Tofu Pineapple Bowls with Coconut Rice

Yield: 6 bowls

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Prep time: 1+ hours

Ingredients

12 oz extra firm tofu

1 red bell pepper, chopped

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup soy sauce or tamari

2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

2 tsp garlic, peeled and minced

1 tsp ginger, peeled and minced

1 Tbsp cornstarch

1 and ½ cups white rice, uncooked

1 cup water

1 can coconut milk

1 tsp salt

4 green onion, ends removed and thinly sliced

2 Tbsp jalapeño, deseeded and finely diced

1-2 cups pineapple, diced

1 cup roasted cashews, roughly chopped

Directions

Remove the tofu from the packaging, drain the water and place tofu on a cutting board. Slice the tofu from the side lengthwise into 3 equal slabs. Stack the tofu slabs on top of each other and slice lengthwise from the top into 4 rows. Finally, cut the rows in half so you have short sticks of tofu. Spread the sections of tofu out on the cutting board evenly and place clean tea towels or paper towels on top of the tofu. Place another cutting board on top of the towel and press down. You can stack a book or another heavy object on top to press out the water. Let the tofu press for 20 minutes.

While the tofu presses, prepare the sauce. In a large baking dish, combine the soy sauce, olive oil, rice wine vinegar, garlic, ginger and cornstarch. Whisk together. Once the tofu has been pressed for 20 minutes or more, add the tofu to the baking dish along with the bell peppers and stir to combine so everything is coated with the sauce. Let the mixture marinate in the refrigerator for ~1 hour.

When you are ready to cook the tofu, preheat your oven to 450°. Transfer the tofu and peppers to a cooking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Pour the remaining sauce over the tofu and peppers. Cook for 15 minutes, then flip the tofu and peppers over and return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes.

Prepare the rice. Begin by rinsing the white rice in a colander with cold water. Add the white rice to a pot and let it soak in water for 5-10 minutes. Drain the water and then add 1 cup clean water, the coconut milk and 1 tsp salt to the pot. Bring to a boil, turn to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the rice is soft.

Once the rice and tofu are cooked, assemble your bowls. Add 1⁄2 cup coconut rice to a bowl. Cover with a portion of the tofu and red peppers. Garnish with plenty of pineapple, diced green onions, jalapeños and chopped cashews. Enjoy!