This good for you sweet and spicy roasted vegetable and tofu hippie bowl is filled with so many favorite things – sauteed greens, spiced sunflower seeds, caramelized carrots, and crispy tofu all served on a bed of millet and then topped with a tahini citrus miso dressing.

Sweet and Spicy Roasted Vegetable and Tofu Hippie Bowl

 

I felt like I lost my blog mojo somewhere out there in 2016.

Returning to medical school + being pregnant + having a newborn + moving + residency interviewing does not make for a particularly fostering environment for recipe development and if we’re being totally frank, any time I had a spare minute, I really just wanted to lay on the couch and/or watch mindless television. But mostly I couldn’t do either because I had a baby napping on top of me and she cries any time I move and my boob falls out of her mouth. So mostly I just sat very still and did crossword puzzles on my phone.

#breastfeedingmomproblems

Sweet and Spicy Roasted Vegetable and Tofu Hippie Bowl

But here we are.

New year.

New leaf.

(New camera!!!!, can you tell?)

And a whole lot of inspiration bursting at my seams.

Sweet and Spicy Roasted Vegetable and Tofu Hippie Bowl

Speaking of bursting seams, I ate more chocolate this holiday season than any human not in training for an Olympic sport should!

And today I plan on throwing everything out of my fridge that does not pass muster with my new health-minded intentions for the first few weeks this year. Not exactly a cleanse because I don’t believe in living to such extremes, but more of an active choice to not eat the things that won’t make me feel good and aren’t good for me.

Sweet and Spicy Roasted Vegetable and Tofu Hippie Bowl

These so-called hippie bowls were the first step in my chocolate addiction recovery.  Tofu doesn’t win many favorite food awards, but I can promise that in this incarnation it’s worth your time. It’s covered in a sweet spicy savory sticky marinade, tossed with whatever winter vegetables you have on hand (I went with carrots here!) and then roasted until crisp and finger-lickin’ good. ALSO featured in this bowl are garlicky sauteed greens, sweet and spiced toasted sunflower seeds, and creamy avocado slices. All served atop a bed of millet (<– or insert-your-favorite-grain-here) and drizzled with an addictively good tahini miso citrus dressing. It’s a pretty perfect way to start your year off right.

Sweet and Spicy Roasted Vegetable and Tofu Hippie Bowl

Sweet and Spicy Roasted Vegetable and Tofu Hippie Bowl
 
This good for you sweet and spicy roasted vegetable and tofu hippie bowl is filled with so many favorite things - sauteed greens, spiced sunflower seeds, caramelized carrots, and crispy tofu all served on a bed of millet and then topped with a tahini citrus miso dressing.
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
For the roasted tofu and vegetables
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp harissa
  • 1½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 3 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 lb extra firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch strips
For the spiced sunflower seeds
  • 1 cup sunflower seeds
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
For the bowl
  • 1 cup millet
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 5 oz baby spinach
  • 5 oz baby kale
  • juice of ½ meyer lemon
  • 1 avocado, pitted and sliced
For the tahini citrus miso dressing
  • ½ cup tahini
  • 2 tbsp white miso
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp harissa
  • 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • juice of 1 orange
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, soy sauce, harissa, apple cider vinegar, and sesame oil. Toss with the tofu cubes and carrot strips. Let sit to marinate for 20-30 minutes.
  2. Heat oven to 475.
  3. For the spiced sunflower seeds, in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, combine the seeds, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, and salt. Saute for 5-6 minutes, stirring constantly, until sugar is melted and nuts are toasted. Remove from the heat and pour the nuts into a bowl. Wipe out the pan with a wet paper towel.
  4. In a small pot, combine the millet and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil over high heat and then lower heat and let simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until millet is tender and water has evaporated.
  5. Meanwhile, spread the tofu, vegetables, and marinade on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, or until tofu is crispy and carrots are cooked through.
  6. In the pot that you used for the sunflower seeds, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic to the pan and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the spinach and kale in handfuls, sauteing until wilted. Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt, pepper, and meyer lemon juice.
  7. To make the dressing, whisk together the tahini, miso, maple syrup, harissa, rice wine vinegar, and orange juice. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
  8. To serve, divide the millet among 4 bowls. Top with the roasted tofu and carrots, sunflower seeds, greens, and avocado slices. Drizzle with dressing, to taste.
Notes
Adapted slightly from Bowl + Spoon
Nutrition Information
Serving size: ¼ of recipe

 

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13 Responses to Sweet and Spicy Roasted Vegetable and Tofu Hippie Bowl

  1. Marcia says:

    This looks fantastic, and like something I could manage. Though I don’t have some of the ingredients, but hey I can sub.

    Don’t be too hard on yourself. Being a new mom is no joke. At least you are young. But working (or going to school, much less med school) with a baby is exhausting. And I have to say, it remains so. I feel like I finally got out of the “fog” this year, when my son turned 4. It was pretty much the same with my older son – though I may have gotten out of that fog a little earlier, at 3.5.

    It’s hormones, it’s lack of sleep, it’s multi-tasking…so draining.

    So, how much med school + residency left? I feel like I’ve been reading you forever (since MIT!) and I lose track of time.

  2. Zainab says:

    Yay! This bowl looks amazing!!! I feel you on the inspiration leaving in 2016. I hope you get your top residency choice on match day. And little miss is the cutest baby girl. You are doing a great job mama. I had a similar year with finishing that damn phd, getting a new job, having a one year old and now a sick mother to care for at home. It’s hard to keep the blog and inspiration going. But like you, I’m starting off the year on a new note. Ps: what’s the new camera? I’m in the market for an upgrade.

  3. Debbie says:

    Joanne I have hardly blogged this year at all for lack of inspiration. Maybe it will come back this year but I don’t know. Your little girl is adorable so just enjoy her. Time flies by. My youngest turns 18 and oldest is 32! Love this tofu recipe. I’m pressing tofu right now in fact and making a lemon tofu dish tonight. I will try yours for sure! Happy new year!

  4. Johanna says:

    I lost my mojo in 2016 without being pregnant, having a new born or being in medical school… so color me impressed! Here’s to finding it in 2017, and to a healthy & happy year ahead – filled with nutritious… but not TOO crazy healthy… new recipes. Happy new year!

    P.S. your photos look great! What did you get fora new camera? Mine is getting pretty old, but I just got the Google Pixel and am amazed by the photos it takes. I haven’t tried them on the blog yet, but I just might!

  5. Kathleen Kennedy says:

    This is soo what I need! I turned over a new leaf in 2016, eating really clean and losing thirty pounds without feeling deprived at all. However, I’ve fallen off the wagon, down the hill, and into the weeds over the Holidays, and this yummy looking recipe is just what I need to get me back on track! Thanks so much, Joanne, and brava to you for accomplishing so much at the same time as being a great mommy!

  6. Marci says:

    This looks fantastic and the photos are gorgeous. I felt such a sense of relief when I made it through year 1 with my twins. I can’t imagine medical school on top of that. Happy new year to you and I look forward to more delicious recipes from you this year!

  7. Hey Joanne, Happy new year! You are an amazing woman!! A new born, medical school and pregnant again and still find time to blog? Life takes over at times, so enjoy that baby girl and pace yourself. Love this bowl of health with tofu ! Thanks.

  8. this sounds utterly delicious! and i totally get you- having a new baby is no joke especially when paired with school/working/etc. you are doing amazing!! here’s to 2017!

  9. Pam says:

    You’ve been just a tad bit busy! This hippie bowl has so many yummy ingredients, textures, and colors. Seriously, I wish I had a bowl for myself right now.

  10. mjskitchen says:

    First of all, I love calling this a “hippie bowl”! But then I love the ingredients of this bowl even more. We’ve been eating more and more bowls like this so I’ve just added this to my list of new bowls for 2017. Thanks!

  11. Maree says:

    Can see no lack of mojo from this end, Joanne. One foot in front of the other, that’s all that matters. Rinse and repeat. Voile, they’re 20!

  12. Katrina says:

    So dang healthy and yummy looking! Love this bowl!

  13. Colleen says:

    I love this bowl. I made it for my meat-eating family 2 years ago and they regularly make this recipe now!

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