Almond Tofu with Snap Peas and Soba Noodles

Today is day 6 of a 21-day vegan challenge. Maybe you're wondering: What's a vegan challenge? Well, for me, it's when a friend challenges you to be a vegan for 21 days and you accept! So far, it's been interesting, and while it's too early to draw any major conclusions, I know one thing is for sure: I prefer my vegan meals to be as lucid as possible. And by lucid, I am talking about meals from the cookbook Lucid Food by Louisa Shafia, which, to be clear, isn't a vegan cookbook. It's not even a vegetarian cookbook, but rather one that focuses on making "great food in ways that will sustain you and the environment."

I'm picky about the cookbooks I choose to purchase and find space for in my little apartment, but after browsing Lucid Food on numerous occasions and having eaten this meal before (thanks, Heather!), I went ahead and bought it, knowing I could rely on it for some vegan/whole foods/eco-conscious inspiration. Plus, I knew it would be one I would use long after the vegan challenge is over and done with.

Lucid Food's version:

our version:

I love baked tofu, though this was my first attempt at baking it myself, which brings us to my knife skills. Can we talk about my knife skills? I have none. The below is the result of me trying to accomplish the ridiculously simple task of cutting the tofu block into 1/4-inch-thick slices. No big deal, I thought. It'll still be super lucid.

Especially with this mix of almond butter, soy sauce, maple syrup, and sesame oil on top.

And I was right. Except those little fragments of tofu that burnt to an abso-lucid crisp.

The recipe calls for a tablespoon of ginger, but alas, I got to this step and realized I had used all of it earlier in the v.c. (vegan challenge) making Gwyneth's carrot and ginger dressing. Remembering how it tasted—soley of ginger and shallots—I heaped that on top of the tofu in place of the ginger.

And fortunately, these little ef-ups didn't stop these noodles from reaching their full lucid capabilities. In the words of Matt, "I would eat this even if you hadn't roped me into being a vegan for 21 days!" A vegan success story, indeed.

Almond Tofu with Snap Peas and Soba Noodles via Lucid Food

14 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained and sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
6 tablespoons almond butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon sesame oil, plus more as needed

5 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the baking sheet
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups snow or snap peas, ends trimmed and halved
8 ounces soba noodles
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Sriracha or other hot sauce (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Lay the tofu slices on a well-oiled baking sheet and season with salt.

Combine the almond butter, soy sauce, maple syrup, and sesame oil and whisk until smooth. Rub 1/2 teaspoon of the almond butter mixture on each piece. Try not to get the sauce on the pan. Bake for 25 minutes. Flip the pieces and season lightly with salt. Rub the second side of each tofu slice with 1/2 teaspoon of the almond butter mixture, reserving the extra. Bake for 25 minutes more. Let cool.

Slice the tofu lengthwise into strips. Heat a saute pan over high heat and add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the scallions, cook for 1 minute, and add the tofu and ginger. After a minute, add the garlic and 1/2 cup water and stir well while cooking. Spoon in the remaining almond butter mixture and stir well to combine. Cover.

Put the peas in a colander in the sink. Bring a lare pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and return to a boil, then simmer, uncovered, for 6 minutes, until the noodles are just cooked through. Pour the noodles on top of the peas in the colander and drain out the water. Immediately pour the noodles and peas back into the pot. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and toss to prevent the noodles from sticking. Stir in the tofu, rice vinegar, cilantro, and salt to taste.

Serve immediately with the Sriracha alongside.