Soba and Tofu

Just like I always have semolina pasta in my pantry, I always have soba noodles. Soba noodles are Japanese buckwheat noodles; this makes them a really good option for those following a gluten-free diet. Soba is great because you can serve it hot or cold, as a salad or a soup, or with just about any vegetable you can think of. If you've got these noodles in your pantry, you can probably come up with dinner on any given night. Tonight I had a pound of tofu that I needed to use, along with half a bag of spinach. I got my inspiration from a recipe from Vegetarian Times, but I added my own spin on the dressing. This will make about 4 servings.

SOBA NOODLES, TOFU, AND SPINACH
-8 oz. soba noodles
-2 tbsp sesame seeds
-1 lb. extra firm tofu, drained and cubed
-4 cups spinach, chopped
-3 tbsp vegetable oil
-1 tbsp sesame oil
-1/3 cup soy sauce
-2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
-1 tsp honey
-1 tbsp sriracha
-1 tbsp sesame oil
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated

-Cook the soba noodles as directed, then rinse them with cool water and allow them to drain.
-Toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, just until lightly browned and getting fragrant. Set these aside.
-Heat the vegetable and sesame oil in a non-stick pan over medium high heat. Add the tofu and saute, turning occasionally, until golden brown. This will take about 10 minutes. Be careful of hot oil splatters (trust me).
-When the tofu is just about done, add the spinach and toss. Saute until the tofu is done and the spinach is wilted.
-Make the dressing. Whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, honey, sriracha, oil, garlic, and ginger.
-Divide the noodles into bowls (I served up 2 bowls tonight, and put the rest right into a pyrex for lunch tomorrow). Top the noodles with the tofu spinach mixture. Pour even amounts of dressing over each bowl, and top with the toasted sesame seeds. Serve!