Meal: Lunch or Dinner
Dietary Type: Vegan and Vegetarian      
Prep Time: 15 minutes 
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4 

The Dish
This stir fry is always a crowd favorite. Crispy, bite-sized pieces of tofu join a sweet and savory collection of vegetables. Eggplant, mushrooms, and bell peppers are stir fried and then simmered in soy-honey sauce. A little garlic powder, onion powder, crushed red pepper flakes, black pepper, and fresh basil add some excellent flavor.  

Hacking this Recipe:  This dish comes together pretty quickly, so we wouldn’t recommend making much of the components ahead of time. Although, you can prep all of the ingredients (tofu, eggplant, mushrooms, and bell peppers) well before cooking. We also recommend pressing as much liquid as possible from the tofu. Simply place the tofu brick in between a couple pieces of paper towel (or a clean dish towel) and gently press down to expel any excess water.  

Let us know what other kinds of Healthy Recipes you’d like to see. We're always listening!

Ingredients
1 cup (170 g) brown rice 
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil 
14 oz (400 g) extra firm tofu, cut into bite-sized cubes 
1 medium (450 g) eggplant, cut into bite-sized cubes 
2 cups (180 g) mushrooms, sliced 
1 each (150 g) red bell pepper, seeded and diced 
1/2 cup (118 ml) low sodium soy sauce 
1/4 cup (60 ml) honey 
1/2 teaspoon (1 g) garlic powder 
1/2 teaspoon (1 g) onion powder 
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes 
pinch ground black pepper 
5-6 each (.5 g) fresh basil leaves, chopped or torn 

Preparation 

• Rinse rice with cool water and place in a medium saucepan. Add 2 cups of water to the saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 30-35 minutes or until tender.
• Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add tofu and sear until golden brown on all sides, about 3-4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove tofu from the skillet and set aside. 
• Add eggplant, mushrooms, and bell peppers to the skillet and sauté until tender-crisp, about 2-3 minutes. 
• While the veggies are cooking, place soy sauce, honey, garlic, onion, pepper flakes, and black pepper in a medium bowl and whisk to combine the sauce. 
• Add sauce to the skillet, stir to combine, and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly and vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. 
• Return tofu to the skillet and toss to combine. 
• Divide rice and stir fry between plates or bowls, sprinkle with basil before serving.  

Vegetarian and Vegan Modifications: Feel free to substitute the honey in this recipe with agave for a vegan alternative. 

Gluten-Free Modifications: Substitute the soy sauce in this recipe for a gluten-free alternative or tamari.