Brown Rice Salad With Curried Tofu
Opting for brown rice over white makes this dish a nutritional knockout. While the two contain an identical amount of carbs, brown rice contains four times as much insoluble fiber and magnesium. A deficit in the latter can hinder endurance. This whole grain meal gets plenty of staying power from the protein in tofu and the healthy fats in seeds. Try making this for dinner the night before a long run for energy that lasts. To make sure you always have brown rice on hand (and to save on prep time), cook up a batch and store it in small quantities in the freezer.
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown rice
- 1 package 14 ounces extra-firm tofu, cut into ½" cubes
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup shredded coconut
- 1½ cups frozen edamame thawed
- ½ cup sunflower seeds
- ½ cup toasted pumpkin seeds
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 2 grinds of black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the rice according to package directions. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, toss together the tofu, 1 tablespoon of the oil, ½ teaspoon of the curry powder, ½ teaspoon of the salt, and the coconut. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, ½ teaspoon curry powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. When the rice is cooked, add it to the bowl, followed by the edamame, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, cherry tomatoes, and black pepper. Stir to combine, then gently stir in the cooked tofu.