A quick lunch

As we wind down Veganuary I just want to remind my readers who used this month to begin their journey, especially those worried about how to make the food piece of it work, meals do not have to be complicated to be delicious and interesting.

Here is a taco bowl I recently had for lunch.

This freshly made bowl came together in about 30 minutes (including time to cut the tofu and veggies! I was so pleased with myself.) Here's how I did it:

Rice: I started first with the rice since this takes the longest to cook. We have a rice cooker so it's pretty hands off and doesn't leave a mess on my stove top, which saves time on the clean up side. If you don't have a rice cooker I would encourage you to batch cook enough rice for the week, put some that you'll use early in the week in the fridge and whatever you'll use towards the end of the week in the freezer. It warms up pretty quickly so you don't have to take It out the night before.

Tofu: The block I used had been frozen then thawed In the fridge so It had a firmer texture to It. I squeezed the tofu out a bit over the sink but I didn't press it. Most days I can't be bothered with waiting. I cut It In cubes, drizzled some tamari then tossed It In nooch (nutritional yeast). Then I went heavy on the spices using the Mexican blend I made from Toni Okamoto's Plant-Based on a Budget. (Listen to Toni on Did You Bring the Hummus here) I then dumped the tofu cubes onto a parchment lined baking sheet (also accelerates clean up time) taking care to space them out but also leaving room for the peppers. In the oven the sheet pan went for about 12ish minutes at 425.

Any brand of organic tofu will do but Fresh Tofu Inc is my absolute favorite. For a bowl like this you want firm, super firm, or extra firm. Soft tofu will not hold a cube shape like you want and silken is for dressings and desserts.

Peppers: I added the cut peppers into the same bowl I had tossed the tofu, drizzled some avocado oil, then added salt and pepper. Tossed it in the bowl and dumped it on the sheet pan with the tofu. You want to cook the tofu a bit first, if you put the peppers in at the start they will burn or if you take it out of the oven to avoid burning the peppers, the tofu won't be cooked enough. After you add the peppers, put the sheet pan back in for 12-15 minutes until the peppers begin to bubble and char on the edges.

Chips: Now that the rice, tofu, and peppers are cooking, I started working on the chips. I took a small stack of corn tortillas, cut them into triangles then squeezed fresh lime juice over them in a bowl, salted, and tossed. I then spread them out on a second parchment lined baking sheet and put them in the oven with the tofu and peppers. I baked them until most were starting to crisp and brown.

Cilantro: While everything is cooking I rinse, dry, and chop the cilantro which I set off to the side on my cutting board

Beans: With a few minutes left on the rice, tofu and peppers just out of the oven, I dumped a can a beans into a small pot and heated them up for a few minutes.

I then began to build my bowl, rice on the bottom, then tofu, then beans, then peppers, topped with a taco sauce and chopped cilantro. This meal is so satisfying, bursting with flavor, multiple textures, SO much fiber, vitamins, and yes, protein too.

I find I make a lot of quick meals using a sheet pan, you can roast so many different veggies (likely what you have on hand now) along with tofu, tempeh, soy curls, or seitan on the same pan. Add the contents to bowls, fill taco shells, use it to top pasta....there are so many options! Keep it exciting by changing up the veggies and the spices.

I promise, you can make simple, delicious meals that leave you feeling nourished and satisfied.

With just a couple of days left in the month, what is your plan after Veganuary? Will you continue to explore a vegan life and what that could look like for you? Something else? Tell me in the comments.

---

I am looking for guests for season 7! If you are a vegan, please fill out the "Be a guest" quiz on my website here. If you're not a vegan but know someone who would be a great guest, please send them that link.

Did you know you can now get Did You Bring the Hummus merch? It's true! Visit my shop here! 

Meditate with me next Wednesday, February 4th at 8pm ET. Sign up here. Sessions are $15, there are discounted packages available as well.