Lemony Tofu-Quinoa Saute

Vegetarian Quinoa with Lemon Tofu

Let me begin by saying, I am a semi-newbie in the world of tofu. I use the word "semi" simply because I have eaten my fair share of this silky, soy goodness and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it, but that's where my journey ends. I have to admit that cooking tofu is not my forte. I can tell you howI like this veggie delight to taste, but I couldn't begin to tell you how it got there. So, my fellow tofu semi-newbies, tonight seems like the perfect night to get my test kitchen on.

All day I have been dreaming of ways to use tofu. Matt is working late tonight, giving me the opportunity to play around with ingredients he doesn't like. I couldn't think of a better night to play with the food I love.

I would not consider myself a risk taker. Although I am not afraid to push myself outside my comfort zone, it does always feels better to stick with things you know. This especially rings true when it comes to cooking. I know I like tofu, I know I like beets, but I also know I LOVE quinoa. Love, love love it (obviously).

My tip of the day:

When new ingredients are brought into the mix, stick with other ingredients you know you love and you're more likely to end up with a yummy meal in front of you!

This is what I know and love (and luckily I always keep these goodies in my kitchen):

• Quinoa
• Broccoli
• Summer Squash

All three of these delightful ingredients I have had with tofu and each time the dish totally worked, so I figured I'd be able to make it work for myself. And boy, I don't want to toot my own horn (too much at least), but it was definitely good.

Lemon Tofu with Quinoa and Vegetables

What you will need:

• 5 small - medium beets, baked then chopped (I mixed the purple and golden varieties to make the dish more colorful and fun)
• 1 medium carrot, chopped
• 1 small broccoli crown, steamed and cut into bite size pieces
• 1 small summer squash, sliced
• 1/4 cup of quinoa
• Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• Salt & pepper to taste

For your tofu marinade:

• 1/2 lb extra-firm tofu (I bought mine in bulk at my local Natural Food Market)
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp gluten-free, low sodium soy sauce 
• 1 tbsp evoo
• Fresh ground pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375° F.

Wash your beets thoroughly, snip the tops and bottoms off, and slice in half. Lay the beets flat side up in a baking dish and drizzle with some evoo, fresh ground pepper and salt to taste. Cover the dish with foil and place in the center of the oven. Let the beets bake for 30 - 40 minutes, until the tip of a knife slides in easily.

While the beats are cooking, prepare the marinade for your tofu. Combine and whisk all the "wet" ingredients in a small bowl. Slice your tofu into 1/2" slabs and place them in a baking dish. Drench your tofu with the marinade and let it sit in the fridge for 20 - 30 minutes.

Check your beets after 30 minutes, if they're done pull them out of the oven, if not then let them keep cooking until they're juicy and tender. Once the beets are done, take them out and remove the foil. Let them sit to cool so you don't burn your little fingers off when trying to peel them.

Place the tofu in the center of the oven and let cook for 20 minutes, flipping the "slabs" after 10 minutes.

Now turn your on your quinoa. Bring 1/2 cup of water to boil, add the quinoa and let simmer for 8- 12 minutes, until there is no more water in the bottom of the pot.

Spray a 10" fry pan (love my LTD2 from All Clad!) and toss in your carrots. Let those cook for just a few minutes and add your summer squash. While those are cooking, peel your beets with a sharp knife and chop into 1/2" chunks. Throw those into the pan with your steamed broccoli. Sprinkle in some balsamic vinegar, 2 - 3 tbsp should do the trick (to be honest, I really just splashed some in the pan). Turn down the heat and let this cook.

Check the quinoa. If it's done pull it off the heat and add it to the pan of veggies. Saute this all together and let stay warm on low.

Pull the tofu out of the oven. Don't be afraid if it's not crispy on the outside. My tofu was soft in texture, but PACKED with lemony goodness. Slice into 1" chunks and add to your saute pan, if there's extra marinade in the bottom of the baking dish, throw it in there for an extra punch of flavor! Toss everything together (add a little more balsamic if need be - if you can't tell I'm not afraid of adding flavor).

Serve hot and indulge!

I hope you find the tartness of the lemon, mixed with the sweetness of the balsamic and beets just as enjoyable as I did. I even have some leftover for lunch tomorrow!