Roasted Tofu, Brown Rice Pilaf, and Steamed Broccoli

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Ingredients

1-1/2 blocks firm tofu (2 blocks for leftovers)
soy sauce
1 cup long grain brown rice
1 cup Lundberg wild rice mix
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced and lightly sauteed
handful grape tomatoes
handful baby spinach leaves (chiffonade)
bunch of minced chives or herb of choice
1 bunch broccoli, stems peeled and cut into chunks, small florets

Roasted Tofu, Brown Rice Pilaf, and Steamed Broccoli

This super-healthy vegetarian meal is simply delicious, and can be thrown together in about an hour, the time it takes to cook the rice.

Submitted by:
Lynn Brownstein Lynn is a food blogger who trained professionally at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and at Peter Kump's New York Cooking School in Manhattan. Her blog is inspired by extensive cookbook, newspaper, and magazine reading.

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Make It:

1. Saute garlic in olive oil until fragrant but not brown. Add rice, stir in salt and two cups of water. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer 50 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes and fluff with fork.
Then saute 2-3 cloves minced garlic and add to rice, along with spinach leaves and tomatoes. Toss in minced chives.

2. Meanwhile, steam broccoli in a large pot. Steam stems first for 5 minutes, add florets and cook 8 minutes more or until tender.

3. While rice is cooking, cut tofu into squares. Lay on baking sheet and drizzle with soy sauce. Bake at 450 for @15 minutes or until sizzling.

4. When all components are ready, arrange on a plate and serve. Drizzle rice with extra olive oil if desired.

Clean It:

Even when buying organic, be sure to give your vegetables a good rinse to remove any remaining microbes or pesticide residue. For your broccoli, soak for a minute in cool water and separate the florets well.

Green It:

What to do with the leftover produce leaves, scraps, stems and flowers that are filling up your garbage? Start your own at-home compost with these easy steps.

Make It Fun:

Let the food cool a bit and then invite your child to play. Maybe the broccoli can be "planted" in the rice like a forest with tofu "boulders" strewn around. You may find that by encouraging a creative display of food, you'll also encourage healthier eating!

Image courtesy of Lynn Brownstein.