About My Summer Workshops and Quinoa Salad with Roasted Tofu and Vegetables

Yes, you read that right.

I’m starting to host cooking workshops at my home.

Why am I doing this?

While it’s very nice (and financially rewarding – knock on wood) to consult for businesses and individuals on how to build their digital presence and personal branding, I miss the direct contact with people and I would genuinely love to pass on my nutritional knowledge.

Therefore, I’m starting to hold a limited number of hands-on workshops at my place in Tel Aviv, with small groups and a cool atmosphere.

What will you learn in the workshop?

• How to prepare dishes rich in protein
• How to make quick, healthy food designed for daily life, easy to take to the office or university
• I’ll dive into common nutrition and sports myths: What to eat after a workout? Should you eat breakfast? Is intermittent fasting effective? and more
• We’ll cook and eat delicious food – of course
• And also... some tips on how to photograph food for Instagram

So, you should "Like" my Facebook page or follow me on Instagram to stay updated (apologies in advance, the workshops are small and fill up quickly).

Now, after talking your ear off about the workshops, I want to introduce you to your new kitchen best friend: Quinoa Salad with Tofu.

I prepared this cold salad in an Asian style (where Japan meets Thailand), and I tried not to go overboard with the dressing: true, I could have used peanut butter or coconut oil to enrich the flavor, but I wanted to keep the calorie count reasonable.

So, I used dressing ingredients that aren't calorie bombs but are still very rich in flavor, like lemon, garlic, and soy sauce.

The baked tofu comes out crispy, brown, and particularly fun to eat, blending perfectly with the dressing and the other salad components.

How to eat it?

The combination of chickpeas, quinoa, and tofu creates a high amount of protein in a relatively low-calorie package, rich in dietary fiber that helps you feel full for a long time.

A single serving of Quinoa Salad with Tofu is a perfect lunch for the office or school, or even for a romantic dinner. (Tu B'Av is just around the corner – just hinting!)

This is a dish you can prepare in advance, store in containers in the fridge, and take to work or school without needing to heat it up at all.

Eating a portion of this salad for lunch will ensure an energetic and effective workout, at least 3 hours after finishing the meal.

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A post shared by Haggai Leffler - The Vegan Athlete (@haggai_leffler) on Jul 24, 2018 at 1:30am PDT

A few nutritional values from fitness coach and clinical dietitian Noam Bachar:

One serving of Quinoa Salad with Tofu contains:

430 kcal

30g protein

53g carbohydrates

13g fat (of which 2g is saturated fat)

12g dietary fiber

194 mcg vitamin A

173 mg calcium

239 mcg folic acid

5 mg iron

Another quinoa salad recipe? Try this one

Print

Quinoa Salad with Tofu

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 2 servings

Ingredients

• 0.5 cup cooked quinoa 150g - cooking instructions below
• 1 cup cooked chickpeas 200g - frozen chickpeas can be used
• 200 g Tofu
• 1 whole cucumber sliced
• Handful of chopped cilantro
• 1 tsp dried wakame seaweed
• 1/4 tsp black sesame seeds

Salad Dressing

• 0.5 red chili pepper for spicy lovers
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 garlic cloves crushed
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Tofu Marinade

• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp grated ginger

Instructions

1. Start with the tofu.
2. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
3. Cut the tofu into cubes and place in a deep bowl.
4. Mix the lemon juice, turmeric, sesame oil, grated ginger, and chili powder and pour over the tofu.
5. Mix well until the marinade coats the tofu cubes and transfer to a baking tray.
6. Bake for 10-15 minutes until the tofu is slightly browned.
7. Remove and let cool.
8. Mix all the salad ingredients in a bowl.
9. Sprinkle black sesame seeds on top and serve.

Notes

How to Cook Perfect Quinoa

1. Pour one and a half cups of red quinoa into a strainer and rinse well for several minutes.
2. Boil one and a half liters of water in a kettle.
3. Transfer to a deep pot and toast the quinoa dry (without oil) for 4-5 minutes, stirring, to release its nutty flavor.
4. Add 7 cups of boiling water (approximately one and a half liters).
5. Cook the quinoa on a very low flame for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Drain the water and transfer to a bowl. No need to rinse the quinoa.