Blackened Tofu and Orzo Pasta Salad with Chipotle Ranch Dressing

One of my favorite lunches.  It's a long post, and it might look complicated, but if you have some of the ingredients made in advance, it's easy peasy.  This was a left-over creation when I already had extra cooked orzo from the night before, blackened tofu from 2 nights before and Ranch dressing on hand. But the Ranch is really easy and A-MA-ZING!  It's courtesy of our friends Jenny and Heather at Spork Foods and it's a staple for us.  So if you plan your meals a little in advance - have a yummy pasta dish the night before and make a little extra pasta for the next day.  Have blackened tofu, mashed sweet potatoes, and sautéed garlic spinach two nights before and make some extra tofu.  The leftover tofu will be nice and firm too! If you don't have leftovers, I suggest making the tofu and orzo the night before so it's not hot when you serve it.  If you don't want to make it the night before, chill the tofu and orzo for an hour before assembling.  This is better served cold because of the veggies and dressing.

I actually can't believe I haven't posted this tofu yet - I eat it at least once a week.  This is also courtesy of Jenny and Heather, but with a little twist of my own.  I eat it on it's own, or in salads.  Unfortunately, by the time I'm done cooking it, usually only half has made it out of the pan alive...even my non-veg friends love it!

Serves 4 as a side or 2 as an entrée.

Pasta Salad:
Blackened Tofu (recipe below)
1⁄2 seedless cucumber, quartered and sliced
1 red bell pepper, cut into bite size-of-your-choice pieces
1 or 2 tomatoes depending on how much you like tomatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
15-ish baby carrots or 1 or 2 big carrots, sliced
1 Cup cooked Orzo*

*Orzo is a type of pasta that has a similar shape to rice.  If you can't find orzo, any small pasta will do.

**The veggies, tofu, and orzo in this recipe are just a guide.  I'm not sure exactly how much I used, so if you'd like more cucumber - add more! if you like more pasta and less bell pepper, go for it! If you want different veggies, be my guest! Same goes with the ranch dressing - start with less Chipotle and garlic seasoning and add more if you see fit - I like a lot of both :)

Ranch Dressing:
3⁄4 Cup Veganaise
1 tsp agave
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp Chipotle seasoning (less if you don't like spicy)
pinch dried celery seed
1 tsp garlic powder
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

Mix all ingredients in a bowl (adding Vegenaise first), and let it sit for a few minutes before mixing it in the salad.

Blackened Tofu: 
1 Block of extra firm organic tofu (I use Trader Joe's in the vacuum sealed pack)
Smokin Willies meat seasoning (I think this can only be found at Whole Foods - I couldn't find it online - but trust me; find it.  You'll LOVE it.)
1⁄4-1⁄2 Cup canned coconut milk or soy creamer
2 tsp Jerk seasoning (optional but yummy)
2 Tbsp Coconut oil (or another medium-high heat oil like Safflower. Do NOT use olive oil)
salt, to taste

Heat oil on medium-high heat in a large pan.  Cut the tofu into bite-size cubes.  Sauté tofu until good 'n brown on most sides - this will take some time. Add milk until it just covers tofu with a little extra in the pan and toss to coat.  Cook until most of the milk has evaporated.  Sprinkle a generous amount of Smokin Willies seasoning and a little salt until the tofu is completely coated.  Cook on medium-high heat for 3 or 4 more minutes.  Add the jerk seasoning, a little more Smokin Willies, and toss the tofu until evenly coated.  Remove the tofu from the pan onto a paper towel to remove excess oil if there is any.  Let cool before adding to the salad.

Mix all components together in a large bowl and Voila! You've just made a damn good lunch/side/dinner/snack/bowl of heaven.

Make this with Gluten Free pasta and it's Gluten Free!