While Stephanie Johnstone considers herself to be a hobby cook, there are more than a few dishes in her repertoire that would do any serious chef proud. One of them happens to be her delicious Buddha Bowl made with Okinawan sweet potatoes and crispy baked tofu. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the offering, Buddha Bowls are often comprised of a hearty selection of rice, veggies, proteins and sauces. “It’s super customizable,” Johnstone shares. “Everyone can build a bowl to their liking.”

Buddha Bowls have been in steady rotation at her house — the former attorney has been a vegetarian for more than a decade, and in the last two years, has embraced a more vegan diet. As a mother of two, Johnstone must keep her 2-year-old son Tai’s food sensitivities in mind when cooking meals for her family (but Tai’s big brother Maddison enjoys meat-free fare just as well). And while husband Doug isn’t vegan per se, he hap- pily eats what’s on the table.

Johnstone’s version of the bowl is vegan, gluten-free full of nutrient-rich ingredients. Apparently, she also has the secret to baking tofu so that it’s still crisp! Hint: it’s all about the cornstarch. Try it at home, and like she says, don’t be afraid to add your own favorite grains and greens.

Stephanie Johnstone’s Asian-Inspired Buddha Bowls with Peanut Sauce Makes 4 bowls

Buddha Bowl

• 4 cups cooked hapa, white or brown rice • 1 batch Crispy Baked Tofu (see below)
• 1 large Okinawan sweet potato
• 2 medium broccoli, cut into 1-inch florets • 2 red bell peppers, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1 head baby bok choy, chopped and divided
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1⁄2 cup cucumber, chopped into 1⁄2-inch pieces
• 2 avocados, pitted and thinly sliced
• 2 green onions, chopped (for garnish) • Furikake (for garnish)

Crispy Baked Tofu

• 14-ounce block extra firm tofu, pressed and drained
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon tamari (or shoyu, if not gluten-free)
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Peanut Sauce

• 1⁄4 cup smooth peanut butter (or nut butter of choice)
• 2 tablespoons tamari
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or honey, if not vegan)
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• pinch red pepper flakes

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease two baking sheets and set aside.

2. Wash the sweet potato, pat dry and wrap loosely in foil. Place on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 55-60 minutes.

3. While the sweet potato cooks, make the Crispy Baked Tofu and roasted vegetables.

Make the Crispy Baked Tofu: Slice the tofu into 1-inch cubes and toss with olive oil and tamari. Then, toss with cornstarch until the tofu is evenly coated. Place into one of the baking sheets, making sure pieces do not touch one another.

Make the Roasted Vegetables: Toss the broccoli and red bell pepper in 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread onto the other baking sheet.

Place the tofu and vegetables in the oven (tofu on the middle rack, vegetables on the upper rack) and cook for 25-30 minutes, tossing halfway through.

4. While the tofu and vegetables cook, make the Peanut Sauce: Whisk all the sauce ingredients in a bowl. Add water one tablespoon at a time to thin out to desired consistency.

5. In the final five minutes of baking, cook the bok choy: Heat the sesame oil in a pan on medium heat. Add the bok choy stems and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Next, add chopped garlic and bok choy leaves and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

6. Assembly: In a bowl, add rice and top with tofu, sweet potato and cooked vegeta- bles. Next, add avocado and cucumber. Garnish with green onion, furikake and a generous drizzle of peanut sauce. Enjoy!