Modern Meals: Quinoa and Vegetable Hash with Fried Tofu

Vegetables may not seem exciting, but there is truly so much that can be done with them! They are versatile, easily accessible, low-calorie/low-fat and packed with vitamins and minerals, making them the perfect base for any meal. A vegetable hash can be customized to your liking; include all of your favorites and keep out the ones that you aren’t very fond of. This week, I decided to incorporate some of the vegetables that I was able to pick during our Farmers Market Event here on the Rose Hill campus.

But all ingredients for this recipe can be found at Modern Market at 2385 Arthur Ave. Quinoa and Vegetable Hash with Fried Tofu Makes 2-3 servings Ingredients: Three full-sized potatoes One onion One bag of full-sized carrots Two full-sized bell peppers One can of chickpeas One cup of quinoa One package of firm tofu Breadcrumbs/Panko From the Pantry/Fridge: Olive oil Frying oil, like vegetable or avocado oil Salt & Pepper Garlic powder Soy/Teriyaki sauce Two eggs Two large stovetop/frying pans One pot Recipe: Bring 1.5 cups of water to a boil in a pot on the stove.



Once boiling, add one cup of quinoa and a pinch of salt to the pot. Stir, bring the heat to low, cover and let simmer. After 12 minutes, remove from the heat and set the pot aside.

Drain the chickpeas and rinse them under water. Roughly chop the onion, bell peppers, carrots and potatoes into bite sized pieces. Peeling the carrots and potatoes is optional.

In a frying pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onion, carrots and potatoes. Allow them to soften, stirring occasionally, for about 6-8 minutes.

Add the bell peppers and chickpeas to the pan. Stir occasionally until the chickpeas are warmed. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder.

Once the veggies are softened, turn the heat to low and allow veggies to continue slowly warming while you move on to the next step. If you’re just looking for a veggie focused meal, assemble the dish with the hash and quinoa that you’ve prepared, drizzle some teriyaki or soy sauce on top and stop here. If you’re looking to add a little something extra, pan fried tofu is the perfect addition to this meal.

Pan Fried Tofu Beat two eggs in a bowl and add some salt and pepper. On a plate, lay out breadcrumbs or panko. Slice your tofu into pieces about one-fourth of an inch thick.

Once sliced, dip tofu in egg mixture and then into the breadcrumbs, pressing in the breadcrumbs to make sure they adhere. In a frying pan, heat a generous amount of frying oil over medium high heat. Make sure to place enough oil to cover the entire surface of your pan in a thin layer.

Once the oil is hot, carefully place pieces of tofu in the oil and fry until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes on each side, working in batches as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Add the pieces to your veggie hash and quinoa and enjoy!.