In my first article of 2025, I announced my resolution: to run 1,000 miles this year, and on the morning of Sept. 13, I crossed the finish line. It started with a grumble and aching joints, but over time, through dedicated consistency, the motion became more fluid as my body learned the dance, and my mind began to crave the clarity found in exertion.
For the first time, I set a lofty goal and chipped away at it until it was done. I held myself accountable and I did the work — with no shortcuts and no cheating — and the great rewards reflect the great effort of my year. The number on the scale hasn’t changed much, but everything else has. I have gained a new kind of confidence through fitness. I stand with my shoulders back instead of hunched forward, my chin pointed straight ahead instead of to my chest, and I move through life with my core engaged, my spine stabilized by self-assuredness. I feel capable and strong and so proud of my achievement earned morning by morning, one 5K at a time.
I never thought I would be that person I always wanted to be. The woman who wakes up early for exercise and keeps an early bedtime. The mom who meal preps healthy food and adheres to a cleaning schedule and sends her son to school in neatly pressed clothes every day. I never thought I would be the person who seems to lounge on top of her mountain of responsibilities instead of being crushed by them, but here I am on the other side of a yearlong goal with months to spare, in control of my life, and it feels fantastic.
For my lunches this week I prepared the components to quickly assemble a high-protein salad to fuel my busy afternoons. The satisfying combination of the roasted gochujang tofu and sesame chickpeas, the crunch of the crispy quinoa, and the gentle burn of the buldak sunflower seed miso dressing makes this lunch exciting enough to enjoy day after day and nutritious enough to support your success no matter what your long-term goals are.
Roasted Tofu and Quinoa Salad with Sunflower Miso Dressing
Ingredients for 4 lunch portions:
1 cup quinoa
1 block extra-firm tofu- diced
2 cans chickpeas
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 large carrots — small dice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon honey
For the dressing:
¾ cup raw, unsalted sunflower seeds
1 cup water
2 cloves garlic
4 teaspoons miso paste
¼ teaspoon buldak sauce (more or less according to spice tolerance. Find it in the Asian section or order online.)
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Salt to taste
Directions:
Cook the quinoa according to package instructions.
Spread out in a thin layer on a parchment lined baking sheet and set aside.
Press and dice your tofu.
Whisk together half of your minced garlic, soy sauce, honey, and gochujang and pour over the tofu. Gently fold to coat and spread over 1/3 of a separate lined baking sheet.
Toss your drained and rinsed chickpeas in sesame oil, the remaining minced garlic, and a little salt and spread on another 1/3 of the baking sheet.
Toss the diced carrot in the same mixing bowl just to coat in the leftover oil and salt and spread on the same baking sheet.
Bake both trays at 350 degrees.
Stir the quinoa 10 minutes in and remove after an additional 10. It should be crispy and dry. Set aside.
Roast the remaining tray until the chickpeas are crispy and the tofu is nearly dry.
Remove from the oven and let everything cool completely.
To make the dressing, blend the sunflower seeds, garlic cloves, miso paste, and maple syrup with water until smooth. Taste and add the buldak sauce just a drop at a time — it’s spicy even for my standards, so add with caution or omit if you are sensitive to heat, but even a tiny amount adds a delicious smoky flavor to the dressing, so give it a try!
Serve the cooked components on top of a bed of baby spinach with a healthy drizzle of dressing.
Tressa Dale is a writer, pre-K educator, culinary and pastry school graduate, and a U.S. Navy veteran. She lives in Kenai with her husband, 5-year-old son, and beloved black cat. Find her on Instagram @tressa.m.dale.
