Baby Bok Choy and Wasabi Roasted Tofu Stir-Fry — The Dirt on Vegetables

Okay, so who here has fallen off their New Year’s Resolution wagon? I am sure that you had every intention of following through with each thing on the list you made in January, but March is upon us and, like every year, there are almost no resolution survivors. Am I talking about you? If so, don't beat yourself up. Any of you who live in the Northeast, or a place that has been on the same level of frigid like where I dwell in Cambridge, MA, I empathize with you because it can be really hard to stay motivated. There are many times where I am supposed to go to the gym, but I will come up with a hundred excuses not to go and some reasons are pretty terrible... i.e. "I really don't feel like having to wash my hair" or "I need this extra layer of blubber to keep me warm in the cold winter months." Isn't being pasty white bad enough? Let's not add insult to injury.

(Motivating mixing bowls could help... thanks Mom!)

I want to help you by throwing you back onto your wagon so you can achieve those healthy goals you made just a mere two months ago. Actually, the truth is that I need your help too. I feel like if we are in this together, we can make it happen. Who's with me?Recently, I read that fewer than 2% of people actually follow through on their New Year's resolutions. This makes me feel like we are not alone and that we are able to achieve our healthy goals if we stick together.One of my goals is to eat vegan dinners at least twice a week. I am a vegetarian, so you might be thinking that it shouldn't be too hard for me, but it's harder than it seems. I have one word for you: Cheese. Cheese is my best friend and my greatest achilles heel. As a self-professed cheese lover I don't think I could ever give it up, but it would be great to replace the decadent pizzas that have been slowly creeping into my diet with a healthy, delicious vegan entree.If you are thinking that I am preaching to the choir right now, I am here to tell you that our lack of willpower for avoiding cheese might actually be rooted in something biochemical, so I got to wondering if there was hope. "Studies suggest that cheese, chocolate, sugar, and meat all spark the release of opiate-like substances that trigger the brain's pleasure center and seduce us into eating them again and again," says Neal Barnard, MD,Vegetarian Times' Ask the Doc columnist and president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. "These foods stimulate the same opiate receptors in your brain as heroin or morphine, albeit to a lesser degree. Luckily, there are many healthy dietary and lifestyle changes you can make to break food addictions." To break from these addictive foods, the doctor suggests focusing on what you're eating today instead of thinking of your diet change as a "forever" decision. "Focus on the short term. A three-week break will be enough to get you started."The trick to eating healthy as a vegetarian or a vegan is the same trick to eating healthy as an omnivore: steer clear of greasy beige foods (French fries, onion rings, etc.) and stick to a colorful, balanced diet that includes whole grains, hearty legumes, leafy greens, and fresh fruit. This recipe fills practically all of the requirements.It has shiitake mushrooms, which are great in a stir-fry. The dark leafy greens and the tofu provide a great source of protein. Best part? It is healthy and so easy to make. I love the way that tofu tastes roasted in the oven. If you haven't tried it yet, you really should. It browns very well and saves time over the stove. Sometimes I serve this dish with steamed rice or quinoa.

Baby Bok Choy and Wasabi Roasted Tofu Stir-Fry

Recipe Type

:

Entree

Author:

Michele Wolfson

Ingredients

2 Tbs. sesame oil, divided
3 Tbs. canola oil
3 Tbs. cup rice wine vinegar
2 Tbs. gluten-free tamari sauce
1 Tbs. grated fresh ginger
1 ½ tsp. wasabi powder
1 Tbs. cornstarch
1 lb. firm tofu, drained and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
4 cups coarsely chopped bok choy, stems and leaves chopped separately
1 cup chopped shiitake mushrooms

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450°F, and line baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk together 1 Tbs. sesame oil, canola oil, vinegar, tamari, ginger, wasabi powder, and cornstarch in large bowl. Add tofu, and toss to coat cubes in marinade.[br]
[br]2. Spread tofu in single layer on prepared baking sheet, reserve marinade and set aside. Roast tofu cubes 10 minutes, or until bottoms are dark golden brown. Flip, and roast 5 minutes more, or until all sides of the tofu cubes are dark golden brown and have puffed up.[br]
[br]3. Heat remaining sesame oil in wok over high heat. Add bok choy stems and mushrooms, and stir-fry 3 minutes, or until wilted. Add garlic, bok choy leaves and stir-fry 5 minutes more. Add roasted tofu and reserved marinade; stir-fry 1 minute, or until sauce has thickened.

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