1 1/2 c. dried brown lentils
3 c. water
3 vegetable bouillon cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 c. vegetables (Optional, you can throw in zucchini, carrots, bell peppers, mushrooms, etc...just something to make it chunkier)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Boil all together until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes. It shouldn't boil dry, a little broth left should get kinda think and create a bit of a sauce. If it looks like it is too thick add water to thin. Season with additional vegetable bouillon and salt and pepper to taste. Serve over rice.
Economical Counter: (Makes enough for 5, 3/4 cup servings
Lentils $0.39
Bouillon cubes $1.50
Onion $0.25
Zucchini $0.26
Total $2.40
Cost per person $0.48
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Friday, January 8, 2010
Meatless balls (or sausage)
These are very versatile in flavor, they can be served with brown gravy (or bean gravy), Swedish meat sauce, chili sauce, sweet an sour sauce, or in spaghetti.
1 1/2 c. dry brown lentils
4 c. water
3 Edward & Sons Not beef broth cubes (OR 6 low sodium beef bouillon cubes)
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 c. uncooked rice
1 medium zucchini, grated
1 packet Roads End Organics Savory Herb gravy mix (Vegan, gluten free)
1/8 tsp. allspice
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. McCormick Broiled steak seasoning (for putting on steak, does not contain any animal products)
1 T. wheat germ, ground flax, or other coarsely ground gluten free "Flour"
1/4 c. oats
1/2 can garbanzo beans, drained, liquid reserved
1 - 2 T. dried parsley
Combine lentils, 3 cups water, onion, and 1 1/2 cubes bouillon. Boil slowly until lentils are completely tender. Remove from heat and mash slightly with a hand masher. You dont want them pureed, still mostly chunky. Stir in gravy packet. Lentils should still have some of their cooking liquid left though not much. Once the gravy packet is stirred in it should be thick.
While the lentils are cooking, boil remaining one cup of water with 1/2 bouillon cube. When water is boiling and cube is dissolved, add rice. Cover and simmer until rice is al dente. Remove from heat and add remaining bouillon cube. Cover tight and let sit 10 minutes until rice is all the way tender and cube is dissolved. Bouillon will kinda form a "glaze", stir to evenly coat rice.
Puree Garbanzo beans with 1 or 2 tablespoons or reserved liquid. You want them about the consistency of egg whites.
Combine lentils, rice, pureed garbanzo beans, and remaining ingredients. Form into balls. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 450 for 30 minutes or until golden on the outside, tuning half way though.
Makes 2-1/2 to 3 dozen 1 inch meatballs
For Sausage leave out the allspice, nutmeg, chili, and steak seasoning. Replace with sausage seasonings to taste
Sausage seasonings
1 tbsp smoked Spanish paprika
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp fennel seed
1/2 tsp celery seed
1 tsp sage
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp. marjoram
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 c. dry brown lentils
4 c. water
3 Edward & Sons Not beef broth cubes (OR 6 low sodium beef bouillon cubes)
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 c. uncooked rice
1 medium zucchini, grated
1 packet Roads End Organics Savory Herb gravy mix (Vegan, gluten free)
1/8 tsp. allspice
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. McCormick Broiled steak seasoning (for putting on steak, does not contain any animal products)
1 T. wheat germ, ground flax, or other coarsely ground gluten free "Flour"
1/4 c. oats
1/2 can garbanzo beans, drained, liquid reserved
1 - 2 T. dried parsley
Combine lentils, 3 cups water, onion, and 1 1/2 cubes bouillon. Boil slowly until lentils are completely tender. Remove from heat and mash slightly with a hand masher. You dont want them pureed, still mostly chunky. Stir in gravy packet. Lentils should still have some of their cooking liquid left though not much. Once the gravy packet is stirred in it should be thick.
While the lentils are cooking, boil remaining one cup of water with 1/2 bouillon cube. When water is boiling and cube is dissolved, add rice. Cover and simmer until rice is al dente. Remove from heat and add remaining bouillon cube. Cover tight and let sit 10 minutes until rice is all the way tender and cube is dissolved. Bouillon will kinda form a "glaze", stir to evenly coat rice.
Puree Garbanzo beans with 1 or 2 tablespoons or reserved liquid. You want them about the consistency of egg whites.
Combine lentils, rice, pureed garbanzo beans, and remaining ingredients. Form into balls. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 450 for 30 minutes or until golden on the outside, tuning half way though.
Makes 2-1/2 to 3 dozen 1 inch meatballs
For Sausage leave out the allspice, nutmeg, chili, and steak seasoning. Replace with sausage seasonings to taste
Sausage seasonings
1 tbsp smoked Spanish paprika
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp fennel seed
1/2 tsp celery seed
1 tsp sage
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp. marjoram
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
Friday, January 1, 2010
Thursday, December 31, 2009
On the Cheap
Chances are, you've been among the 45% of Americans that make New Year's resolutions. And it's even more likely that if you made one, it somehow involved eating better and managing money more wisely. (We won't share ours, but it may have had something to do with a 6 pound tin of butter cookies from Costco). Happily for you, we have a solution that can help with that and unsurprisingly, it involves beans.
Here we've done a comparison of several different ingredients that one might use as the main course for a dinner meal to serve a family of 4.
1 Pound Ground Beef, 15% Fat Variety
Cost: About $3.00/pound
Calories in 1 Serving (4 oz): 243
Total Fat: 17g (that's 27%!)
Total Protein: 21 g
Total Fiber: 0g
1 Pound Ground Turkey
Cost: $2.59/pound
Calories in 1 serving (4 oz): 193
Total Fat: 10g
Total Protein: 22g
Total Fiber: 0g
Now on to the beans. One can buy and cook beans in several different way. 1 pound of dried beans at the grocery store is equivalent to about 4 cans of beans, or 6-8 cups (beans will absorb slightly varying amounts of water depending on the variety and age of the bean in question). 2 cans, or 1/2 lb dried beans is usually about right for a family meal. I have used black beans for my comparison here. Other varieties generally cost about the same, but the nutritional value varies slightly. See a more complete nutritional guide here if you're interested in the nitty-gritty of bean nutrition.
2 Standard Sized Cans Black Beans (store-bought)
Cost: About $0.75/can for store brands, or $1.50 total
Calories in 1 serving (1 cup or 1/2 can): 140
Total Fat: 0g
Total Protein: 10g
Total Fiber: 12g (50% of your daily recommendation!)
2 Bottles Black Beans (home-canned)
Cost: About $0.45/bottle, depending slightly on your energy costs. No more than $1.00 total.
Calories in 1 serving (1 cup or 1/2 bottle): 140
Total Fat: 0g
Total Protein: 10g
Total Fiber: 12g
4 cups Black Beans, cooked in the Crock Pot (equivalent to 2 cans)
Cost: About $0.75 total, depending slightly on your energy costs.
Calories in 1 serving (1 cup): 140
Total Fat: 0g
Total Protein: 10g
Total Fiber: 12g (50% of your daily recommendation!)
As you can see, even store-bought canned beans are a good bargain for your wallet and your belt. When you cook them at home, the saving increase. Coming next, we'll discuss some of those methods of home cooking.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Economical Counter
I added two new tabs today, "Economical Counter" and "$5 or Less"
If you look to the bottom of the posts with the "Economical Counter" you will see a list of all the ingredients and how much each one costs. At the end you will see a total of how much it cost you to make the entire recipe and the cost per serving. All those that total under $5 will also be labeled in the "$5 or Less" category, to make it easier than ever to find cheap recipes.
Cecilotta will also be doing a post on the cost of using store bought canned beans versus home canning and cooking in the crock pot.
If you look to the bottom of the posts with the "Economical Counter" you will see a list of all the ingredients and how much each one costs. At the end you will see a total of how much it cost you to make the entire recipe and the cost per serving. All those that total under $5 will also be labeled in the "$5 or Less" category, to make it easier than ever to find cheap recipes.
Cecilotta will also be doing a post on the cost of using store bought canned beans versus home canning and cooking in the crock pot.
Spanish Chickpea Soup
I have never used but have heard that vegan soy churizo sausage is great. Just add at the end with the peppers.
1/4 tsp. saffron threads
olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans chickpeas, drained
2 medium potatoes (yellow fleshed ones are great)
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 c. water
1/4 lb. chorizo sausage (Soy Chorizo sausage)
1/4 c. chopped piquillo pepper (or roasted red bell pepper)
Salt and pepper to taste
Dissolve saffron threads in 1 Tablespoon of warm water in a small bowl for 15 to 20 minutes.
Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until onion is tender. Add the chorizo sausage crumbling as it cooks. Drain off excess grease.
Add chickpeas, potatoes, parsley and water. Simmer until potatoes are tender. Add piquillo peppers. Simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
1/4 tsp. saffron threads
olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans chickpeas, drained
2 medium potatoes (yellow fleshed ones are great)
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 c. water
1/4 lb. chorizo sausage (Soy Chorizo sausage)
1/4 c. chopped piquillo pepper (or roasted red bell pepper)
Salt and pepper to taste
Dissolve saffron threads in 1 Tablespoon of warm water in a small bowl for 15 to 20 minutes.
Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until onion is tender. Add the chorizo sausage crumbling as it cooks. Drain off excess grease.
Add chickpeas, potatoes, parsley and water. Simmer until potatoes are tender. Add piquillo peppers. Simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
Potage Savoureux
Olive Oil
3 carrots, chopped or gated
3 cloves garlic, whole
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley
dash rosemary (optional)
3 c. vegetable broth
3 c. beef broth (use imitation beef or all vegetable both for vegan/vegetarian)
1/2 c. water
1 can cannellini or white kidney beans
1 can hominy
2 pkg Roads End Organic Savory Herb Gravy Mix (Vegan and gluten free)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Saute carrots, garlic cloves, and onion in olive oil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they soften. About ten minutes. Let cook over low heat for about 10 minutes until the onion begins to caramelize. Using a fork, mash the garlic clove in the pot.
Add the parsley, rosemary, vegetable broth, beef broth, beans, and hominy. Simmer 5 minutes until heated through. Whisk the gravy packets into the 1/2 water, stirring to remove any lumps. Stir into soup pot and simmer over medium heat until thickened.
When thickened, season with salt and pepper to taste
3 carrots, chopped or gated
3 cloves garlic, whole
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley
dash rosemary (optional)
3 c. vegetable broth
3 c. beef broth (use imitation beef or all vegetable both for vegan/vegetarian)
1/2 c. water
1 can cannellini or white kidney beans
1 can hominy
2 pkg Roads End Organic Savory Herb Gravy Mix (Vegan and gluten free)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Saute carrots, garlic cloves, and onion in olive oil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they soften. About ten minutes. Let cook over low heat for about 10 minutes until the onion begins to caramelize. Using a fork, mash the garlic clove in the pot.
Add the parsley, rosemary, vegetable broth, beef broth, beans, and hominy. Simmer 5 minutes until heated through. Whisk the gravy packets into the 1/2 water, stirring to remove any lumps. Stir into soup pot and simmer over medium heat until thickened.
When thickened, season with salt and pepper to taste
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)