Citrus Protein Buddha Bowl

Does anyone else crave home-cooked meals after traveling? Don't get me wrong, I'm all for eating yummy vegan food at restaurants, but the body wants what it wants. 🤷‍♀️

After traveling a bit this summer I needed a hearty yet seasonal home-cooked meal. This Citrus Protein Buddha Bowl is just what my body needed. The summery light citrus flavor of oranges with a protein punch thanks to some air-fried tofu and tasty chickpeas.

I hope you enjoy this tasty dish! Feel free to make it your own by swapping out veggies or even different types of citrus fruits.

Here's what you'll need for the salad: • Mixed greens or salad of choice

• Handful of cherry tomatoes quartered

• 1/2 large orange - rind removed & quartered

Here's what you'll need for the curried veggies: • 1/4 onion thinly sliced

• 4 cloves garlic minced

• 1 cup frozen green peas

• 1 cup frozen green beans

• 2 cups frozen cauliflower florets

• 1 bag frozen cauliflower rice

• 1 can chickpeas - drained & rinsed

• 1 Tbsp liquid aminos

• 1 Tbsp madras curry powder

• 1 Tbspp tikka masala powder

• 2 tsp ground ginger powder

• 1 tsp minced onion flakes

• 2 tsp cumin seeds

• 2 tsp parsley flakes

• Olive oil

• Salt & pepper to taste

Here's what you'll need for the tofu:

• 1 block extra firm tofu - pressed & cut into cubes

• 2 Tbsp liquid aminos

• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar

• 1 tsp olive oil

• 1 Tbsp cornstarch

• 2 Tbsp tikka masala powder

Here's what you'll need for the dressing:

• 3 Tbsp tahini

• Juice from 1/2 large orange

• 1 clove garlic minced

• 2 tsp madras curry powder

• 1-2 tsp liquid aminos

• 1/2 tsp umeboshi plum vinegar - if you can't find this you can omit

• 1/2 tsp rice vinegar

• Salt + pepper to taste

Directions: 1. Press the tofu for 15 minutes to remove all the excess water. Once pressed, cut into cubes.

2. Add the cornstarch, liquid aminos, rice vinegar, olive oil, and tikka masala powder to the bowl. Using your hands mix completely, making sure the tofu is covered. Let sit for 15 min.

3. While the tofu is marinating make your dressing. Add all of the ingredients together and mix thoroughly and set aside.

4. Next work on your beans & veggies. Add some olive oil to a large skillet on low. Add your 4 cloves of minced garlic, sliced onions, and cumin seeds. Cook until onions are translucent.

5. Add the drained chickpeas, frozen peas, cauliflower, and green beans. Add all of the spices and liquid aminos to the skillet and mix them all together. Cover with a lid and stir occasionally. We want the frozen items to be warm, but not hot. Keep checking throughout - once they're no longer frozen you can remove them from heat.

6. Heat your frozen cauliflower rice according to the package instructions. Set aside - this also does not need to be hot, just slightly warm so no need to cover.

7. Now that your tofu is done marinating add it to your pan or basket (my air fryer is within my oven so I used a pan) and fry for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Shake the pan after 10 minutes before adding any extra time.

8. Keep checking your veggies and remember to turn them off once they're no longer frozen. Now let's make the salad. Add your cherry tomatoes and orange pieces to your mixed greens, sprinkle a little bit of salt and pepper, and toss everything together.

9. It's time to assemble your bowl! There's no right or wrong way to do this. I chose to put some cauliflower rice on one half of my bowl and salad on the other half. I topped my salad with the fried tofu and my rice with the beans/veggies and then I covered everything in the dressing. The choice is yours though. :)

Enjoy!