Packed with tons of colorful veggies and protein-laden tofu, this is a must-have recipe for vegetarian and vegan athletes. I imposed a weekly vegetarian dinner for my family years ago to help keep us healthy and fit. It has since become one of the favorite nights of the week.
Makes: 4 servings
Serving size: 1 to 11⁄2 cups
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS
11⁄2 tbsp sesame oil, divided
1 block firm extra-protein tofu, patted dry with paper towels and cubed
3 cups broccoli florets
2 large zucchinis, quartered and cut into 1⁄2-inch (1.25cm) slices
1⁄4 scallion, diced
2 carrots, sliced
1⁄2 red bell pepper, sliced
5 to 6 bok choy stalks, ribs removed and leaves sliced into 1-inch (2.5cm) strips
2 cups bean sprouts
for the sauce
11⁄4 cups cold water, divided
1⁄4 cup soy sauce
5 tsp packed light brown sugar
1 tbsp honey
1⁄2 tsp ground ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp cornstarch
DIRECTIONS
1 In a saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat, make the sauce by combining 1 cup of water, soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, ginger, and garlic. Cook until nearly heated through, about 1 minute.
2 In a bowl, combine the cornstarch and the remaining 1⁄4 cup of water and stir until dissolved. Add the cornstarch mixture to the saucepan and cook until thickened, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often.
3 In a separate saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat, heat 1⁄2 tablespoon of sesame oil until shimmering. Add the tofu and cook until golden, about 10 minutes. (Cover and reduce the heat to low to dry out the tofu more.) Remove the tofu from the saucepan, transfer to a bowl, and drizzle half the teriyaki sauce over the tofu, tossing until coated. Set aside the tofu and the remaining sauce.
4 In a wok on the stovetop over medium-high heat, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of sesame oil until shimmering. Add the broccoli, zucchinis, scallion, carrots, and bell pepper and cook until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the bok choy and bean sprouts and cook until slightly wilted, about 2 minutes more.
5 Add the tofu, drizzle the remaining sauce over the top, and toss to combine. Remove the stir-fry from the stovetop. Serve immediately with your favorite rice or noodle.
per serving