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Abbey's Kitchen

Healthy Recipes, Nutrition Myth Busting, Healthy Eating Tips

Chinese

Vegan Chow Mein with Gluten Free Zucchini Noodles & Marinated Tofu

This Vegan Chow Mein features delicious marinated tofu and gluten free low carb zucchini noodles. It’s the perfect way to get your Chinese take-out fix without the calories, fat or carbs. This calls for a girls night in!

vegan chow mein

I’m just 2 1/2 months away from my wedding day, which means I’m a) a bit stressed, b) super busy and c) trying really, really hard to eat well. Part of my wedding dress eating routine includes incorporating more vegetables into my day and cutting back on starchy noodles or rice. It’s tough, but I’ve found a way to get jazzed about it.

vegan chow mein

Case in point- these awe-some Vegan Chow Mein with Gluten Free Zucchini Noodles & Marinated Tofu. Now, I’m not vegan, but I do love finding ways to get in my protein on a budget, especially when I’m also bumping up the veg factor in my meals. Hey, I’ve got a wedding to pay for too, remember?

Adding Flavour to Vegan Chow Mein & Marinated Tofu

This vegan chow mein recipe starts with a really delicious gluten free marinade for my tofu made of tamari, rice vinegar, ginger, sesame oil, coconut sugar and my secret ingredient – Better than Bouillon. Rather than adding more liquid with chicken broth (or opening a whole can just to use a little bit), or using a full bouillon cube, this product is essentially a paste that you can add as much or as little as you need. It’s vegan certified (for my plant-based friends) and with 41 servings per jar, it’s a super cost-effective way to add flavour. This is also my secret to making amazing gravy at the holidays and whipping up tasty sauces on the fly.

vegan chow meinWhen Your Gluten Free Zucchini Noodles Need a Boost

Now, you’ve got your tofu, and that’s looking pretty damn tasty, but those little nuggets of Asian goodness totally need some friends. So once I have lightly pan-fried my tofu, I throw in a TON of veggies PLUS gluten free spiralized vegetable noodles along with another batch of my sauce and then….bam! You’ve got a low carb, Vegan Chow Mein dinner on the table. Bust out those chop sticks, lovelies!

vegan chow meinContest to Make Your Own Vegan Chow Mein

What if I told you that I could help you make your own girls night Chinese food fiesta? I’m giving away a tasty prize pack including 3 Better Than Bouillon jars (one vegetarian, one chicken, one beef) plus a $100 Sobeys gift card to get the party started! To enter, you must be a Canadian resident and do the following- the more you do (the more often you do them) the greater your chance of winning!

  1. MANDATORY- Subscribe to my weekly mailing list at the top of the page (for all of our posts once/ week)
  2. MANDATORY- Subscribe to my YouTube channel
  3. MANDATORY- Leave a blog comment below
  4. Follow me on Twitter
  5. Like me on Instagram
  6. Like me on Facebook
  7. Follow me on Pinterest
  8. Tweet about the giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaways not your jam? No worries- use the code abbeyskitchen15 to receive 15% off of your online purchase of Better Than Bouillon here! Check out their full line up of tasty products here, and let me know what your inspired to make!

vegan chow mein

What are your favourite Chinese inspired recipes? Have you made vegan chow mein? Do you have a go-to take out dish that you always order and would love to see reimagined? Leave me a comment below and I’ll take a crack at it!

vegan chow mein

5 from 5 votes
Print
Vegan Chow Mein with Gluten Free Zucchini Noodles & Marinated Tofu
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings
4 people
 
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Chinese
Calories: 310 kcal

 

This Vegan Chow Mein features delicious marinated tofu and gluten free low carb zucchini noodles.

Ingredients
  • Marinade:
  • 360 g extra firm tofu drained, cut into cubes
  • 2 Tbsp gluten free tamari
  • 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
  • 1/2 tsp sesame oil
  • 1/2 tsp Vegetable Better Than Bouillon
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp coconut sugar
Sauce:
  • 1 tsp Vegetable Better Than Bouillon
  • 2 Tbsp tamari gluten free tamari
  • 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
  • 1/2 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 1/2 tbsp coconut sugar
  • 1 Tbsp gluten free hoisin sauce
  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch
Stir-Fry
  • 2 tsp coconut oil divided
  • 2 carrots spiralized
  • 1 cup broccoli cut into small florets
  • 4 zucchini spiralized
  • 2 baby bok choy sliced lengthwise
  • 1 bell pepper julienne
  • 225 g cremini mushrooms thinly sliced
  • Pinch salt and pepper pinch of each
  • 1 cup bean sprouts
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 scallion sliced thinly on a bias
  • White and black sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
  1. Line a plate with paper towels, add the tofu pieces and top with another few layers of paper towels. Add a plate and something heavy (like a few cookbooks) and press the moisture out of the tofu.
  2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix together the marinade ingredients and transfer to a sealable plastic bag. Add in the pressed tofu and allow the tofu to marinate in the fridge for 1-2 hours.
  3. When ready to cook, mix together the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
  4. Add 1 teaspoon of the coconut oil to a nonstick skillet and cook the tofu over medium high heat until golden brown on all sides, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  5. Wipe out the pan (to prevent the marinade from burning), add in the remaining teaspoon of oil and heat to medium high. Add the carrots and broccoli and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes. Then add in the zucchini, bok choy, bell pepper, cremini mushrooms and a pinch each of salt and pepper. The salt will help to draw out the moisture so it can start to evaporate. Allow the veggies to cook for 5 minutes, making sure to toss everything frequently.
  6. Add in the sauce, and again, toss to coat. Cook until the sauce thickens, and the vegetables reach a nice al dente stage.
  7. Finally, add in the bean sprouts and the tofu to rewarm and mix everything together once more. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, to taste.
  8. When ready to serve, pile the tofu on top of the vegetables and noodles, top with the scallion and sesame seeds and enjoy!

Only Eats

Disclosure: This recipe was made in paid partnership with Better Than Bouillon, however, all opinions are genuine. This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive compensation if you purchase one of these products.

Vegan Crispy Tofu with Sweet & Sour Orange Sauce– New Years Eve Healthy Chinese Food

These Vegan Crispy Tofu with Sweet & Sour Orange Sauce is sponsored by Sol Cuisine and is total Healthy Chinese Food. This recipe makes for the perfect New Years Eve alternative to take out!

The countdown to 2016 is upon us and in my house, New Years Eve party ideas almost always revolve around champagne, fireworks and Chinese Food. But let’s be honest, after a massive Thanksgiving turkey feast, 8 days of Hanukah latkes, a Christmas roast and oh so many parties in between, greasy Chinese food take out is really the last thing I need. I need myself some healthy Chinese food to get through the crazy fact that it’s another year past.

crispy_tofu_with_orange_sauce_4_of_12.jpg

Let’s be honest. I knew I wasn’t going to be getting any healthy Chinese food from a delivery place.

crispy_tofu_with_orange_sauce_3_of_12.jpg

This year, I wanted to make my own healthy Chinese food for our New Years Eve party starting with this vegan Crispy Tofu with Sweet & Sour Orange Sauce. Now, I know what you meat eaters are thinking. Tofu? Hell no. But just wait to be amazed.

crispy_tofu_with_orange_sauce_8_of_12.jpg

Have you ever had crispy fried tofu in one of those trendy new Chinese restaurants? Carnivore or not, it’s probably one of the tastiest things you’ll ever have but with the deep fried factor, it can be a bit of a fat bomb.

crispy_tofu_with_orange_sauce_5_of_12.jpg

So… Healthy Chinese Food is a Real Thing?

Yep. With a bit of experimenting, I came up with a mucho delicious crispy tofu that’s BAKED and tossed in the most addictive sweet, tangy and spicy sauce. It’s so good, you might miss the count down just for another bite.

crispy_tofu_with_orange_sauce_12_of_12.jpg

For this healthy Chinese food recipe, I’m using Sol Cuisine’s new Artisan Sprouted Extra Firm Tofu, which is vegan, gluten free and organic. I like the new sprouted version because it’s higher in protein and calcium then the traditional firm tofu, plus it has better digestibility. One 75 g serving delivers 13 grams of vegan protein, 10% of your Calcium and Iron needs and only 100 calories. It’s honestly quite mild and delicious in it’s own right, but when it’s crusted in golden brown panko crumbs and tossed in that Chinese orange sauce, you know it’s going to be a good night in.

crispy_tofu_with_orange_sauce_2_of_12.jpg

Sorry Mr. Delivery man, don’t count on an order this year. You’ve got nothing on my healthy Chinese food crispy tofu – the perfect new years eve food! If you want to try Sol Cuisine Artisan Sprouted Tofu, check out their facebook page for a printable coupon!

crispy_tofu_with_orange_sauce_11_of_12.jpg

What’s your go-to New Years Eve food ideas? Do you have any healthy Chinese food ideas you would like me to share on the blog? What are your favourite tofu recipes? Leave me a message below – I would love to hear from you!

crispy_tofu_with_orange_sauce_9_of_12.jpg

5 from 1 vote
Print
Vegan Crispy Tofu with Sweet & Sour Orange Sauce– New Years Eve Healthy Chinese Food
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
55 mins
Servings
4 people
 
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Chinese
Calories: 415 kcal

 

These Vegan Crispy Tofu with Sweet & Sour Orange Sauce is sponsored by Sol Cuisine and is total Healthy Chinese Food. This recipe makes for the perfect New Years Eve alternative to take out!

Ingredients
Tofu
  • 1 package Sol cuisine Artisan Sprouted Extra Firm Tofu
  • 3- 4 tbsp grainy or dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 tsp black sesame seeds
  • 2 tsp white sesame seeds
  • 1/2 tsp Chinese five spice blend
  • pinch salt and pepper Generous pinch of each
Sweet & Sour Sauce
  • 1 tsp coconut oil
  • 1 clove garlic finely minced
  • 1 tsp ginger finely minced
  • 1/4 cup concentrated orange juice
  • 1/2 tbsp coconut sugar
  • 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp sriracha
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup water
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Quinoa
  • 1 cup Quinoa rinsed
  • 2 cups reduced sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 2 cups sugar snap peas trimmed
  • 1 bell pepper sliced julienne
  • 1 cup Bean sprouts
  • 1 can water chestnuts drained and rinsed
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Green onions sliced, for garnish
  • Peanuts crushed for garnish
  • Toasted sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
Tofu
  1. Cut the tofu into 1 inch cubes, top with a layer of paper towels, then cover with a layer of heavy objects like cast iron skillets topped with canned goods. Let it sit for an hour to release a lot of its moisture.
  2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 F.
  3. Remove the weights and discard the paper towel.
  4. In a small bowl, mix together the panko, sesame seeds, and Chinese five spice.
  5. Brush the tofu in the mustard, then toss in the mixture. Season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes, flipping at least once throughout the cooking process.
Sweet & Sour Sauce
  1. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a small skillet. Add the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add in the orange juice, coconut sugar, vinegar, soy sauce and sriracha and stir until bubbly.
  2. In a small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and water until smooth, then add to the sauce to thicken. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, if needed.
Quinoa:
  1. Prepare quinoa with vegetable broth according to box instructions. Transfer to a bowl or container, cover and keep warm.
  2. Heat the olive and sesame oils in the same pan or pot, then add in the snap peas and bell pepper. Saute over high heat until slightly blistered and softened, then add in the bean sprouts and water chestnuts. Season with a pinch each of salt and pepper.
Assembly
  1. Divide the quinoa between four bowls, top with the stir-fried vegetables, the crispy tofu and drizzle with the orange sauce. Garnish with green onions, peanuts and toasted sesame seeds.

Disclaimer: This recipe was developed in paid partnership with Sol Cuisine, however, all opinions are genuine.



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