Finally Friday! I’ve had a busy week, traveling a bit and meeting a lot of people. Now, I feel a bit exhausted and am glad that I made to to the weekend.
During this bit of a hectic week, things really got a bit tight on Wednesday. Two friends, Almond and Orlando, who live abroad, were traveling to Europe and had a layover close by. It was THE chance to catch up and I had invited the cute couple over for dinner. Of course, I was a bit late and was a bit pressed to prepare some food.
The day was exceptionally warm with nearly summer temperatures, so I thought a full fresh salad was a good idea. This one had it all: leafy greens, nuts (macadamia and walnuts), fruits, avocado. But really, special friends deserved something a bit more special: Homemade, gluten-free garlicky croutons and smoked tofu strips, marinated in tamari sauce. And a pink dressing made from pomegranate and cashews.
It’s so simple and fun and actually also very quick to make. Yet, when Almond and Orlando arrived, they were stunned and thought I had spent the whole afternoon in the kitchen, preparing this Spring Tofu Salad. If only they knew…
Ingredients
- 1 large mixed salad of choice
- 1 avocado
- 1 large handful of grapes, seeded
- 1 cup green or black olives, stones removed
- 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup (60 g) chopped walnuts
- 7 oz (200 g) smoked tofu
- 2 Tbs tamari sauce
- 1 gluten-free baguette
- herbs of choice
- 2 Tbs olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 cup (100 g) macadamias divided (1/2 cup soaked overnight)
- 1 pomegranate, seeded
- 2 Tbs maple syrup or sweetener of choice
- 2 Tbs citrus juice + zest
- 1 Tbs white wine oder apple cider vinegar
- salt, pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine the macadamia, half of the pomegranate seeds, salt, pepper, agave or maple, as well as citrus juice and zest in a blender. Pulse until smooth.
- Cut two handful of cubes from the baguette. Add the garlic, cubes, oil, and herbs to a bowl and mix well together.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and roast the baguette cubes until lightly toasted.
- Cut the smoked Tofu into thin, long strips. Mix with the soy sauce and some spices of your choice, then transfer to a casserole and cover with aluminum foil.
- Bake in the oven at 400ºF (200ºC) for 10 minutes.
- Combine the remaining pomegranate seeds, salad mix, avocado, grapes, olives, pepper, and nuts in a salad bowl.
- Enjoy with the tofu strips and a good dollop of the Pomegranate-Macadamia dressing, garnish or serve with baguette!
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