Tofu Zoodle Bowls

If you’re struggling with picky eating behaviors in your kids or finding that they are reluctant to try new foods and recipes, serving customizable meals like this Tofu Zoodle Bowl can help increase their acceptance of new foods and reduce selective eating behaviors. This is because meals that kids can personalize allow them to feel more ownership and control over their food.

Deciding whether and how much of each available topping to include in their bowl is sometimes all it takes to help feel comfortable enough trying something new.  And as the parent, you can feel good about offering a balanced, nutritious, vegan/vegetarian meal option that is easy to make and works well as a family meal.

One of my favorite meal prep hacks (which I shared today on the CBS show, The Doctors, along with this recipe!) is to make a huge batch of the Baked Sesame Tofu Bites on the weekends using either firm or extra firm block tofu.

I keep them in the fridge to use throughout the week as a meal anchor in nourish bowls or as a protein-rich salad topping if my kids don’t eat them all.

In the past I’ve made 2 containers worth of Baked Sesame Tofu Bites and assumed I’d have plenty of tofu for the week ahead, only to find that the girls snacked on them whenever they passed through the kitchen (this was during the homeschooling months in 2020) and ate every last bite within a day.

That’s ok, I’m always glad to see that they enjoy tofu! Unless you have a soy allergy, soy is considered to be a safe food. In fact, higher dietary intakes of soy protein earlier on in life are associated with a lower risk of breast cancer later on in life, and soy-rich diets may be protective against chronic lifestyle diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes and hypertension, so we use tofu and soy-rich foods in our meals often!

Tofu is mildly flavored which makes it very versatile, but a common complaint about tofu is that it’s bland, so people often marinate block tofu thinking that it will boost the flavor.

The reality is that block tofu doesn’t soak up marinades very well unless it was previously frozen and then defrosted, which makes it more porous. Some additional ways to help your tofu absorb more marinade are to prick it with a fork before marinating, marinate for not less than 30 minutes, and use a marinade with small, water-soluble molecules like soy sauce which can seep between the curds and penetrate deeper into the tofu, rather than oil- or protein-based marinades which won’t be able to penetrate as deeply.

My favorite time-saving way to flavor block tofu is to skip marinating and pan- or air-fry it and then add a flavor-rich glaze or sauce, which is what I do in this recipe.

Do note that this recipe for Tofu Zoodle Bowls assumes that you’ve already prepared the Baked Sesame Tofu Bites, so it doesn’t factor in the time it takes to cook them, which all in is about 50 minutes. Enjoy!

P.S. For more tips on feeding kids, grab my FREE guide to reducing picky eating. Better yet, sign up for my online course, Solve Picky Eating, a pediatrician-endorsed resource for parents that will help you navigate picky eating behaviors in your kiddos and set them up for a lifelong healthy relationship with food.

And if you're looking for personalized nutrition support for yourself, your babies, and/or your kids, I am currently accepting new clients in my virtual private practice. Looking forward to meeting you online!

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Tofu Zoodle Bowls Recipe

Tofu Zoodle Bowls

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Yield: 4

Author: Malina Malkani

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 15 Min

If you’re struggling with picky eating behaviors in your kids, try serving customizable meals like these tasty Tofu Zoodle Bowls. Meals that kids can personalize provide a sense of ownership and control over food that often leads to greater food acceptance.

Ingredients

Bowls

• Baked Sesame Tofu Bites for 4 (see recipe)
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 16 ounces zucchini noodles (pre-spiralized, about 3 medium zucchinis)
• 10 ounces brown rice & millet ramen noodles
• 2 cups carrots (pre-shredded, about 4 medium carrots)

Sauce

• ½ cup tamari soy sauce
• 2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger (grated)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)

Additional/Optional Toppings

• ½ cup toasted sesame seeds (optional topping)
• 1 avocado (pitted, peeled and cubed; optional topping)
• 1/2 cup cilantro (chopped)
• 1/2 cup scallions (trimmed and chopped; optional topping)

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, whisk all sauce ingredients and mix well until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside.
2. In a medium pot, bring water to a boil and cook the ramen as directed on package.
3. While water comes to a boil, gently warm the tofu in a microwave or heated oven. Then heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Add zucchini noodles and sauté for about 5 minutes or until slightly tender. Add 3-4 tablespoons of prepared sauce and sauté for another minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
5. Place cooked, drained ramen noodles in a medium bowl and toss with 3-4 tablespoons of prepared sauce.
6. Set out shredded carrot, sesame seeds, zucchini noodles, ramen noodles, tofu bites, the remainder of the sauce, and any additional toppings so that diners can assemble their nourish bowls as desired.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

668

Fat

30

Sat. Fat

5

Carbs

88

Fiber

15

Net carbs

73

Sugar

17

Protein

18

Sodium

1699

Cholesterol

0

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https://www.malinamalkani.com/recipes/tofu-zoodle-bowls

Tofu, sesame bowls with carrots and zucchini noodles

Lunch, Dinner, Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten Free

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