There’s something about the colors of spices and fresh vegetables that draw me in. The bright greens, deep purples, vibrant oranges and shades of rust always make me pause. I treat cooking like a ceremony, it’s one of my favorite parts of the day and I like to fully concentrate on the colors, textures and aromas of what’s in the kitchen. I’ll often sing little prayers such as Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu or whatever new chant or song I’ve picked up in yoga this week, and will forget the time and forget all my worries. Cooking is one of the main times I feel fully in the flow as Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi discusses in his books and his popular Ted talk. Those states of creativity – of pure happiness – of fully being in the moment…you see this often with musicians, especially jazz musicians, and in many other forms of art and science. It’s an incredible feeling and I cherish every moment that I get to experience it. For this recipe, I had a beautiful bouquet of broccoli in my kitchen, and I always have tofu, tahini, lemons, avocados and spices on hand, so I whipped up a bowl of green and rust-colored goodness this week that is both delicious and pretty healthy.
Broccoli Tahini Bowls
Prep about 20 minutes, Cook time about 30 minutes. Serves 4.
Ingredients
Lemon Tahini Sauce (this is adapted from the Oh She Glows cookbook)
2 cloves garlic
1/3 c. tahini
1/2 tsp. paprika
Juice from 1 lemon
2 tbsp. olive oil
3 tbsp. nutritional yeast
1/4 c. water
Bowl Goodness
1 head broccoli, cut into bite sized florets
1 c. quinoa
1 tsp. paprika, divided
1 package extra firm tofu
3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tbsp. nutritional yeast
1 avocado, sliced
For the sauce:
Put the garlic in a food processor and process for a few seconds. Add the tahini, paprika, lemon, olive oil, nutritional yeast and water, and process for a few minutes until creamy. Set aside.
For the bowls:
Heat the oven to 425. Place the broccoli florets on a baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, turning once half way through.
Cook the quinoa according to package directions (I add 3 cups water and bring to a boil, then cook on low for 15-20 minutes, or until the water is gone). Stir in 1/2 tsp. paprika to the quinoa once it comes to a boil. Set aside.
Drain the tofu, wrap in towels, and place under heavy books for about 20 minutes. Or use a tofu press to get the excess water out. Once drained, slice the tofu into 1/2″ pieces and set in a large bowl. Add 2 tbsp. olive oil, 1 tsp. garlic salt, 1 tbsp. nutritional yeast and the remaining 1/2 tsp. paprika and stir. Heat the remaining 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large frying pan and cook the tofu for about 6-8 minutes, turning once halfway through.
Create your bowl! Fill each bowl with quinoa, broccoli, tofu and the sliced avocado, and pour some of the tahini sauce on top. Stir, and enjoy!
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