The blogosphere is a weird place. Sometimes it can make you feel as though you know someone in real life, even when you don’t.

That’s how I felt when I first read The Hungry Birdie. I don’t know Robin, the blog’s author, but the way she writes and the level of detail she puts into her posts makes me feel like I do. I like that.

A few weeks ago, she posted a recipe for No Fry Stir Fry, a vegan mix of veggies and tofu that’s baked in the oven rather than fried in a wok. Now, I happen to love tofu, but my husband does not. I even posted this comment on her blog:

“I’m trying to convince my husband that he likes tofu. So far I haven’t had much luck, but maybe this recipe could convert him! If not, more for me! Looks delicious.”

So, I gave it a try. The hubs was skeptical, so I made him a pork chop too…just in case. “How did you cook the tofu? Was it in the oven with the veggies?” he asked. When I told him that it was, he said, “interesting.”

It didn’t sound promising.

However, much to my surprise, he liked it. He said that baking to tofu gave it a nice texture, and I’d have to agree. Plus, the citrus sauce gives everything a really nice flavor. I really enjoyed this recipe and didn’t feel even a smidge guilty when I went back for seconds. Gotta love that. Thanks for the recipe, Robin!

No Fry Stir Fry (serves 4)

Adapted from The Hungry Birdie

What you need:

• 1 head broccoli florets
• 3 carrots, peeled and cut on the diagonal
• 1 small red onion, peeled and sliced
• 1 package extra firm tofu, dried and cut into cubes
• 1/3 cup almonds, coarsely chopped
• About 2 cups prepared couscous (or quinoa or brown rice)

Citrus sauce:

• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• Zest of said orange
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 1/2 tsp ginger, grated (or use jarred ginger, like I did)
• 4 tsp soy sauce
• 3 tsp brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp chili flakes
• freshly cracked black pepper

How you do it:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the citrus sauce. Add veggies and tofu (reserving almonds for later) and toss to coat. Spread mixture onto a shallow baking tray lined with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Add almonds and bake for another 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the couscous (or rice or quinoa). Serve the vegetable and tofu mixture over the couscous and drizzle everything with a bit of soy sauce and sriracha.