“My mom used to make white rice with curry for dinner, but I thought it would be good to make it more healthy, so I used brown rice instead and added chickpeas to the curry,” says Alexander. “I like tofu, so I decided to add baked tofu to the top layer. We usually have a salad with most of our dinners, and I think that is healthy.” - Alexander Tschegg, Age 8, North Carolina

Makes 8 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1 (15-ounce) package extra-firm tofu
• 2 tablespoons whole-wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 3 cups brown rice
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 1 large onion, peeled and diced
• 4 bell peppers, assorted colors, seeded and diced
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 2 teaspoons yellow curry powder
• 1 (14-ounce) can low-fat coconut milk
• ½ cup low-fat milk
• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
• ½ teaspoon salt

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the tofu on a paper towel-lined plate and press with another paper towel to squeeze excess water out of the tofu. Cut into bite-sized cubes.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the whole-wheat flour, nutritional yeast (optional), garlic, and salt. Add the cubed tofu and toss to coat the pieces in the flour mixture. Spray a baking sheet to prevent sticking and spread the tofu in a single layer. Bake for 30 minutes, gently stirring once during baking so all pieces are evenly browned.
3. While the tofu is baking, in a large stockpot, boil 2 cups of water, the, vegetable broth, and rice over medium heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 45 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Remove the rice from the heat and add the chopped cilantro.
4. Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, heat the canola oil over medium heat. Add the onion and peppers and cook for about 8 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic, curry powder, coconut milk, low-fat milk, chickpeas, and salt, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. To assemble, layer brown rice, curry sauce, and finally baked tofu on top.

464 calories; 10g fat; 76g carbohydrates; 18g protein

Learn more:

• Check out highlights from the each Kids’ “State Dinner”
• View the 2015 Healthy Lunchtime Challenge & Kids’ “State Dinner” Cookbook