Steal This Recipe® Buckwheat Pasta with Tofu and Sesame Vegetables | Earthbound Farm’s Farm Stand Café, Carmel, CA

From organic farmer, chef and author Myra Goodman

'Stolen with permission' from organic farmer, chef and author Myra Goodman, this colorful recipe is both healthy and delicious. Earthbound Farm’s Farm Stand in Carmel, California, is home to a market, organic café, kids’ garden, herb garden, and labyrinth, and each Saturday they hold special events. In addition to stocking a seasonal selection of fresh organic produce, organic and gourmet groceries, and organic flowers, the Farm Stand’s certified organic café offers delectable foods prepared on the premises, an all-organic salad bar, bakery treats, beverages and smoothies, and a delicious house-made organic frozen yogurt. Open year-round, 7 days a week, a visit to the Farm Stand Café is a must if you are in the area.

About the chef: Myra Goodman founded Earthbound Farm in 1984 with her husband Drew. She is the author of ‘The Earthbound Cook, 250 Recipes for Delicious Food and a Healthy Planet’ and ‘Food to Live By’ and the inspiration behind Earthbound Farm’s farm stand café. She has written for and been featured in several national magazines publications, including Bon Appetit, Health, and More, and has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Live with Regis & Kelly, and on National Public Radio. She lives with her family in Carmel, California.

Earthbound Farm Farm Stand Market & Organic Café
7250 Carmel Valley Road (just 3.5 miles east of Highway 1),
Carmel,
CA 93923 
831 625 6219

Buckwheat Pasta with Tofu and Sesame Vegetables is served at the Earthbound Kitchen Farm Stand for $9.95.
This recipe makes 4 to 6 servings.

Buckwheat Pasta with Tofu and Sesame Vegetables Ingredients:
½ cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon ground ginger 
1 teaspoon garlic powder
14-16 oz firm tofu, drained and cut into ½ inch thick slices
2 tablespoons kosher salt
8 oz buckwheat (soba) noodles
3 tablespoons plain sesame oil
3 tablespoons minced shallots
1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups (6 oz) broccoli florets
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/8 in thick strips (about 1 ½ cups)
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 1/8 inch thick rounds (about 1 cup)
1 small zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and then cut crosswise into 1/8 inch thick slices (about ¾ cup)
Salt, to taste
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

Steal This Recipe® Step by Step Instructions:
Place the soy sauce, lemon juice, vinegar, toasted sesame oil, ginger, and garlic powder in a large bowl and whisk to blend.
Add the slabs of tofu and let marinate for 5 minutes.
Heat a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat and add the tofu (reserving the bowl of marinade).
Cook on one side until browned, about 2 minutes. 
Then turn the tofu over with a spatula and cook until nicely browned on the other side, 2 minutes.
Transfer the tofu to a cutting board and cut it into ¾ inch cubes.
Return the tofu to the bowl containing the marinade.
Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large covered pot over high heat.
Add 2 tablespoons salt, and stir in the noodles.
Cook according to the package directions until al dente, about 7 minutes.
While the pasta is cooking, heat the plain sesame oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the shallots, ginger, and garlic, and cook, stirring constantly, until aromatic, about 1 minute.
Then add the broccoli, bell pepper, carrot, and zucchini and stir-fry until the vegetables begin to soften, about 4 minutes.
Cover the skillet and cook until the vegetables are crisp-tender, another 2 to 4 minutes.
Meanwhile drain the noodles and add them to the tofu.
Season the vegetable mixture with salt, and add it to the tofu and pasta.
Toss to combine, sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.