Description
Soy glazed tofu nuggets served with a seasonal and flavorful whipped sage butternut squash. Easy to make and budget-friendly!
Ingredients
Baked Tofu
- 1 lb super firm high protein tofu (see notes for using extra firm tofu)
- 1 1/2 tbsp tamari
- 1 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp light brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp five spice powder (or use coriander)
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1 tbsp potato starch
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- Kosher salt
Stir Fry & Whipped Squash
- 1 bulb of garlic, cut 1/4 of the top to expose the garlic cloves
- 2 lb butternut squash, cut in half lengthwise
- 6 thyme sprigs
- 1 1/2 tbsp avocado oil
- 10 sage leaves
- 1 shallot, sliced
- 1 red chili pepper, thinly sliced (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups baby bok choy, chopped
- 1 1/2 tbsp tamari
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp light brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F and prepare two parchment lined baking sheets. Place the squash halves face up on a baking tray with the bulb of garlic. Drizzle the squash and garlic with a little oil then flip the squash cut side down onto some of the thyme and wrap the garlic in foil. Bake on the bottom rack for 30-40 minutes until the garlic is soft.
- Tear the tofu block into small bite size pieces (about 1/2-inch) and place in a large bowl or airtight container. Pour the tamari and vinegar over the tofu, cover the container then toss to evenly coat and allow the tofu to sit for 10 minutes.
- Coat the tofu with the five spice, sugar, starch, and oil, then cover and toss again to evenly coat. Spread the tofu pieces out on a baking tray, making sure each piece has space between it. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, flip then bake again for 5-10 minutes.
- Heat a saute pan over medium low heat then add the oil and allow to heat up. Once hot, add the sage and spread out over the bottom of the pan, allowing them to cook in the oil for 1 to 2 minutes. The sage should deepen in color, but not turn brown or burn. Remove from the pan and place the leaves on a paper towel lined plate to drain.
- To the sage infused oil add the shallot, pepper, and bok choy with a pinch of salt then saute for about 3 minutes. In a small bowl add tamari, vinegar, sugar and a tablespoon of water then whisk to combine. Pour the mixture into the pan and toss until the tofu is coated then remove from heat.
- Scoop out the flesh of the squash and squeeze out the garlic into a food processor or tall blender cup. Add in the crispy sage and a generous pinch of salt and blend until smooth.
- To serve, portion the whipped squash onto serving plates then top with the glazed tofu and veggies and enjoy.
Notes
Save time with the squash. Not a fan of chopping squash, feel free to roast up some frozen squash or use pre-peeled and cut squash for roasting.
Meal prep time savers. Want to make this meal come together faster during the week? Save time by roasting the squash and garlic bulbs in advance for the week. This will save a lot of roasting time in advance then all you have to do is reheat the squash before blending everything together.
Use a pre-pressed tofu. Your tofu experience can be impacted by whether you decide to press your tofu or not. Pressing can help improve the texture of the tofu when it is roasting in the oven, so if using extra firm tofu press it in advance before starting OR save time altogether and by a super firm tofu or variety that is sealed in a vacuum sealed package. You can use it straight out of the package, no pressing require. I love Nasoya’s super firm tofu for this.