Sesame-Maple Roasted Tofu and Noodles

a slightly adapted EatingWell Recipe. originally posted on Veronica’s Cornucopia

1 14-ounce block extra-firm water-packed tofu, rinsed, patted dry and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 medium red onion, sliced
2 tsp.canola oil, divided
2 tsp.toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp. Maple Crown Royal® Whiskey
¼ tsp. fine sea salt
¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 tsp. peanut butter
1 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
1 tsp. cider vinegar
3 cups sugar snap peas, trimmed
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds
Preheat oven to 450°F.

Toss tofu, 1 tsp. canola oil, sesame oil, Maple Crown Royal® Whiskey, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Whisk peanut butter, soy sauce, maple syrup and vinegar in a small dish until combined; set aside.

Heat 1 tsp. canola oil in a large, oven-proof sauté pan over medium-high heat. Swirl to cover the surface. Pat the tofu dry one more time before cooking.  Place sauté pan in a single layer.  Do not crowd the pan.  Cook on one side until it is deeply golden brown, then flip.

Toss snap peas and onions in the reserved peanut butter-maple sauce. Add to the tofu. Transfer to the oven and roast until the tofu 12 to 15 minutes, until the peas are crisp-tender. Remove from oven.  Serve on top of rice, udon noodles, or Curly Soba Noodles.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Makes 4 servings

Cook’s Notes:

• Crowding the sauté pan with Tofu will cause the heat to drop which will cause the tofu to steam.  And, the tofu will not brown.
• I did not have any Tahini.  So, I used peanut butter in its place, a comparable substitute.
• Not a tofu-fan? Try this with chicken or beef. Just be sure the meat is cooked through completely
• You do not need to include the Whiskey. Maple Syrup will do just fine. (I just wanted to add a little kick after a long week.)
• Don’t want to pan-sear the tofu (or protein)? Go straight to the oven and bake, flipping half way through the cooking.