​Baked Potatoes with Broccoli, Creamy Cheddar Sauce, and Crispy Tofu Bites

vegan, gluten-free (potentially), refined sugar-free

Adapted from recipes on Wallflower Kitchen and It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken.

Warm and comforting, these whole-food, complete-meal potatoes are one of my favorite things to make on a cold winter's day. If you've ever had the Cheddar-Broccoli-Baked Potato out at fast-food chains, you'll like this one even more! The addition of crispy baked tofu bites makes it a complete meal. Yes, potatoes take some time to bake, but you can bake the tofu, steam the broccoli, and make the sauce during that time and still have a little downtime to spare.

Serves: 2 as an entree, 4 as a side / Prep time: 20 min / Total time: 80 min

Ingredients:​​
For the potatoes

• 2 large baking potatoes (Idaho, russet, etc.)
• a few drops of canola or vegetable oil, optional
• salt and pepper, to taste

For the Crispy Tofu Bites:

• 1 block extra-firm tofu, drained
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or substitute tamari to make it gluten-free)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• dash cayenne pepper, optional

For the broccoli:

• ​1 medium head of broccoli

For the Creamy Cheddar sauce:

• 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked in water for a few hours*
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast**
• 1/2 tablespoon white miso, optional
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sriracha sauce or something else spicy, optional
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional
• Salt and pepper, to taste***
• 1/2 cup water

Directions:

1. If you haven't soaked your cashews yet, place them in a bowl of water. Preheat your oven to 425F (190C). Scrub and rinse potatoes, prick with a fork several times, and place each on a sheet of aluminum foil. If desired, rub each potato with oil, salt, and pepper. Wrap the foil tightly around each potato and place in the oven. 
2. Remove tofu block from package, drain water out, and wrap in a clean kitchen towel. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Go do something else for 15-20 min. (See, I promised there would be downtime!)
4. Slice tofu into 1/2-inch cubes and place on the baking sheet. Pour on the nutritional yeast, oil, soy sauce, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper, and mix well to coat the tofu cubes. Place in the oven and set timer for 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, set up a steamer basket inside a pot with an inch of water in the bottom, and bring water to boil. Rinse broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces, and place in steamer basket. Put on lid, reduce heat to low, and allow to steam for about 10 minutes.
6. After timer goes off, stir tofu bites and return to oven to bake for 10-15 minutes more until golden brown.**** 
7. Drain cashews and place in blender with remaining ingredients. Blend on high-speed until super creamy (this may take a few minutes). If desired, gently heat sauce on the stove or in microwave.*****
8. When broccoli is fork-tender, remove from heat. When potatoes are soft, remove them from the oven (Should cook about 75 min total).
9. Place each potato on a plate, slice open, and top with the broccoli, cheddar sauce, and crispy tofu, and serve. If serving a smaller portion (or if your potatoes are really large), slice each potato in half, then place on four plates, top, and serve!

*If you have a high-speed blender you don't need to pre-soak the cashews. 
​**Nutritional yeast, commonly called "nooch" by vegans, is deactivated yeast with an amazing nutrition profile and a nutty, cheesy flavor. Look for nutritional yeast in the bulk bins, baking aisle, or supplements section at your grocery store. I use it to top pasta, pizza, salads, breads, rice, and popcorn, and it's used in many vegan cheese substitutes. For other recipes calling for nooch, see Crispy Kale Chips, Roasted Chickpeas, Tofu Scramble, Chickpea Noodle Soup, Soft Gruyere, Cauliflower Gratin, and Creamy Spinach-Artichoke Dip. In other words, if you don't already have some, you're going to want to buy some!
***As you can see there are lots of options for flavoring the sauce. Use the flavors you like. As long as it has cashews, nutritional yeast, and water, it will be good! If not using miso, you should definitely add a bit of salt (start at 1/4 teaspoon and taste).
****If you end up with extra tofu bites, refrigerate or freeze them for snacks or salad toppers. They will remain crispy!
*****If you end up with extra cheddar sauce, refrigerate it. It makes an excellent dip for pretzels!