Now that I’m back to working full time (no more Work from Home lunches for me!), I’m back on the meal-prep bandwagon for my lunches.  While adjusting to everything in my new job has been fun and exciting, having lunch ready to grab and go in the morning has really helped the adjustment back to full time.  Meal-prepping every weekend means there is one less thing to prepare every morning, and has helped me set a new pre-work routine that I’m really loving.

Another thing about working in the office full time is remembering the annoying fact that offices are constantly too cold for my liking.  As you may remember from my previous lunch posts, my lunches are normally focused on plant-based, nutritious eating, and tend to be where I pack as many veggies into a meal as possible.  So, reheat-able plant-based meals have been on the menu so far, and I’ve been loving my mid-day moments full of hot, nutritious lunches.

This recipe was inspired by a scroll session through Bon Appetit, where I found an article about grating firm tofu for lunch, and flavoring it with a simple sauce based on soy sauce and maple syrup.  I took this recipe and ran with it, adding two portobello mushrooms to my block of tofu to bulk it up for meal-prep purposes, and customizing the sauce to items that I had in my pantry.  The sauce is sweet and savory, and deeply flavors the tofu and mushrooms into a protein-packed topping that would work great on top of rice or other veggies.  In the case of my meal prep this week, I used this recipe as a topper for some steamed cauliflower and sautéed bok choy.  It stores and re-heats nicely for a grab-and-go lunch, and I’ve been looking forward to eating it every day.

This recipe made enough for 4 meal prepped lunches (along with my prepared veggies), so this could easily serve a family of 4 for a dinner with some additional rice and veggies.  Recipe down below, photo up top!

Soy Maple Tofu

Ingredients:

• 1 block firm tofu
• 2 portobello mushrooms
• 1 tbsp neutral oil (needed twice)
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp chili crisp

Method:

1. Remove the stems and the gills from the underside of the portobello mushrooms.  Once cleaned, chop the mushroom caps into large dice.  Set aside.
2. Remove the tofu from any liquid in the package, and place on a layer of paper towels.  Top with additional paper towels, and gently press down to release any additional liquid.  Pat away any additional moisture from the surface of the tofu, discard paper towels.
3. Place tofu on a cutting board, and chop into desired shape (cubes, rectangles, or small shreds will all work great!).  Set aside.
4. In a large pan, add the neutral oil and heat the pan over medium high heat until pan and oil are hot, about 30 seconds.  Add the chopped portobello mushrooms and stir to combine.  Cook the mushrooms until they are tender and lightly browned, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.  Once cooked, remove from the heat onto a plate or bowl, set aside.
5. Into the same pan over medium high heat, add the second tablespoon of neutral oil and warm up for 30 seconds.  Add the chopped tofu, and stir to combine.  Cook the tofu until all of the remaining moisture evaporates and the tofu begins to brown, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Once the tofu is golden brown, add the cooked mushrooms and stir to combine. 
7. Add soy sauce, maple syrup, sesame oil, and chili crisp, and stir to fully coat the tofu and the mushrooms thoroughly in the sauce.  Cook until the sauce becomes sticky and has fully coated the tofu and mushrooms, about 2 minutes over medium-high heat.
8. Once the sauce has cooked into the tofu and mushrooms, the meal is ready to serve!  Plate on top of rice and/or veggies.  Enjoy!