Golden Tofu Stack

I came home today with one thing in mind...food.  All of a sudden I just couldn't wait to cook something.  I've been forcing myself to go to the gym right after school, and when I get home, I just don't feel like it.  But not today.  Fridays are nice!  

I stopped at my favorite store, near the school I am teaching at, on the way home.  Picked up some favorites; carob raisins, GoRaw bars, Mint Chocolate Builder bars, some staples; cheapest TVP ever ($0.90 for half a pound), green beans, chard, tofu, and some new stuff;  golden beets, miso soup packets, and my Valentine's Day present to myself:

Can't open it until tomorrow though!  

At the other store I go to (near my college), they have a prepared food bar, and I always get this tofu that they have because it is delicious.  I decided to take a stab at recreating it to go with my beets for dinner.  

Golden Tofu Stack

1 golden beet

1/4 butternut squash

3.5 ounces extra firm tofu

2 tbps maple syrup

1/2 tsp Bragg's/tamari/soy sauce

1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

1 blood orange

1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar

1.  Slice tofu thin, into five pieces, and marinate in maple syrup, soy sauce/Bragg's/tamari, and 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar for at least 30 minutes.

2.  While the tofu is marinating, peel the beets and squash, and cut into rounds, and matchsticking a few of them for garnish (optional).

3.  Set oven to 400 degrees.  Cover a baking sheet with foil, coat with cooking spray.  Arrange the tofu, beets, and squash on the sheet, and spray with cooking spray, and season both sides with salt and pepper (veggies and tofu).  Cook 10 minutes, remove matchsticks, flip the sliced beets, squash, and tofu, and bake 10 more minutes.

4.  Blend the fruit of one blood orange with 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar.  

5.  Stack it all up, drizzle with the blood orange sauce.

Serves 1

Nutrition Information:  256.5 Calories;  5.3g Total Fat;  0.7g Saturated Fat;  0.0mg Cholesterol;  41.5g Carbohydrates;  7.8g Fiber;  12.8g Protein

I suggest serving it with the beet greens, of course!   

Do you usually buy ingredients with a dish in mind, or buy ingredients, and then come up with a meal?  I bought a whole bunch of stuff at the store, and the whole plan came to me on the way home (again, all that time to think in the car), but I think I usually do it the other way around.      

This was so good, and I was totally thrilled that it tasted almost exactly the same as my favorite salad bar tofu...better even, because I cut it thinner, and it was slightly crispy around the edge.  Totally yum, and I will most definitely be making it again (and again, haha).  

This was also my first time having golden beets.  If you haven't had them, and happen upon them..try them!  Yummy stuff. 

As much as I love my student teaching gig, I am looking forward to a three day weekend, hopefully filled with lots of good food!  Lots of yoga too.  I hope everyone else has a good one!