Seared Tofu Buddha Bowl with Tahini Dressing

Ingredients

• 1 block extra firm tofu
• 3 tbsp soy sauce (I recommend low sodium)
• 3/4 cup farro
• 1 cup (ish) green beans (about a big handful)
• 2 carrots
• 1 avocado
• 1 bunch kale
• Sunflower seeds (roasted or raw)
• 2 tbsp chopped chives
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Tahini dressing:
• 1/2 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil, plus more for topping
• 1 clove garlic
• Salt + pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Drain the tofu and get as much liquid from it as possible. Place it on paper towels on the plate, cover the top of the block with more paper towels and an overturned plate, and then put something heavy on top to gently press out the liquid into the paper towels. The more liquid you get out, the crispier and firmer your tofu will be. When it's been drained, cut into 3/4-1" cubes. Toss in a bowl with the soy sauce and a generous amount of pepper. Cover bowl and let marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
2. Cook the farro. Add farro to small pot of salted water and bring to a boil. When boiling, reduce to a simmer (covered) and let cook for 30 minutes. Drain the excess water from the farro when fully cooked.
3. Prepare the ingredients. Peel the outermost layer off the carrots and discard. Continue to use your peeler to turn the carrots into thin strips (you could also use a spiralizer for this) and set aside. Cut the end off the green beans. Remove the kale leaves from the stem and roughly chop. Chop the basil and the chives. Mince the garlic clove (if you have a good food processor, you might not need to do this).
4. Prepare the tahini dressing. Add the tahini, rice vinegar, lemon juice, basil, garlic and salt and pepper to taste to a food processor or blender and combine until smooth. If too thick, add a little water until you've reached your desired consistency.*
5. Sear the tofu. Heat olive oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet. When hot, add the marinated tofu and cook until lightly browned, about 1-2 minutes per side. Add in the green beans and chives and continue to cook, gently tossing for 4-5 more minutes. They'll still have a good crunch to them; if you want them softer, cook longer.**
6. Transfer the tofu and green beans to a plate and sprinkle with salt. Don't transfer to a bowl or the tofu cubes at the bottom will get soggy. Rinse out the pan, wipe it clean and return to heat. Add the kale with 2 tsp olive oil and stir until kale has started to wilt. Covering the pan will help speed up the wilting (it should only take a couple minutes). Remove from heat and toss with salt, pepper and a little lemon juice if you have some remaining.
7. Assemble your bowl. To a bed of farro and kale, add the shredded carrots, green beans and tofu. Slice the avocado and add the desired amount. Top with sunflower seeds and sprinkle with fresh basil. Drizzle on the tahini dressing. Enjoy!

Notes