When I think about Autumn, visions of apples and maple syrup come to mind. I love, for instance, the variety of fall produce items, like butternut squash, apples, and pecans. With that in mind, I decided to make a Harvest Bowl, full of everything I love about fall.
BUY PRODUCE IN SEASON TO SAVE MONEY TO MAKE A FRESH HARVEST BOWL
In order to save money, it is always wise to shop produce in season. During the fall, apples, and squash, for instance, are easily accessible and cheap.
First, I always shop for my grocery store circulars which arrive the week prior to shopping. Then, I plan my next week's menu knowing what is on sale. Although many people don't food prep, organizing, and planning what I cook not only saves me money, it helps me keep on track with my weight goals. In other words, I don't want to throw food away, or have extra food around as an excuse to eat it!
Furthermore, I like to prep food in advance, so it is easy to throw a meal together when it's time to eat. For this reason, I cook quinoa, butternut squash, and tofu, as well as, dressings ahead of time.
HOW TO PREPARE A HEALTHY AND FRESH HARVEST BOWL
Tofu, for example, can be marinated up to a week in advance, and it can be grilled ahead of time and reheated quickly. In order to make a harvest bowl, I marinated my tofu in advance. Contrary to popular belief, simply pressing tofu, makes it absorb and take on marinade flavors. Clearly, pressing and marinating can be done in advance, which makes it easy to prepare when it's time to cook.
The Perfect Pressed Tofu for Grilling, Baking, or Cooking in a Skillet is easy if you follow the directions. Then, I cut the tofu into two equal pieces, then two more, and finally two more.
GRILLING TOFU FOR HARVEST BOWL (OTHER OPTIONS)
And, if I need my husband, the Grill Master, to grill tofu or anything for me, it is better to have him do it ahead of time. That way I'm not waiting on food, and secretly, I think he likes coking ahead of time to avoid the stress of a timeline.
Even though I prefer to grill tofu for maple & stoneground mustard harvest bowl, other options exist for those who do not have a grill or the weather makes it difficult.
CHOOSE YOUR COOKING METHOD: (PICK ONE BELOW)
GRILLING MAPLE & STONEGROUND MUSTARD TOFU
- Pre-heat grill to 350 or medium-low
- You can place the marinated tofu directly on the grill or I use a grill basket
- Grill for 7 minutes on each side
- Let cool slightly
BAKED VERSION (If you don't have a grill)
- Follow the same directions for marinating
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
- Place tofu pieces on a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mats; I used my copper crisper pan
AIR-FRYER VERSION
- Dip the marinated tofu on each side with cornstarch
- Place large pieces into the basket, not touching each other
- Cook on 370 for 10 minutes
- Open the basket and turn large tofu pieces over
- Bake for 10 more minutes
Once the tofu is grilled, I just place it back in the marinade container, seal it up, and put it in the refrigerator until its time to reheat it. Besides, it takes 10 minutes at 350 degrees to reheat the tofu.
HOW TO BUILD A DELICIOUS HARVEST BOWL
GRILLED MAPLE & STONE GROUND MUSTARD TOFU
- Grilled Maple & Stone Ground Mustard Tofu Recipe
BOWL INGREDIENTS
- 1 small butternut squash peeled, seeded, and diced into ½ inch cubes
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa (yields 2 cups cooked)
- 4 cups chopped kale
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans
- 2 medium Honey Crisp apple diced ½-inch cubes
As always, I try to make cooking easier by planning ahead. Without a doubt, food prep makes my dinner easy every night. And, if you make extra, you have lunch for the next day.
If you enjoy this bowl, you will love Lucky Dragon Bowl , How to Build a Vegan Poke Bowl, and Skinny Vietnamese Bahn Mi Sandwich with Seared Sriracha Tofu.
Harvest Bowl
Ingredients
Grilled Maple & Stone Ground Mustard Tofu
BOWL INGREDIENTS
- 1 small butternut squash peeled seeded, and diced into ½ inch cubes
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa yields 2 cups cooked
- 4 cups chopped kale
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans
- 2 medium Honey Crisp apple diced ½-inch cubes
DRESSING
- ½ cup raw cashews soak overnight, but will work no soaked
- ½ cup water
- 2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
- 2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
- 2 teaspoons liquid smoke I used hickory flavor
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Instructions
BUTTERNUT SQUASH
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
- Cut into 1-inch slices; cut around to remove skin
- Cut squash into bite-sized cubes (½ inch)
- Place cut butternut squash on a silicone baking mat or parchment paper covered pan
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper
- Cook for 20 minutes
- Remove from oven and let cool
SALAD DRESSING:
- Drain cashews if soaked
- Combine all ingredients in a blender
- Blend on high until smooth
- Refrigerate
QUINOA
- Rinse 1 cup quinoa
- Combine 2 cups water, rinsed quinoa, and ½ teaspoon salt
- Bring to a boil uncover
- Cover and reduce to medium-low
- Cook for 15 minutes
- Remove from heat
- Using a fork, fluff and let cool
Notes
Nutrition
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
Kathy
I could not find amount or instructions for the grilled tofu addition to this recipe... Do you have a separate recipe for that?
Kathy Carmichael
Kathy, there is a link on the post highlighted, and yes, there is a separate post as well.
Mary Bradford
I made this tonight- AMAZING. Love the dressing! I didn't make the tofu, just the "salad" part with sweet potato instead of squash because that was what I had. So good, Yum! I think this will be a healthy side at my Thanksgiving this week! Kathy, I'm loving all your recipes that I have tried so far, thanks so much for the time you take to share!
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Mary, I'm so glad you liked it. It's one of my favorites; I love the combination of flavors. I really appreciate your feedback. Thank you. And have a great Thanksgiving.