Green Power Salad

With warmer months comes my craving for everything fresh from the garden… Or the farmers’ market! There is something truly special about the smell of fresh tomatoes and cucumbers, isn’t there? This usually means several salad per week in our house and I try to keep them interesting.

When salad is served as the main meal, it is important to add proteins to it so that you don’t find yourself walking to your pantry for a snack a few hours later (I have been guilty of this). You can add beans, such as chickpeas, tempeh, tofu… The list is long!

This time, I am sharing a version made with marinated baked tofu and chickpea. In order for your tofu to truly absorb the marinade, you must press it (you need firm or extra-firm tofu for this).

How do you do that? It’s very simple and you’ll only need a few sheets of paper towels or clean dishcloths, two cutting boards and a heavy object (like a big have book, big bag of rice).

1. Place one of the boards on the counter
2. Place one or two folded (for maximum absorption) paper towels or dishcloth on the board
3. Place the tofu on the paper towel and cover the tofu with one or two folded paper towels
4. Place the other board on top and add the heavy object on top (just make sure the tofu is pressing, but not crumbling, which can happen if the object is too heavy)
5. Leave for at least 30 minutes and replace the paper towels if they become too saturated

Following the “pressing”, you need to cut your tofu in cubes (about 1/2 in x 1/2 in) and place them in a shallow bowl, in a single layer. Cover with the marinade and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

And voila!

Now, for the recipe…

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Green Power Salad

Course Main Course, Salad

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Pressing and marinating the tofu 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Kate & Zest katebunting

Ingredients

For the marinated tofu

• 1 block extra-firm tofu
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp tamari sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp water

For the salad

• 6 cups spinach
• 3 branches celery, sliced
• 4 spring onions, sliced
• 2 fresh tomatoes, cut in little chunks
• 1 medium cucumber, sliced
• 2 cups brocoli, separated into small florets
• 1 cup canned (or cooked) chickpea
• 1 tsp chia seeds
• 1 tsp hemp seeds

For the vinaigrette

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar

Instructions

For the marinated tofu

1. Cut your tofu in cubes (about 1/2 in x 1/2 in) and place them in a shallow bowl, in a single layer

2. Cover with the marinade and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

4. Once marinated, placed on a lined baking tray and bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden

For the vinaigrette

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and set aside

For the salad

1. Place all in ingredients, including the tofu, into a large bowl

2. When ready to serve, pour vinaigrette in and toss until well mixed