Hello! I’m excited to share this meal. I made it last week and I thought it was delicious. I love how the texture of tofu changes when it’s baked, and I was excited to use some fresh green beans from the farmer’s market – green beans have always been a favorite of mine… so much that my sister gave me a green bean poster in college and my Aunt Lu bought me a green bean platter. They also remind me of picking them in my Nonna’s garden – our job was to “snap the beans!” I would have liked to use brown rice, but I ran out, so I used up some jasmine rice but any kind (or quinoa) will do!
1/2 block extra firm tofu
1/2 cup good quality (or homemade) BBQ sauce
1 cup rice or quinoa of your choice
2 large handfuls of fresh green beans
1 bunch of broccoli
EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
salt & pepper
large lemon wedge
2 TBS pine nuts
1 TBS fresh parsley
First drain your tofu, then wrap in paper towels or towels and press out the moisture by placing under something heavy. Keep the tofu press going for as long as you can. When the tofu is pressed, cut in chunks and pour the BBQ sauce over. Let the tofu marinate while you prep the rest of the meal.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the rice according to the package instructions. Next prep the veggies. Rinse the beans and broccoli then snap or cut off the ends of the beans, and chop the broccoli into florets. Spread out the broccoli and beans on a large baking sheet and drizzle with EVOO and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Mix around with your hands, then bake for 20 minutes, checking them every 5 minutes or so and stirring them around with a spoon or spatula to make sure they’re not burning or sticking.
To bake the tofu, line a baking sheet with tin foil and spray with canola or EVOO spray. Place pieces carefully down and then drizzle the remaining marinade over the tofu slices. Bake these for the same time as the veggies: 20 minutes, but flipping over after 10 minutes.
While everything is baking, fluff the rice with a fork & prep your toppings…
Now that all the ingredients are ready, create yourself a delicious plate and then sprinkle with fresh parsley, lemon juice and some pine nuts. Enjoy your vegan feast!!
