Cheap Eats

We've been living out of the pantry, freezer and root cellar for a few months (my root cellar is a fancy word for my cold basement. Indulge me, ok? ;-)

I've put together a list of some of the truly amazing inexpensive meals we've had lately. What's funny is that these are some of our favorites. Perhaps simple and homemade really is the key. In any case, hope these are helpful!

Homemade bread. This recipe is cheap (it only requires flour, salt, yeast and water) and the batter (3 cups water - 6.5 cups flour - 1.5 TBSP salt - 1.5 TBSP yeast) can wait in the fridge til you're ready for it. I make dough for 4 loaves at a time and just grab a ball when I'm ready for a new loaf. It has a light white, sourdough-y flavor. Ted likes it with peanut butter, Sam prefers honey and Mae enjoys melted cheese. These are our go-to lunches these days. With apples and carrots and a glass of soy or almond milk, it's a good meal for a growing kiddo!

Homemade burritos. Tortillas are stuffed with rice, beans, cheese and salsa. I'm able to get everything but rice locally and they are super yummy and filling.

Breakfast burritos. Mae's brainchild, these tortillas are stuffed with a small amount of rice, egg and cheese. I found some Morningstar (fake) bacon hiding in the back of the freezer and put some of that in this week, but we haven't tried them yet. This is a filling and nutritious breakfast.

Rice pudding. We always seem to have leftover rice and Paul churns out soymilk daily. I skip the egg and bake up a delicious and creamy pudding that serves as a yummy dessert or a filling breakfast.

Crockpot Oatmeal is another chilly morning staple, especially when the homemade GF pancakes have all been eaten by the little ones. This is fool-proof, even if you don't use the water bath method.

Baked squash. This is really a side dish, but I've had it for lunch before. You can brush the cut squash with butter and sprinkle with brown sugar for a sweet squash, or brush with olive oil and sprinkle with curry or garam masala for a savory dish. This is a standard side at dinner time on leftover nights, when the soup or stew doesn't quite make enough for a meal on its own. Yummy!

Caramelized Apples and Turnips. Oh how I love this recipe. I don't even like turnips! This is out of this world, company worthy, and quick enough to whip up as a side dish.

Roasted Root Vegetables. You just can't go wrong here. Any combination will work, and they are all amazing. I use potatoes, turnips, beets and garlic, but any others would work. I would add carrot except my family demolishes them raw, so we leave them in the crisper for that purpose. This is so delicious and makes a fantastic side dish or snack.

Squash Soup. There are so many variations here that it's pointless to link to just one. Soups with squash are a mainstay around here, more often than not accompanied by beans. Our CSA was generous this year with squash and beans, but even if you're buying at the grocery store, dried beans are pennies and squash is dirt cheap. Filling and nutritious, these soups are the perfect antidote to these chilly evenings.

I think those are our standards. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do! Happy eating!