Weekly Meal Prep on a Budget: Summer Salad with Baked Tofu and Lemon Tahini Dressing

yuelanliu via Pixabay

I want to prove that it is not difficult to eat healthy food while on a tight budget. I’ll be sharing weekly recipes that are both friendly to your wallet and to your health. At the end of the grocery list, I’ll share how much I paid for each of the food items. Pantry staple items like olive oil, salt/pepper/rice are not included in the cost. This is another step that I’m taking to be financially conscious while not sacrificing my health.

There’s a heatwave going through LA right now, and I wasn’t in the mood to cook anything warm for my meal prep this week. I recently bought a new box grater, so I made good use of it in grating the veggies that went into this salad. Here’s to a refreshing recipe that’ll keep you cool for the summer!

Pair this recipe with a cool glass of white sangria for a refreshing dinner, or a glass of fresh soy milk for a protein punch!

Grocery List:

• 1 Pack Firm Tofu — $3.00
• Carrot — $0.50
• Cucumber — $1.00
• Celery — $2.00
• Lemon — $1.00
• Tahini — $3.00
• Olive Oil — $0.00
• Garlic Powder — $0.00
• Salt — $0.00
• Pepper — $0.00
• Soy Sauce — $0.00

Total Budget: $10.50, $2.10 per Serving

Total Time: 40 Minutes

Prep Method — Baked Tofu:

1. Set oven to 400F.
2. Cube the tofu into 1-inch pieces. Drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil over the cubes, and season lightly with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
3. Bake for 30 minutes, tossing halfway so both sides cook evenly.

Prep Method — Veggies:

1. Grate a whole carrot and cucumber on the side of the box grater with the largest holes (the slicer).
2. Thinly chop celery to equal around quarter cup.
3. Add the carrots in a small mound to the bottom of a bowl, and layer the thinly sliced cucumbers around the mound. Line the mound with the celery. Store the leftover veggies in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
4. Squeeze a little bit of lemon juice over the veggies and top with baked tofu.

Prep Method — Lemon Tahini Dressing:

1. Add two tablespoons of water to three heaping tablespoons of tahini.
2. Add half a teaspoon of garlic powder, a splash of soy sauce, a pinch of black pepper, and juice from a lemon half.
3. Mix well with a spoon, and drizzle on top of assembled salad!

Here’s my salad!

Did you try this recipe? Let me know how it went!