It’s been a bit hectic so I haven’t been able to post as much as I wanted to. The boyfriend moved up north to San Francisco to start his master’s program in Architecture at Cal Arts so I’ve been helping him move. It was exhausting with the drive as well as the move itself but we still made time to explore the city. We went to Fisherman’s Wharf and ate at this amazing place called Pier 23 (featured on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives) where we stuffed ourselves with the creamiest clam chowder, crisp calamari with freshly squeezed lemon juice on top, and the most amazing bacon-wrapped oysters. It’s been quite a fun trip but I reluctantly returned to LA for the last week of summer classes.

Now on to the recipe…

Since I’m back home and cooking for one, I decided to make a very simple, healthy vegetarian dish, especially because the boyfriend and I ate so much junk food while I was in SF. This was such an easy dish to make and had a variety of textures, from the crunch of the sliced almonds to the fried exterior of the tofu with the soft, fluffy interior. There was also an enjoyable saltiness from the sauce along with some heat from the red pepper flakes. It not only tasted amazing over brown rice but it also included your daily serving of vegetables, protein, and fiber with such a small amount of calories. Eating dishes like these motivate me to become a vegetarian sometimes.

Tofu and Broccoli Stir Fry (adapted from Martha Stewart):

Yields 2 servings

  • 1/2 package firm tofu, drained, cut into triangles
  • 3/4 pound broccoli, stalks trimmed, peeled, and cut into 1/4-inch rounds, florets separated into bite-size pieces
  • Coarse salt
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook broccoli until bright green, about 2 minutes; drain well.

In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, vinegar, red-pepper flakes, garlic, cornstarch and 1/3 cup water; set aside.

Heat vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the tofu and cook until golden brown, turning gently halfway through, about 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. 

Add the broccoli to the saucepan and saute until crisp-tender, about 2-3 minutes.

Whisk reserved sauce to combine and add to pan.

Add the tofu and stir to coat, about 1 minute.

Serve topped with almonds.

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