Bow Down to Soba Buddha Bowls

Fresh ginger, baby bok choy, dry-roasted edamame, yellow bell pepper and nutritious soba noodles make these vegan Buddha Bowls an easy (and delicious) win for lunch or dinner. The recipe is vegan, too!

Soy-Soba Buddha Bowls

Ingredients:

1 (12- to 18-ounce) package firm or extra-firm water-packed tofu
¼ cup finely chopped shallots
4 Tbs. toasted sesame oil, divided
2 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce (organic)
1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
¼ tsp. crushed red pepper
4 heads baby bok choy, halved lengthwise
1 yellow bell pepper; stemmed, quartered and seeded
4 ounces dried soba noodles
½ cup coarsely shredded carrot
½ cup dry-roasted edamame
1 Tbs. sesame seeds, toasted

FOR THE DRESSING:

3 Tbs. rice vinegar
2 Tbs. agave nectar

Directions:

1. Drain tofu; pat dry. Cut tofu into 1-inch slices; place in a rectangular baking dish. In a small bowl combine shallots, 3 tablespoons sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger and crushed red pepper. Set aside 2 tablespoons of mixture. Spoon half of remaining mixture over tofu; carefully flip slices and spoon remaining mixture over tofu. Cover and chill 1–4 hours.
2. Brush bok choy halves with remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Preheat grill to medium heat. Place tofu slices on grill rack directly over heat (reserve marinade in dish). Add bok choy and bell pepper to grill. Grill bok choy 3–5 minutes or until wilted, turning once. Grill tofu 5–10 minutes or until nice grill marks appear, carefully turning once halfway through. Grill pepper quarters 10–12 minutes or until crisp-tender, turning once. Remove food from grill when done.
3. Meanwhile, cook soba noodles according to package directions. Drain; rinse with cold water. For dressing, combine leftover marinade from tofu dish with reserved 2 tablespoons marinade. Whisk in rice vinegar and agave nectar. Toss 3 tablespoons dressing with noodles.
4. Thinly slice grilled tofu, pepper quarters and bok choy. Add grilled vegetables, carrots and edamame to bowls; toss to incorporate. Divide noodle mixture and grilled tofu among four serving bowls. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon dressing over each bowl. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

PER SERVING (2 cups): 393 cal, 17g fat (6g mono, 7g poly, 4g sat), 0mg chol, 673mg sodium, 42g carb (6g fiber, 9g sugars), 19g protein

SOURCE: The recipe is by Laura Marzen, RD for Delicious Living, and  is posted by permission of Delicious Living (and its parent company New Hope Network), a trusted voice in the natural living community for 30 years.