Sequestration Meal #427

 

This was the last of the meals for which I allowed myself the luxury of spending kind of a lot of extra time, just before the end of my staycation. It was so worth it! Here we have mashed potatoes; Spanish asparagus with red peppers, onions, and garlic; and maple soy baked tofu steaks. I finally accepted that asparagus costs what it costs and I don't have that much longer to enjoy asparagus season, and splurged. I hope to get a few more rounds of asparagus in this year.

Mashed potatoes are mashed potatoes, but these were the best kind I make, because I finally managed to get some vegan half-and-half after what has probably been years. So good.

The asparagus is a recipe from Irena Macri. I did do one thing differently here: I cooked my onions and red peppers very low and very slow, probably a total of about half an hour, so they got nice and sweet and caramelized. I would unquestionably make the dish again. It's so simple and easy but utterly delicious, plus it's beautiful. I might reduce the oil next time because I found it a tad on the greasy side, except that the oil tasted amazing, too, due to the infusion of flavors. We'll have to see.

The tofu is a recipe from Cooking for Peanuts. I found it difficult to keep the steaks intact after scoring them, and I think it makes more marinade than you need. Otherwise, I loved this recipe. Scoring it did let it soak in much more of the marinade, and the sriracha gives it a nice balance against the sweetness of the maple syrup and the saltiness of the soy. It's a bit like good baked beans, but in tofu form. (Which I guess technically is also baked beans.)

After all that white bread and cake, it was good to come back to something that makes me feel so much better physically. I loved my little tea party and the cake was amazing and I don't regret having all that, but it was a good reminder that the improvements I have made by taking care of my nutrition do actually matter, and they aren't just my imagination. Here's to taking care of ourselves!