SLIVERED VEGGIE AND SOBA SALAD WITH MAPLED TOFU

Serves: 4

A julienne peeler makes quick work of this dish and I agree with Forte that it is the one “gadget” that I actually use a lot. She suggests swapping out the tofu for tempeh or chicken sautéed in the same ingredients.

14 oz ( 400 g) extra- firm tofu 2 tbsp ( 30 mL) coconut oil 2 tsp ( 10 mL) low- sodium soy sauce 1 tbsp ( 15 mL) maple syrup Freshly ground pepper 3 oz ( 85 g) soba noodles 1 red bell pepper 3 carrots, peeled 1 English cucumber 1 bunch of cilantro, coarsely chopped 2 green onions, thinly sliced 2 tbsp ( 30 mL) toasted sesame seeds, for garnish 1 large avocado

Dressing:

1 tbsp ( 15 mL) yellow miso paste 1 ( 3- inch/ 8- cm) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated 1 tsp ( 5 mL) honey Zest and juice of 2 limes 1 tbsp ( 15 mL) toasted sesame oil 1 tsp ( 5 mL) Sriracha sauce

1. Drain the tofu and press out the excess liquid between layers of a folded clean dishcloth. In a large skillet, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Chop the tofu into 1/ 2- inch ( 1- cm) cubes and add them to the hot pan. Sauté gently until the edges begin to brown. Add the soy sauce, maple syrup and pepper. Stir and cook for 6 to 8 minutes longer, until the edges are crisp. Set aside to cool.

2. Cook the soba noodles until al dente, rinse with cold water and drain. Seed and slice the bell pepper into thin strips. Use a julienne peeler to make long strips from the carrot and cucumber, keeping away from the inner seedy part of the cucumber. Put the noodles and prepared vegetables into a large mixing bowl.

3. For the dressing, whisk together the miso, ginger, honey, lime zest and juice, sesame oil and Sriracha. This can be done up to 2 days in advance and kept covered in the fridge.

4. When ready to serve, pour the dressing over the veggies and noodles, add the chopped cilantro and toss to coat. Top the bowl with the green onions, sesame seeds and tofu. Serve each portion with a quarter of an avocado.