Sequestration Meal #443

 

In the ongoing quest to find cheaper food, I found this recipe for pickle brined tofu at Cooking Light. I had it with other cheap sides--mashed potatoes and steamed carrots and broccoli--and some homemade vegan ranch for dipping. If you were wanting to cut costs even more, though, you could use ketchup for dipping.

I always keep pickle brine around to flavor things with, but I haven't used it in a while. The thing about pickle brine is that it is effectively free--most people just pour it out when they're done with the pickles--but it is full of flavor. It went really well with the seasoned cornstarch coating in this recipe. I baked mine in my toaster oven, because it is summer and there is no way I'm turning the oven itself on when it's this warm out.

I think this tofu was a bit too crispy for me, and I'd prefer a breadcrumb-based coating, probably. But it was still really delicious! And it reminded me of the goodness of pickle juice.