Sequestration Meal #696

 

Something about this was so satisfying to look at, but it was also super tasty! Here we have pearl barley risotto with spring veggies (recipe from Elizabeth Chloe, using vegan swaps for butter and cheese), steamed carrots, yellow squash, and beet pickled tofu with creamy Dijon sauce (recipe from House Foods).

Theoretically, this was an "easier" tofu recipe, because it was a make-ahead one; that is largely true, but you do have to roast the beets and boil the pickling liquid, then let it all cool for a while, so it's still a bit of an investment in time. However, I would undoubtedly make this again, because it was very easy and delicious while also being gorgeous in that way that beets make everything gorgeous. Beet juice does stain so you have to be careful with such things, but that's why one eats such things at home or when wearing old clothes. (I am still haunted by a memory of a beet falling off my fork onto a brand new cream-colored sweater a decade ago...)

I could also see this going super well with potato salad and other such picnic foods for a cold meal. 

The barley risotto was also lovely. I don't know if it really belonged with the tofu but somehow it still worked. I used vegan butter and Violife non-dairy Parmesan, and I substituted spinach for the spring greens (I honestly don't know what spring greens are in that context). 

Because I like lots of color, I added some quick sides of carrots and yellow squash. All in all, a fun meal.