The Best Plant-Based Holiday Meal I’ve Cooked!

And did I say it was easy? You’ll be cooking this EVERY week this summer!

I watched the Easter holiday meals show up in my newsfeed. They were predictable.

Ham. Lamb. With all the fixins, of course. Scalloped potatoes. Deviled eggs. Maybe a few veggies thrown in.

Yes, society identifies with food. Just like Thanksgiving has a set menu, Easter isn’t far behind. If you visit many food sites, you’ll likely see similar recipes where the spices and additions change slightly.

But when you decide to move into a plant-based lifestyle, choose vegan recipes, and focus on whole-food, plant-rich meals, it suddenly shuts down all those traditions. You’re left with crafting meal planning that stretches way beyond the “norm.”

That’s where a lot of people go astray.

I get it. This is one of the most challenging parts of this process. Especially if you’re still attached to traditional foods. Me - I’ve never liked a lot of traditional foods anyway. I’ve never been an egg person. And I’ve never eaten lamb. It’s never appealed to me, so it’s easy to bypass on a table.

But, if you DO enjoy it, it isn’t easy. You focus on all the foods you’re giving up on your quest to eat healthier. Foods you have an attachment to. Foods that hold memories.

So, it’s time to find new meals. Entrees that pack a punch, with so much flavor, you never think: “I miss …” Because you suddenly feel bad for all the people eating “traditional” when the meals you’re creating are “Wow!”

And I have one to add to your collection. A springtime meal that was perfect for Easter, but also perfect for every single weekend in the spring … and summer. (And maybe longer with a few tips.)

I’ll start with a photo. Looks easy, right? It is!

Mid-morning, I mixed up a marinade, cubed the tofu, mixed it all together, and stuck it in the fridge until dinner. When we were ready to eat, it came together in about 30 minutes. Super easy! And RAVE reviews from everyone around the table. There was a lot of “Can we have this again next weekend? And the next?”

Tofu and Marinade

• 1 lb block of extra firm tofu, cubed

• ¼ cup soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

• 1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce

• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch

• Coconut oil

Mix soy sauce, sesame oil, sweet chili sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, and garlic in a sealable bag or a bowl. Add cubed tofu and shake or stir. Refrigerate for at least an hour. I like to do this in the morning to give the tofu extra time to marinate.

When you’re ready to cook, remove tofu with a slotted spoon, being careful to reserve marinade. Transfer to a bowl and toss with arrowroot starch. Add a few tablespoons of coconut oil to a frying pan, enough to cover the bottom when melted. Melt, then add in the tofu. Cook for a few minutes at medium-high on each side until lightly browned.

When done, carefully remove the tofu, then wipe out the pan. Reduce temperature to medium-low, and put the tofu back in the pan. Add reserved marinade, and gently toss for a few minutes until tofu is glazed.

Enjoy!

Hi there and welcome to Roots! I'm so glad you're here. If you're enjoying what you're reading so far and haven’t subscribed yet, please click that button:

And if you like this post, please tap that heart button ❤️ and leave a comment as that helps the algorithm push this content out to more like-minded souls who might enjoy it. Thank you for being here!

Asparagus

• 1 bunch asparagus

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• Salt and pepper, to taste

Wash asparagus and snap ends off. Place in a bowl, add the olive oil, and toss until evenly distributed. Salt and pepper, to taste.

Using a griddle pan, cook on medium-high heat until asparagus is slightly charred, turning periodically. Work in batches until complete.

Rhubarb Sauce

• 8 ounces rhubarb, diced

• 1 large jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

• 1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce

• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Turn the heat on medium until boiling, then reduce to a simmer until the rhubarb and jalapeño are soft.

I LOVE eating this with asparagus this time of year. But I’ll be cooking it long after asparagus is out of the markets and no longer available.

Try broccoli. Or Brussels sprouts. My belief is to keep things simple when you have this much flavor.

Cook up a batch of my Rhubarb and Mint Cornbread. It goes so well with this meal.

Rhubarb & Mint Cornbread

Another secret is you can freeze rhubarb. Yeah! And the frozen stuff works really well in both the Cornbread and Rhubarb Sauce.

That means you can have this meal long after rhubarb disappears from the market.

p.s. Did you like this message? It would mean a lot to me if you’d press the ❤️ below if you liked it, left a comment 💬, or shared it with a friend. I’m trying to grow this publication, and I depend on people like you to do so!

And if you’re new here, Welcome! 💐 I’d love to start sharing my message with you if you’re interested in all things plant-powered, proaging, or finding kitchen joy. Subscribe … and then explore my entire archive! Glad to share with you! 🙋🏼‍♀️