Tofu Help!
Hi, I budget my groceries every month and I am out of grocery money until the 1st.
I have 4 blocks of extra firm tofu (1 pound each) with 3 bags of frozen vegetables, some large carrots, and an onion.
I know there's a lot of possibilities but the only spices I have is: red curry powder, curry powder, cumin, cinnamon, herbs de provence, ground thyme, saffron, arrowroot powder, garlic powder, salt & pepper, and veg boullion. Liquids: vegan italian dressing, agave nectar, soy sauce, vegan worchesterchire, deli mustard, & ketchup. I have a jar of minced garlic too, hot sauces, some verde salsa, and a loaf of whole wheat bread...
I didn't do too well this month with planning for the whole month. :/
I'm having a hard time switching up the recipes with these little ingredients, the tofu recipes I am finding are asking for sauce ingredients I'm not finding in my cupboard.
Anyone have any suggestions? Oh and I have a lot of lentils for some reason. Dried lentils that is. So, can someone help so I don't make my poor open minded meat eating husband suffer with bland food..he loves meat and cheese and said he'd eat what I make and I don't want to serve him a bad dish.
Do you have any flour and oil that you could use to make a crust for a tofu pot pie? That was just the first think that came to mind but then saw you didn't list those ingredients.
There are still lots of things you can do with what you have though! And if you see a recipe and don't have an ingredient or two it can still work out well as long as it isn't a huge component.
Tofu scramble with veggies and some soy sauce, garlic, s&p, herbs, and veggies.
Lentil soup!!
Marinate slices of the tofu in soy sauce, agave, garlic, and pepper. Then bake them and put them in a sandwich.
Do you have any flour and oil that you could use to make a crust for a tofu pot pie? That was just the first think that came to mind but then saw you didn't list those ingredients.
There are still lots of things you can do with what you have though! And if you see a recipe and don't have an ingredient or two it can still work out well as long as it isn't a huge component.
Tofu scramble with veggies and some soy sauce, garlic, s&p, herbs, and veggies.
Lentil soup!!
Marinate slices of the tofu in soy sauce, agave, garlic, and pepper. Then bake them and put them in a sandwich.
Thank you! Yes, I have flour (all-purpose) and grapeseed oil and vegetable oil. I will have to look up a good pot pie recipe, I didnt think of something like that!
if u have brown sugar you could make teriyaki tofu: soy sauce + brown sugar (you could try using agave) + garlic... press it and then marinate it... then bake or grill it... cook the frozen veggies up on the side... if u have rice to go with even better :)
also i'm pretty sure i saw a blog where the person just make salt and pepper tofu... whatever spices u desire just dredge the tofu in and pan fry it in some oil... delish
Drain some tofu cubes and marinate them in that Italian Dressing. Then perhaps toss them in some of the veggies and eat like a cold salad.
Great ideas! Thanks, we did lentil soup last night with sweet potato biscuits (got creative with the overabundance of baby food we have) and tonight I'm going to do some fried rice with maybe some baked tofu.
Stirfry yum: press/ drain tofu (freeze overnight then thaw, first, for firmest texture-- but not necessary/ good both ways), cut in cubes; marinate overnight (or at least a couple hours) in soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar, & a dash (or several!) of hot sauce... drain & reserve marinade; stir-fry tofu for a few minutes in a bit of oil, add frozen veg, & saute til veggies are done to your liking. Add marinade, bring to a simmer, & add a little water or broth til it looks like enough sauce quantity. Adjust seasonings to your liking: soy sauce, garlic, curry, cumin, hot sauce, whatever... Then when it tastes right, mix a tablespoon or so of arrowroot powder with 2-3 tablespoons of water, add to sauce, simmer til thickened... would be good over rice/other grain/ lentils, but good on its own too...
Also, maybe: press/ drain tofu, slice in chunks, marinate in italian dressing/ soy sauce/ veg bouillon/ mustard... mix (marinade & all) w/ frozen veggies, garlic, herbes de province, pepper, agave, & a little oil; again, add dressing/ marinade ingredients til it looks/ tastes like there's enough sauce to go with the other ingredients, to avoid a bland outcome... then, make breadcrumbs mixed with salt/ pepper/ garlic/ herbs & a little oil to help it brown; top veg/ tofu mixture w/ breadcrumb mixture; bake covered til heated through (30 min-ish), then uncover til top's brown...
Or, you could do 'french onion&carrot soup' by carmelizing sliced onion & carrots with salt/ sugar slowly over low heat for 30 min-50 min, stirring often, then adding veg bouillon/ water/ v worcestershire sauce & salt/pepper to taste... serve w/ 1/2" thick tofu slices, pressed/ drained/ marinated in soy/ worcestershire/ agave/ salt-&-pepper, then baked about an hour at 325/ flipped over once-- check often after 40 min to prevent burning.
OR, if you have a good blender/ food processor: marinate pressed/ drained tofu chunks in curry/ soy/ garlic; saute til lightly brown, drain, & set aside. Simmer carrots & onion in veg bouillon just to cover, til very soft--45 min or so. Meanwhile, steam frozen veggies of choice til tender-crisp. When carrots & onions are very soft, transfer veg broth/ carrot/ onion mixture carefully to blender, blend one ladleful at a time til creamy. When it's all blended, add garlic, cumin, lots of curry, soy, & salt/ pepper if it seems to need it... thicken by simmering w/ arrowroot powder if needed (premixd w/ sm amount of cold water)... toss tofu w/ steamed veg, & top w/ curry sauce.
:)
That's what leaps to mind... hope that's helpful! budgeting, blech! but... it's great for creativity stimulation!
Stirfry yum: press/ drain tofu (freeze overnight then thaw, first, for firmest texture-- but not necessary/ good both ways), cut in cubes; marinate overnight (or at least a couple hours) in soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar, & a dash (or several!) of hot sauce... drain & reserve marinade; stir-fry tofu for a few minutes in a bit of oil, add frozen veg, & saute til veggies are done to your liking. Add marinade, bring to a simmer, & add a little water or broth til it looks like enough sauce quantity. Adjust seasonings to your liking: soy sauce, garlic, curry, cumin, hot sauce, whatever... Then when it tastes right, mix a tablespoon or so of arrowroot powder with 2-3 tablespoons of water, add to sauce, simmer til thickened... would be good over rice/other grain/ lentils, but good on its own too...
Also, maybe: press/ drain tofu, slice in chunks, marinate in italian dressing/ soy sauce/ veg bouillon/ mustard... mix (marinade & all) w/ frozen veggies, garlic, herbes de province, pepper, agave, & a little oil; again, add dressing/ marinade ingredients til it looks/ tastes like there's enough sauce to go with the other ingredients, to avoid a bland outcome... then, make breadcrumbs mixed with salt/ pepper/ garlic/ herbs & a little oil to help it brown; top veg/ tofu mixture w/ breadcrumb mixture; bake covered til heated through (30 min-ish), then uncover til top's brown...
Or, you could do 'french onion&carrot soup' by carmelizing sliced onion & carrots with salt/ sugar slowly over low heat for 30 min-50 min, stirring often, then adding veg bouillon/ water/ v worcestershire sauce & salt/pepper to taste... serve w/ 1/2" thick tofu slices, pressed/ drained/ marinated in soy/ worcestershire/ agave/ salt-&-pepper, then baked about an hour at 325/ flipped over once-- check often after 40 min to prevent burning.
OR, if you have a good blender/ food processor: marinate pressed/ drained tofu chunks in curry/ soy/ garlic; saute til lightly brown, drain, & set aside. Simmer carrots & onion in veg bouillon just to cover, til very soft--45 min or so. Meanwhile, steam frozen veggies of choice til tender-crisp. When carrots & onions are very soft, transfer veg broth/ carrot/ onion mixture carefully to blender, blend one ladleful at a time til creamy. When it's all blended, add garlic, cumin, lots of curry, soy, & salt/ pepper if it seems to need it... thicken by simmering w/ arrowroot powder if needed (premixd w/ sm amount of cold water)... toss tofu w/ steamed veg, & top w/ curry sauce.
:)
That's what leaps to mind... hope that's helpful! budgeting, blech! but... it's great for creativity stimulation!
Wow! Great suggestions! I'm definitely going to have a go at the tofuu bake tonight, and that soup tomorrow night! You sound like you've done this before, haha. I hate budgeting. I am the person that will always invite someone over for dinner..and it ends up leaving my refrigerator bare because I cook enough to feed a small country. Oh well, atleast the guests are full for the week after, haha.
You sound like you've done this before, haha. I hate budgeting. I am the person that will always invite someone over for dinner..and it ends up leaving my refrigerator bare because I cook enough to feed a small country. Oh well, atleast the guests are full for the week after, haha.
Yes! I'm very bad at appropriate budgeting... better somewhat, now, but use to be really bad about buying a ton of specific ingredients for neat recipes i wanted to try... just tend to get excited about cooking, dammit! & would end up with tons of leftover 'fancy garlic-stuffed panko crusted artichoke hearts' that i'd then have to eat for a week at every meal b/c i'm out of other groceries! haha... NOT ideal! Now I try (*try!*... still subject to overenthusiasm for exotic ingredients & 'whim cooking'...but, try!) to keep a well-stocked spice cabinet, buy cheap staples (bulk rice/ beans, lentils, flour, oatmeal, raisins, seasonal nuts or peanuts, quinoa, frozen veg, ww pasta, & in-season stuff from the farmers' mkt)... & say 'ok now: what can i make from all this business??!! Sometimes have to spend more prep effort... but... it does keep your creativity neurons firing!
:)