Crispy Eggplant Tofu (vegan)

One of my guilty pleasures and favorite places to get a quick meal is Panda Express. I know it’s not authentic Chinese food, but man is it good. My two favorite entrees at Panda would have to be the orange chicken and the eggplant tofu. However I will admit their eggplant tofu is extremely oily so I aspired to make a somewhat healthier version and add my own touch to it.

This version of the dish gives you nice crispy eggplant and tofu pieces (not deep fried!) covered in a yummy garlic and ginger soy sauce glaze. Enjoy :)

Ingredients: (makes about 2-3 servings)

• 2 small or 1 large Chinese long eggplant (regular eggplant will work too, but not as well)

• 1 tsp sea salt

• 1 tbsp cornstarch

• 1/2 block firm tofu

• Avocado oil (or any neutral vegetable oil)

• 3 cloves of garlic, minced

• 1 teaspoon of ginger, minced

• green onions, chopped (optional, for topping)

• Sauce:

  1. *1 tbsp light soy sauce (or regular soy sauce)

  2. *1/2 tsp dark soy sauce (regular soy sauce fine if you don’t have this)

  3. 1 tbsp water

  4. 2 tsp sugar (I use monk fruit sweetener or coconut sugar as a healthier alternative)

  5. 1 tsp cornstarch

     *substitute tamari for gluten free

Instructions:

1. cut eggplant into bite size pieces and then **place into a bowl of water (enough water to cover eggplant) then add sea salt to water and mix. Cover with something heavy (I use a smaller bowl of water) so that eggplant pieces are completely submerged in water. Leave for 15 minutes.

   1. **This step is very important to get rid of the bitterness of the eggplant! You could also add sea salt to the eggplant pieces and let them sit out for about 45-60 minutes, but i like the submerged water method because its faster haha.

2. While waiting for eggplant, press your tofu. Grab your half block of tofu and place in between a dish towel or 2 paper towels. Place something with some weight (not heavy enough to break the tofu, I usually use a small plate) on the top towel layer. Leave for 10-15 min to let most of the moisture out of the tofu. After 10-15 minutes, cut tofu into 1/2” thick pieces and set aside.

3. Combine ingredients for sauce in a bowl and mix well.

4. After 15 min for eggplant is up, empty water and pat pieces dry with a dish towel or paper towel.

5. Sprinkle eggplant pieces with about 1 tbsp cornstarch and mix by hand, until each piece of eggplant is evenly coated with with a thin layer of cornstarch.

6. In a non-stick pan on medium-high heat add about 2 tbsp of avocado oil and add the eggplant pieces without them touching. Cook pieces one side at a time until all sides are lightly golden brown and eggplant is soft (about 3-5 minutes per side.) Transfer eggplant from pan to a plate and set aside.

7. In same pan or another non-stick pan at medium heat, fry your tofu (I usually do this step at the same time eggplant is cooking in another pan.) You can also coat your tofu with cornstarch to make it extra crispy if you would like, but i find it’s not necessary. Spray or lightly drizzle avocado oil into pan and place tofu pieces with largest sides down, not overlapping. Flip when nice and dark golden brown, about 3-5 minutes per side. Transfer from pan to a plate and set aside.

8. Add about 1/2 teaspoon of avocado oil, minced ginger, and garlic into the same pan on medium high heat. Once fragrant, add the eggplant and tofu back into the skillet. Mix the sauce again until cornstarch is fully dissolved and then pour it over the eggplant and tofu. Immediately stir a few times, until the eggplant and tofu pieces are all evenly coated and the sauce thickens.

9. Transfer everything to a plate, top with green onions, and enjoy! :)

**This dish is best served fresh! I’ve tried to save leftovers and eat it the next day, but it is not nearly as god since it loses its crispiness.

My Everyday Salad

I used to despise salads. I thought they were boring, predictable, unfulfilling, and worst of all didn’t keep me full or satisfied. Turns out it was because I was only eating salads with iceberg lettuce, some dry chicken breast, cheese, and a store bought dressing that was probably 75% canola or soybean oil. Yum.

About a year ago I discovered how to actually make salads taste good and now I eat a salad for lunch pretty much every single day. I actually find myself craving it and the best part is that it keeps me full until dinner time and I never get tired of it. Here’s the secret.

The ingredients in my salad vary depending on what I have in my fridge but I always make sure I have something within these categories:

1. Leafy green(s):

   1. Typically I like to use arugula or spinach, but kale, romaine, or spring greens (or mix and match) would also work great. This serves as the bed for all your other toppings.

2. Sweet Potatoes (roasted / air fried):

   1. My favorite part of this entire salad. It adds a nice sweet touch and also adds more substance. Don’t be afraid to add starches & grains to your salads and meals! Good carbs aren’t bad. Refined carbs are bad. Better to eat a whole sweet potato in your salad then to have a small piece of garlic bread or bag of chips ;)

3. Grain (optional)

   1. I like to add some quinoa if I have it in my fridge for extra protein, nutrients, and sustenance. This isn’t necessary since the sweet potato will act as your starch for this meal, but with this salad the more the merrier!

4. Texture: something with a crunch like cucumbers or radish

   1. Since everything else in the salad has a softer texture, its nice to offset that with a crunch in every bite.

5. Avocado:

   1. So important! This is what is going to keep you full since it is a healthy fat and will also make your salad creamy. Use a lot, like half a medium sized avocado minimum.

6. Extras: whatever other vegetables you have in your fridge to add more nutrients

   1. I usually like to add cherry tomatoes, beets, sprouts, etc. You could really add whatever you want. Anything goes in this salad.

7. Protein:

   1. I’m sure you all know by now that veggies are packed with protein already, but I like to add even more because why not. Some good options:

      1. chickpeas (my favorite)

      2. baked or air fried tofu

      3. salmon

      4. chicken

8. Dates

   1. adding a sweet touch to your salad makes sure that every bite will never be boring. I usually either like to dice up 2-3 dates. You can add maple syrup instead if you don’t have any dates, but dates are so good for you (packed with antioxidants and nutrients) so definitely would choose that as your first choice.

9. Olive oil + lemon juice

   1. This will serve as your “dressing.” I literally just drizzle some olive oil and squeeze half a lemon directly onto the salad. No blender or extra salad dressing containers required.

10. Himalayan / sea salt & pepper to taste

11. toppings (optional)

    1. I like to add toppings for extra protein / nutrients or too add some texture. Some examples:

       1. cilantro adds a nice flavor profile and is packed with vitamins and antioxidants

       2. hemp seeds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, nuts

As you can see this salad is definitely not boring and sooo good for you. It’s basically all the nutrients you need for the day in one big bowl that will fill you up and make you feel so freaking good. The best part is that you can adjust this recipe to whatever you have in your fridge at the time. I hope after you guys try this recipe that you change your mind about salads like I have.

*Recipe (pictured):

*these measurements will make a GIANT salad… because why worry about portion size when you’re eating this good ;) Also all measurements were estimated. Feel free to adjust measurements according to your preference!

• 1 cup arugula

• 1/4 cup cooked quinoa

• 1 medium sweet potato (diced & roasted / air fried)

• 1/4 cup diced cucumbers

• 1/4 cup diced cherry tomatoes

• 1/3 cup chickpeas

• 1/4 cooked diced beets

• 1/2 medium avocado, sliced

• 3 dates (diced) or 2 tbsp of maple syrup

• 2-3 tbsp olive oil

• juice from 1/2 small lemon (or 1/4 large lemon)

• cilantro (couple leaves)

• 1/2 teaspoon hemp seeds

• 1/4 teaspoon himalayan or sea salt

• 1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper

Instructions:

1. roast / air fry sweet potatoes until they’re cooked all the way through (I prefer them a little crispy, so good)

   1. I do 15 minutes in the air fryer at 375 with a little coconut oil spray and garlic powder on top.

2. Add ingredients 1 to 9 to a nice big salad bowl

3. Top w/ lemon juice, olive oil, salt / pepper, and toppings

4. Mix together well (avocado should be mixed thoroughly to get that creamy texture)

5. Enjoy! :)