess liquid in a clean dishcloth. In a large skillet, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Cut the tofu into 1/2-inch cubes and add them to the hot pan. Saute gently until the edges begin to brown. Add the soy sauce, maple syrup, and a healthy dose of black pepper. Stir and cook for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are crisp and the tofu is nicely browned. Set aside to cool.
Cook the soba noodles according to package directions, and rinse well in cold water, and drain. Put the noodles, bell pepper, carrot, and cucumber in a large bowl and toss together.
For the dressing, put all of the ingredients into a small jar with a lid and give it a good shake.
When ready to serve, pour the dressing over the veggies and noodles, add the chopped cilantro and toss well to coat. Top the bowl with the green onions, sesame seeds, and tofu. Serve each portion with a quarter (or half!) of an avocado.
cR says:
March 27th, 2015 at 8:34 am
If I were Madonna, or Sting, I would order my kitchen underlings to make this EVERY SINGLE DAY for lunch from now until summer solstice on June 21st.
In other words, I love this recipe.
Katrina @ WVS says:
March 27th, 2015 at 10:11 am
This sounds so yummy! I love all those vegetables!
Sara @ Cake Over Steak says:
March 27th, 2015 at 12:56 pm
I just received this book last night and I literally just want to look at it all day. I have this recipe bookmarked as well.
Jack Knight @ jackknightcooks says:
March 27th, 2015 at 3:59 pm
Fabulous post.
I shall have to keep a look out online for this book.
Thanks for the inspiration Tim. And long may Lottie + Doof continue.
Jack
S@sha says:
March 27th, 2015 at 7:33 pm
Healthy schmelthy, that salted caramel poundcake was good! Totally worth the calories. This seems like the noodle version of Heidi Swanson’s Sushi Bowl recipe from 101 Cookbooks. That is one of my favorite of her recipes, so I’ll definitely give this a try. Especially since soba noodles cook so much faster than brown rice, which is great for weeknight dinners.
Dena says:
March 28th, 2015 at 5:05 am
I am a big fan of The Sprouted Kitchen. I have this book on order. Now I really can’t wait until it arrives. Looks wonderful. And the dish reminds me of some of my favorite meals at Penny’s Noodle Shop in the days that I lived in Chicago. Yum.
D
Darina says:
March 29th, 2015 at 9:15 am
I have their first book, which is fantastic and have been contemplating picking up this one, if I can figure out where to put it. Really good, healthy yet flavourful food. I love this recipe and love the shots. :) I’m so making this.
Mary Anne says:
March 29th, 2015 at 6:59 pm
Last week I lost all self-control and made your mac and cheese (which Adam declared the best mac and cheese he ever ate), as well as Saveur’s flat and chewy chocolate chip cookes (the BEST), so this week I need some healthy sh*t. This looks perfect!
sara forte says:
March 31st, 2015 at 9:56 pm
flattered by your compliment, thanks Tim :) I write recipes that make me sound like I am moderate but I pile on avocado too so you are in good company. Thanks for the mention and kind words. Hope all is well and take good care.
Bec says:
April 5th, 2015 at 6:14 am
It looks perfectly fresh, healthy (tick) and that tofu!!! Dayum. Lovely recipe, thanks for sharing. I am not off to chase that book!
Bec says:
April 5th, 2015 at 6:18 am
Now*
Marlena says:
May 4th, 2015 at 7:28 am
I finally made this last night and it tastes great! My only (personal) edit would be to double the sauce, since it’s so tasty. I did have some difficulty with the tofu sticking to the pan, but it could have been the pan, since I used both coconut oil, and then added ghee when it started sticking. A great meal for these warmer spring days.
Monique says:
July 24th, 2015 at 4:44 am
Thank you for sharing! Doubled the dressing. A delicious recipe as written, and an amenable template for improvisation.