Acorn Squash + Maple Tofu Stir-Fry

Maybe it’s the fact that we are in mid-move or maybe I’m just lazy, but it seems that lately it’s been difficult to make any note-worthy healthy dinners.

Or lunches, for that matter.  I type this as I eat crackers, hummus, and soy nuts as my midday “meal”.  Thank goodness I took down a bunch of produce via a green monster for breakfast.

To create yummy, healthy meals, it helps to have a game-plan and a few time saving trips up your sleeve.

Those were the main ingredients in my Acorn Squash and Maple Tofu Stir-Fry..
1. a plan
2. a few time saving tricks

Acorn Squash and Maple Tofu “Stir-Fry” (serves 2)
This looks like a stir-fry and you could make it using the principles of stir-frying, but I prefer my faster, hassle free method.  

Sauce:
2 Tbsp real maple syrup
1/2 tsp. Sriracha sauce
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
4 Tbsp. soy sauce

1/2 block tofu, pressed to remove water and cubed
extra virgin olive oil
1/2 acorn squash, cubed
sea salt
1 1/2 cups green beans, cut into 2 inch long pieces
3/4 cup brown rice

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Mix sauce together in a small bowl.  Place cubed tofu in a small bowl and pour half of the sauce over it.  Mix and spoon the sauce over the tofu until it is thoroughly covered.  Grease a large baking sheet with olive oil.  Place tofu and acorn squash on the baking sheet.  Be sure not to overlap any pieces of squash or tofu.  Lightly salt the squash.  Bake for 15 minutes, flip the tofu and squash with a spatula, and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Put green beans in a medium sized sauce pan with a dash of salt and cover with water.  Put on high heat and bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 5-8 minutes (I like mine a bit crisp, so I prefer 5 minutes).  Cook rice according to package directions.

Add the tofu, squash, and green beans to the pot of rice.  Pour in the remaining sauce and stir well.

Time Saving Tricks:
1. Press tofu ahead of time and place back in the fridge until you are ready to use it (no more than the day before)
2. Leave the skin on the acorn squash — less time consuming and more fiber.
3. Instead of cooking the green beans and rice on the stove, use the microwave and a microwave safe bowl.  I’m a huge fan of the Pampered Chef Large Micro-Cooker.  It’s only $11.00 and saves me an immeasurable amount of time.

This meal was everything I love:  yummy, healthy, seasonal, fast. Plus, Brad loved it too!

Our dinner conversation about the meal went something like this…

Brad: This is really good! You should definitely make this again. 

Me: Yeah, I guess I could sub in broccoli instead of green beans

Brad: No, make it exactly like this again. 

Me: What if I used sweet potato instead of acorn squash? Do you think you’d rather have it without the squash skin? 

Brad: No, I like it just like this. 

Me: Tempeh might be good too….instead of tofu, I mean. 

Brad: Kelly, don’t change it. It’s good just like this. 

So, unless I’m missing something, Brad wouldn’t change a thing about this meal.

I’m glad this meal was pretty on my plate, because I had no where pretty to snap a photo.

This is the current state of our dining area.  Wish me luck moving, or I’m going to be taking photos of meals consisting of beans out of a can.

Nobody wants that.