I’m getting worse. I did make this weeks recipe with beef for Ted and when I was looking at the photos to put them into this post, all of a sudden I got queasy looking at the beef. They weren’t bad photos either but just something ….oh well.
Here are the photos of my version of the dinner with tofu:
Good pick by Alyssa of Alyssas Two Bites. The recipe can be found on foodnetwork right here.
Very easy to make. It goes together quickly. There are a few ingredients the average household might not have but easily substituted. e.g Mirin, sub sweet white wine. Rice vinegar sub apple cider vinegar. Edamame (personally I would NEVER forfeit these. I love them) use green peas or beans if you just can’t find them or your husband is scared to death of soy.
Lets talk tofu (information from cooking club magazine):
Tofu is available from silken, being the softest to extra firm. It is sold in either water packed packages that need refrigeration
or in aseptic boxes that can be stocked on pantry shelves but may also be found in the refrigeration section. These aseptic packages will last about 8 months unopened.
The aseptic packaged tofu is pasteurized and creamier than water packed. It is more nutritious and offers less of a chance for bacterial contamination so you don’t have to cook it and can use it in a nutritious protein smoothie.
Back to Ellie’s recipe. We weren’t over the top about this recipe. It lacked flavor. The tofu picked up the flavors of the orange juice and soy sauce but it needed more kick. The lack of flavor might have been because instead of doubling the sauce for the meat version and the tofu version, I simply split it in half. But Ted was also disappointed in the toughness of the meat. *He should have had the tofu
My favorite part of this meal was the Edamame. I just love the taste and the texture of those little green soy beans.
Sorry I can’t bring myself to put a photo of the meat version of this dish on today’s blog. I’m sure I’ll get over it and will post many more photos of recipes made with meat but right now, it just isn’t happening.
For anyone interested in meatless options for traditional dishes, here are some suggestions, again from Cooking Club.
Stew: Use eggplant cubes instead of beef. Vegetable broth instead of beef broth. Add red wine and tomato paste to enrich taste.
Garbanzo beans (chick peas) or mushrooms can be used to replace ground meat in certain recipes.
Add oil packed sun dried tomatoes instead of bacon and chunks of portobello mushrooms instead of beef.
If you want to try soy products, use soy crumbles (textured vegetable protein) or crumbled tempeh for ground meats. Smoked tofu is available for use in Reuben sandwiches instead of corned beef.
If you are a vegetarian or vegan, what substitutes for meat do you like best?
Joanne
Looks amazing! Too bad it was lacking in flavor! Based on your pictures, I am getting hungry for some tofu!! YUM!
Thanks for cooking along with me this week. Sorry to hear it didn’t have much flavor, but glad you like the edamame!
I would try adding some red pepper flakes, definitely use shrimp instead of the beef, and maybe add some siracha (sp?) sauce.
Cheers!
Thanks Lauryn.
Alyssa: Your shrimp looked great.
I think yours looks so good with the tofu. I really wanted to sub tofu or chicken for the beef, but just went with the recipe as is.
I thought it needed a little more flavor too.
No worries about the beef! It’s been grossing me out too with all this talk of what is on that Food Inc video. The tofu looks amazing.
Sorry guys. I messed up my comment file. Hopefully it will be fixed soon. Fingers crossed. 🙁
No Ted don’t eat the tofu. Joanne don’t feed that stuff to Ted.
Beef isn’t always appealing to me, either. I love tofu (extra firm) — it’s all about the seasoning/marinade and cooking methods. Tofu can be wonderfully tasty and savory!
Sam: Your comment had to be edited. Can’t be mean toward tofu. You tried it (remember Beardslee Castle?) and liked it. Ted has only eaten it when he hasn’t seen me hide in a dish. 🙂
Nicole: Right about tofu! Yay.
This was my first time having edamame, and I really liked it. It has a great texture! Like Ted, we were disappointed with how tough the meat was. Ick. If we made this again, I don’t think we would add any meat… and we would definitely add more spice! It had so much potential but was lacking something. Hope you feel better!
Looks good. Even with the tofu, of which I am not a fan.
Finally finished this and got it posted, and I agree, it is very difficult to photograph beef and have it look like anything appealing. We loved the recipe, and the it was fun seeing how you used the tofu, etc., and the little tips you always give. I learn a lot over here!
WOW! Edited,about tofu? OK, on to other stuff, I saw the morning food, I think that I am driving to your house everyday to have breakfast. By the way, I am impressed with some of your recipes, the problem is,when I read them I get hungry, Sam
Sam: That’s better. You have to be nice to me. I’m your sister in law. The BEST one! Actually … I might be the only one???
We use TVP in chili and other dishes. Sometimes we use tofu or Heartline fake meats. I guess we just have a lot of veggie based dishes though.
Too bad this didn’t have much flavor. It looks really good!