Protein Bowls Made with Quinoa and Apple

• Makes 4 servings
• Prep time: 5 minutes
• Cook time: 15 minutes

Tofu and quinoa, both of which are packed with protein, are combined in this salad along with an abundance of fresh greens and sweet apples, which contribute even more vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Since quinoa can be prepared and frozen in advance without losing its texture or flavor, you can save yourself some time when preparing this dish by doing so.

Ingredients:

• 1 block of firm or extra-firm tofu, weighing in at 14 ounces
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 2 ounces of water
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper that has been freshly ground
• 3 cups of baby spinach or romaine lettuce that has been chopped
• 1 medium apple, chopped

Directions:

1. Remove any excess liquid from the block of tofu. Paper towels or a clean dish towel can be used to gently press the tofu on all sides before using. It should be cut in half across the width. First, cut it into six even strips of thickness, and then cut each of those strips crosswise in the opposite direction four times to form cubes.

2. Place the quinoa and water in a saucepan and place it over high heat so that it comes to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium-low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 15 minutes, or until all of the water has been absorbed and the quinoa has become fluffy. Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside to cool.

3. While that is going on, put the oil, vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, salt, and pepper into a medium bowl and whisk them all together.4.If you plan to serve the salad right way, divide the quinoa among four bowls and top each bowl with one fourth of a cup of greens. On top of the quinoa, sprinkle one-quarter of the apple that has been chopped and one- quarter of the tofu that has been cubed. Dressing should be drizzled on top.

5. If you plan to save some for later, divide the quinoa, apple, tofu, and greens among four containers of a medium size each. Put an equal amount of the dressing into each of the four separate containers.

‘To store, place all of the components in the refrigerator for up to five days. 

To prepare the dish, refer to step 4 for assembly instructions.You can use basic brown rice as a substitute for quinoa in this recipe if you want to use a different kind of grain than quinoa. If you’re looking for a protein option that’s a little more substantial than tofu, sliced tempeh is a good choice. Use chickpeas in its place if you’d rather not deal with soy.

Nutritions: 

444 calories, 26 grams of total fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 17 grams of protein, 39 grams of total carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, 7 grams of sugar, and 0 milligrams of cholesterol are contained in one serving.