Bang Bang Tofu Taco Bowl

Has it been three months since I posted last? Ooops, I guess so.

Well, I’ll start off 2019 with a bang. This tofu has a low-in-refined-carbs coating, made with ground almonds and polenta. No flour or panko, and baked instead of fried. Why do I care? Because I’ve modified my diet a bit over the past several months and found that reducing those kind of refined carbs/processed ingredients makes me feel better, although it poses a bit of a challenge in the creativity department. Will that stay? For now, yes. Into that? Let’s go!

Grind almonds in a Vitamix, but just to a powder/coarse grind. Don’t make almond butter! Season with whatever you want—I used garlic and onion powders with some nooch for a little umami here. Polenta adds a little crunch and textural contrast. Coat tofu cubes evenly in the coating, tapping off any extra.

Spray with a little oil on all sides, then bake to crispy perfection.

I threw all of this into a bowl, but everything can easily be tucked into a taco.

If you are into the bang bang part, check out my Bang Bang Cauliflower and Bang Bang Shrimp recipes.

Double the sauce especially if you are into dunking.

Bang Bang Tofu Taco Bowl

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★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

• Author: erin wysocarski
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 2 servings 1x

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Ingredients

for the tofu

• 1 cup almonds, ground in a blender (do not ground down to a butter, some uneven/coarse pieces are fine)
• 1/4 cup polenta
• 1 TB nutritional yeast
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 TB Ener-G (or your favorite vegan egg substitute)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 package firm tofu, cut into 1X1-inch cubes
• cooking spray

for the tomatoes

• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• pinch of sea salt
• 1 tsp olive oil
• a few dashes of coconut vinegar

for the bang bang sauce

• 1/2 cup vegan mayo
• 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
• 1 TB sriracha or sambal
• juice of half a lime

to serve

• 1/2 cup each of mandolined red and green cabbage
• 1 avocado, cubed
• 1 TB minced red onion
• cilantro
• pickled jalapenos
• lime wedges

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Instructions

for the tofu

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Combine the ground almonds, polenta, nooch, garlic and onion powders and salt together in a shallow baking dish.
3. In a separate dish, whisk the Ener-G and water together.
4. Dip the tofu cubes into the vegan egg wash, then coat in the almond mixture, ensuring even coverage and tapping off any extra.
5. Place onto a greased baking sheet and spray all sides with the cooking spray. 
6. Bake for 12-15 minutes, flipping when the bottoms are golden.
7. Bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until golden all over, respraying as needed with the cooking spray. Remove from oven.

for the tomatoes

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and allow to marinate for 10 minutes.

for the bang bang sauce

1. Combine all sauce ingredients, set aside.

to serve

1. Distribute vegetables between two bowls. Top with tomatoes and tofu, with the bang bang sauce on the side.