Cucumber and Sesame Salad with Tofu and Blanched Spinach

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Serves: 4

Quick, easy, and flavorful, this salad is a super healthy way for us to ease in the new year and embrace our clean eating goals. It’s both sweet and salty and if you use a Thai bird chile pepper, you’ll definitely get some spice.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Coarse Kosher salt
8 ounces of baby spinach
¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce (substitute tamari to make this dish gluten-free
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon mirin
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
½ teaspoon agave nectar (you can sub with honey)
One 14-ounce package of firm tofu, drained and gently dried, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 Persian or seedless cucumbers
2 tablespoons chopped scallions
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 small fresh hot chile pepper, such as Thai bird or cayenne, thinly sliced

Preparation

Place a small dry skillet over medium heat. Add sesame seeds and shake the pan occasionally for about 3 minutes, until they begin to brown. Transfer to a small dish and set aside.
Fill a large bowl with water and ice and set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Add the spinach to the boiling water for about 15 seconds until it wilts. Remove all of the spinach with a large slotted spoon and transfer it to the ice water. This will stop it from cooking. Place the spinach in a strainer and gently squeeze out any excess water. Once the spinach has cooled, place it on a small towel and gently pat it dry.
In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, mirin, vinegar, sesame oil, and agave. Whisk briskly to combine all the ingredients.

To Serve

Divide the spinach among four individual salad plates. Arrange the tofu, cucumber, scallions, ginger, and chile pepper slices on each plate.

Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Pour about 2 tablespoons of dressing over each plate and serve.