LOW-CARB VEGAN DINNER BOWL

This much-liked low-carb vegan bowl comes with tofu, kale, cabbage, and broccoli as well as a tasty almond satay sauce on top.

This vegan dish has a lower carb count and a higher protein content. It contains tofu for protein, avocado for good fats, and cabbage “rice” to keep the carbohydrate content low while maintaining the meal’s fulfilling and filling qualities.

These bowls are excellent for anyone trying to add more veggies and plant foods in their diet even if they are a lower-carb option among plant-based meals. In actuality, they offer 23 grams of plant-based protein and 14 grams of fiber each serving!
You’ll adore the variety of vegetables, filling baked tofu, and irresistible almond satay sauce to tie it all together whether you enjoy these delectable bowls as a nutritious dinner or prepare them in advance for a healthy meal prep alternative.

Making them involves a few stages, but once you get rolling, it’s not too difficult. Put the tofu in the oven, then prepare the kale, broccoli, and cabbage. Finally, prepare the dressing (no blending required!). When the tofu is done, put your bowl together and eat it.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE

• Features of the diet: vegan, grain-free, gluten-free, oil-free, and nut-free.
• Features in terms of nutrition: This plant-based meal has fewer carbohydrates while being high in protein and good fats.
• Flavorful and rich in texture.
• The delectable almond satay sauce, which is sweet and zesty.

The concept of cabbage rice can be applied to numerous dishes.They are a fantastic alternative for preparing vegan meals.

INGREDIENT NOTES
The printable recipe card below contains a detailed ingredient list, including measurements and all necessary directions. Ingredient and substitution considerations are covered in this section.

• Tofu: Firm or extra-firm tofu should be used. You don’t have to, but if you want, you can press it beforehand. It will get crispier and more flavorful as a result of this. Find out how to press tofu.
• Soy sauce :Use whichever soy sauce you like or gluten-free tamari for soy sauce.
• Instead of using minced garlic, garlic powder works great to coat the tofu.
• Cornstarch: Gives the tofu a more crunchy coating. It also works with arrowroot starch.
• Almond butter, peanut butter, or sunflower seed butter can all be used to make the dressing as a nut-free substitute.
• Rice Vinegar: Either seasoned or unseasoned rice vinegar will work, although seasoned rice vinegar includes extra sugar, thus it will increase the recipe’s carbohydrate content somewhat.
  Any chili-garlic paste works for Sriracha. Sambal oelek or Sriracha are my favorites.
• Sweetener: You can use a dash of maple syrup, coconut sugar, or any other sweetener you want for low-carb recipes. You can also use stevia or monk fruit sweetened. For a smoother dressing, I recommend maple syrup over granulated sugar if you’re not using stevia.
• Cabbage: Use green cabbage for cooking.
• Coconut Oil: Any cooking oil will work in this recipe. I would recommend sesame oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, or olive oil.
  Green onion: Also known as a scallion or a spring onion.
• If you don’t like cilantro, omit it from the dish.
• For other vegetables like carrots, snap peas, or cauliflower, broccoli is a simple substitute.
• Kale: I prefer kale for bowls because it maintains its shape and doesn’t wilt, but you can also use spinach, baby spinach, or any other green you choose.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Before beginning: Pressing the tofu is optional, but if you choose to do it, it will take 20 to 30 minutes. Use a tofu press or cover the tofu block with a dish towel before setting it on a platter and weighing it down.
– Tofu cubes, soy sauce or tamari, cornstarch, salt, pepper, and garlic powder should all be combined in a bowl with the tofu. To coat, gently toss it.
Quick Tip: Looking for hot baked tofu? Add 1 tsp cayenne or red chili flakes, 2 tsp sambal oelek, or sriracha. Other additives, such as rice vinegar, sesame oil, or sweet chili sauce, are likewise fair game.
Place the cubed tofu on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper, leaving space between each piece. Crispiness depends on this!

– For 20 to 30 minutes, bake the tofu at 375°F until golden, puffed, and crispy. Although you can turn it once halfway through, I typically don’t. Even without flipping it, it still becomes crispy!

Step 2. Make the cabbage rice.

– Cut the cabbage head in half, then into smaller pieces after removing the outer leaves. To resemble rice, add the bits to a food processor and pulse a few times.
Quick Tip: Simply chop the cabbage and put it in the skillet if you don’t want to go through the extra process of “rice” it. For variations, it might be grilled or prepared in an Instant Pot.
-The “riced” cabbage, green onions, and cilantro are added after the coconut oil or other preferred oil has been heated in a sizable skillet or wok.
-Until the cabbage is soft and caramelized, saute the mixture for 6 to 8 minutes.
Quick Tip: After thoroughly combining the ingredients, allow them to sit for a while before stirring them one more to let the bottom brown. Re-insert the browned parts and continue!

Step 3. Make the almond butter.

In any basin or container, combine all the ingredients to prepare the sauce, then whisk or shake until perfectly smooth and creamy.

Step 4. Prepare the rest of the bowl ingredients.

-Add 1-2 tablespoons of your preferred oil to the finely chopped kale. When the kale is dark green and softened, massage it with your hands.

Quick Tip: To make kale somewhat softer if you don’t want to use oil, sauté it in a skillet with 1 tablespoon of water for around 1 minute.
-Broccoli can be steamed on a stovetop, in an Instant Pot, or in a microwave. On the burner, I like to steam broccoli.

-After bringing the water to a boil, steam the broccoli for 4–5 minutes, or until it is crisp and vibrant but still firm.
– After cooking the cabbage, you could also stir fry the broccoli for a little while in the pan!

Note: After around 7 minutes of cooking, broccoli will change from tender and bright green to mushy and dull green. You don’t want to cook it too much!
– A large scoop of cabbage rice should be the first ingredient in each dish, followed by the kale, broccoli, avocado, and tofu, and then the sauce.

NOTES AND TIPS

1. Oil-Free Alternative: Use broth or water in place of the cooking oil.
2. Use gluten-free tamari in place of soy sauce as a gluten-free alternative.

VARIATIONS AND ADDITIONS

1. Cabbage: Use broccoli rice or cauliflower rice as a low-carb substitute. Farro, quinoa, and brown rice also perform well but are not low in carbohydrates.
2. Seeds: For extra lipids, protein, and crunch, sprinkle over some hemp, pumpkin, or sunflower seeds!
3. Tofu: Instead of using tofu, try using marinated tempeh or edamame. Tofu can be substituted with chickpeas, but chickpeas contain more carbohydrates.
4. Oil: Sesame oil can be used to prepare the cabbage rice instead of coconut oil.

STORING AND PREP

• Up to 5 days in advance, almond butter sauce can be prepared and kept in the refrigerator. It tends to thicken in the refrigerator, so you might need to thin it with a little water after storing.
• Up to three days in advance, tofu can be baked.
• Before making the bowls, broccoli and kale can be chopped and kept raw for up to 3 days.
• Although bowls are best when served immediately, they can be kept for up to 3 days in a sealed container if the avocado is left off until right before serving.