30-Minute Crispy Tofu and Squash Autumn Bowl

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30-Minute Crispy Tofu and Squash Autumn Bowl

Want to nourish your body during these chilly Fall months? Try this 30-Minute Crispy Tofu and Squash Autumn Bowl with couscous and a creamy "peanut" sauce!

Course Main Course, Stuff in a Bowl

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4

Author Brewing Happiness

Ingredients

• 4 cups of baby spinach
• 1 delicata squash
• 1 acorn squash
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup couscous (I used whole wheat)
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons vegan buttery spread
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 block extra firm tofu, cubed
• 2 teaspoons coconut oil
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce (sub liquid aminos)
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1/4 cup scallions, diced
• 1/4 cup Creamy "Peanut" Sauce

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375.
2. Cut your each of your squash in half, scoop out the seeds, and slice into thin semi circles.
3. Toss the squash slices in olive oil, salt and pepper. Lay flat onto a baking sheet.
4. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
5. While the squash is baking, add your vegetable broth, non dairy butter, and salt to a sauce pot over high heat until boiling.
6. Once boiling, add in your couscous and stir. Add a lid, take off heat and let sit for 5-10 minutes. After 5-10 minutes, toss in diced scallions.
7. Use a paper towel to press your tofu cubes, releasing excess water.
8. Heat a skillet over high heat. Add your coconut oil, once the oil is hot add in your pressed & cubed tofu. Toss the tofu until it is golden on all sides and there is no residual oil in the pan.
9. Once the oil is gone, add two tablespoons of amino acids into the pan and toss the tofu constantly until the amino acids are evaporated and the tofu is brown.
10. Sprinkle your nutritional yeast over the tofu, and add your final two tablespoons of amino acids, toss until the nutritional yeast sicks to the tofu and the amino acids are evaporated. Turn the heat off and set the tofu aside.
11. When the tofu is done, begin assembling your bowl. Layer the bottom of each bowl with spinach, top with some roasted squash, a few cubes of tofu, a healthy drizzle of Creamy "Peanut" Sauce, and a few extra scallions on top.
12. EAT UP.

I recently wrote an Instagram post about my struggle to go negative with myself after a weekend of unhealthy eating. It’s something that happens off and on to me. I’m a sensitive person with a sensitive body and I live in a world (like everyone else) where bodies are expected to be perfect instead of good. So unfortunately it’s just something that happens. Luckily, I’ve developed some strategies to get my mojo back when my mind is in a negative place. 

I believe that happiness isn’t something that happens to us in our lives, it’s something we have to actively chase each and every moment of each and every day. We have to choose it. Especially in the moments when it’s hard.

So I’ve put together my list of self care activities that help me in those moments. I thought I’d share it, ’cause it’s always nice to look at what other people are doing and get inspired. I do it all the time. I read those dumb lists that are all over the internet about self care tips and whatever, because sometimes I gleam an idea from one. So here is my list, gleam from it what you will…

1. Forgive yourself. Life is hard and we are all just doing our best day by day. Sometimes we make mistakes but it doesn’t make us bad people. We are still the same people we were last week or last year or 5 minutes ago. And we deserve the same kind of love we gave to ourselves then. 
2. Breathe. Seriously. Put your hands on your stomach and your chest and feel the rise and fall of your breath for like 30 seconds or something. Allow it to bring you away from the negativity and back into your body which is alive and therefore good enough. 
3. Write some words. This may not work for everyone, but I enjoy writing poetry from time to time. So when I’m in these negative places, I try to write something about how I feel. It might be the worst poem I’ve ever written, but it doesn’t matter. It helps me get some of the feelings to move through me. And at times it helps me face the reality of the situation. So even if you aren’t a writer (trust me, I’m not a master either) just try to write something. Verbalize how and what you are feeling. 
4. Text a friend. I am open and honest enough with my friends that they know my journey and my struggle through body image and negativity and what have you. So in these moments, I reach for my phone, text a friend that I know will respond in a caring way and ask them to, “Tell me some nice things about myself, ’cause I’m struggling with negativity right now.” 10/10 times they will respond with something that makes me laugh or cry or both. 
5. Pamper yourself. For me this means putting on a face mask or taking a bath or painting my nails. But it can really be anything that reminds you that you’re a special person worthy of love. 
6. Eat some REAL food. Eat something that grows out of the earth. Eat only ingredients that your great great great great grandparents would call food. Nothing artificial. Just good ole plants and grains and stuff. (Maybe you could even just make yourself this 30-Minute Crispy Tofu and Squash Autumn Bow. Just sayin’.)
7. GO TO SLEEP. Seriously. 98% of the time that I’m in a negativity funk, I’m actually just tired. So take a nap, or go to bed, and sleeeeeeeep. YOU GOTTA PRIORITIZE SLEEP. You are not a robot. You need it to function well. You probably need it more than a workout. And you definitely need it more than you need to finish that Netflix series. So just do it. Everything will look brighter in the morning. 
8. Move your body. Go to a spin class. Go on a walk. Or just have a dance party alone in your room. I don’t care. Just spend at least 20 minutes putting your body into motion. I find that it’s the best way to reconnect my body and my mind.

So there you go. Those are my tips on getting past the funk. What do you do in those situations? I wanna hear what’s on your list. (Mostly cause I might wanna add it to my own.) Comment below and let me know!

Nourish your mind. Nourish your body. Love your self as best you can. And choose happiness. K BYE.