Meatless Monday: Tofu & Gingered Soba Noodles

I love soba noodles. The traditional Tokyo-style soba noodles have a ratio of 8 parts buckwheat to 2 parts whole wheat flour thus making them an excellent pasta choice for the health conscious.

Filled with flavor and super charged with antioxidants, I think this recipe is a keeper! If you don’t like tofu, I suppose you can stray from the “Meatless Monday” theme and substitute a grilled & cubed chicken breast instead.

Prep: 35 minutes, Total: 35 minutes, Serves 4

Ingredients
Scallions (1 bunch), separate greens & cut them into 2-inch lengths, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 inch ginger (about a square inch), peeled and sliced
2 garlic cloves, smashed
Canola oil, for grill pan
1 package (14 ounces) extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed with a couple of paper towels
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper for seasoning
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce, plus more for seasoning
6 ounces soba noodles
1 to 2 heads baby bok choy ( about 4 ounces), trimmed, thinly sliced on bias
6 ounces snow peas, trimmed, halved on the bias
1 red serrano chile, thinly sliced (optional)
1 teaspoon black sesame seeds

Directions
In a medium saucepan, combine scallion whites, ginger, garlic, and 8 cups water; bring to a boil.
Cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook until aromatic and flavorful, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a grill pan over medium-high; lightly oil. Slice tofu in half and season with salt and pepper. Cook tofu in hot pan, turning to grill all sides, about 12 to 15 minutes total. Once grilled, remove from pan and let cool. Then, using a sharp knife, cut into small cubes and reserve.

Strain the scallion whites, ginger and garlic from broth with a slotted spoon and bring broth to a boil. Add soy sauce and soba noodles and cook according to package instructions.

About 2 to 3 minutes before the pasta is done, add bok choy, snow peas, and chile (if using). Cook until veggies are tender-crisp. Add more soy sauce, if desired.

Serve in shallow bowl with broth and top with tofu, scallion greens, and sesame seeds.

Total Calories: 298 Carb=36g Prot=16g Fat=12g

Until next time, keep Living Life Well!

John Aaron Villarreal
johnaaron-massage.com

facebook / twitter

Comments

When Should I Get a Massage and How Often?

This is a question I get often… Let’s face it, if it were up to massage therapists we’d say that you should get a massage every day, but in reality – very few people ever have the means or time to make this scenario play out in their lives. So technically speaking, your frequency should depend on how much you like massage, how often you experience chronic pain, and your budget. If you’re able to afford it, getting a monthly or weekly massage works best at helping prevent injuries by catching tight areas before they become problematic. With my more athletic clients (runners, weightlifters, gymnasts), I usually recommend timing their massage to coincide with the times they are training their hardest. For example, runners can develop tight hamstrings and hips, gymnasts and weight-lifters can get tight shoulders. These tight muscle groups can elicit injuries over time if they aren't treated by massage. If you are physically active, I recommend getting a massage within 24 hours ...

Coffee Has Health Benefits

Anyone who knows me knows I love my Joe…. err, “cup of joe” that is. In fact, I’m enjoying a cup as I write this post. However, as a wellness professional that little admission of guilt has gotten me a few sneers and looks of condescension. Caffeine is BAD for you, they say! Well, perhaps abusing caffeine may be “bad” for you, but ‘caffeine’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘coffee.’ Despite this fact, coffee has gotten a bad rep over the years after a few health experts linked it (or rather, linked caffeine abuse) to several diseases. But is coffee actually that bad? Probably not; new research shows that drinking coffee in moderation provides numerous health benefits. Antidepressant It might seem a little odd to find that coffee could help with depression, but new research has shown that it does just that. Now, don’t go throwing out your prescriptions or quit counseling just yet though, coffee is not a cure for depression. Rather, the caffeine in coffee helps regulate your mood trans...

What To Do When You’re Chronically Stressed

Of all the modern-day ailments that seem to affect us, none is more pervasive than stress. Everywhere you turn, there are factors lurking to redirect you from your peaceful pursuit of happiness and lock you in the clutches of “stress.” What exactly is stress—and what more insidious effects does it cause? The dictionary defines stress as “great pressure or force; strain.” In today’s world, we think of stress as the result of too much pressure laid upon us by life, causing mental worry or anguish. This, in turn, manifests itself in tight neck and shoulders, headaches, nervous stomach, etc. But these physical and mental conditions are really only the beginning. Studies show that stressful situations can develop into more threatening health conditions. For instance: A sudden or unexpected stressor can activate your adrenal glands, which sends adrenaline and other hormones into your bloodstream. This brings about an increase in your breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, and blood f...

John Aaron Wellness

Search This Blog