This recipe has “week night dinner” written all over it. Cook some brown rice, quinoa, or soba noodles to go along with it and you’ve got yourself a hearty, nutrient packed meal that your entire family – kids included – will love (and devour). The carrots, bell pepper and snow peas are merely a suggestion for a tasty vegetable medley. You can swap in your favorites, broccoli perhaps, mushrooms, bok choy, or Japanese eggplant. All will go deliciously with this spoon-licking peanut ginger sauce.

Culinary Wellness Tip: Want to save a ton of time with this recipe and have dinner on the table in 40 minutes? Press and marinate your tofu before you head out the door in the morning. Then when you come home, heat your oven and get that tofu baking. Make the sauce, prep the vegetables, and get your stir-fry going. By the time the tofu is out of the oven, you’ll be ready to add the peanut sauce and tofu to bring the dish all together.

Tofu and Vegetable Stir-Fry with Peanut Ginger Sauce

Serves 4

Tofu
1 pound firm tofu, drained, rinsed, and pressed
3 tablespoons tamari
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon coconut oil
Pinch red pepper flakes

Peanut Ginger Sauce
¼ cup smooth peanut butter
1 tablespoons tamari
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
½ teaspoon lime zest
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon lime juice
1 teaspoon maple syrup
2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 ½ tablespoons grated ginger
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water

Vegetables
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 large carrots, cut into matchsticks
1 red bell pepper, cut into ¼ inch strips
1 pound snow peas, ends trimmed
Sea salt
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted for garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375F. Cut the block of pressed tofu into bite-size cubes. Combine the remaining tofu ingredients into a bowl and marinate the tofu for at least 20 minutes, stirring half way through to ensure all the tofu is coated in the marinade.
Transfer the tofu to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes or until the tofu has begun to crisp up. After about 20 minutes of cooking, use a spatula to flip the tofu baking so that it cooks evenly on all sides.
While the tofu is baking, combine all the ingredients for the peanut ginger sauce in a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Adjust the level of ginger, lime, and maple syrup to taste.
Heat 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, carrots, bell pepper, snow peas, and a generous pinch of salt. Stir-fry until all the vegetables are crisp-tender.
Reduce the heat to low. Add the tofu back into the pan and pour in the peanut sauce. Stir continuously so that all the vegetables and tofu are coated in the sauce.
Serve topped with toasted sesame seeds.