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!

Made up Pumpkin Soup Recipe

Creating new recipes is something that has always intrigued but scared me. Considering some recipes that I follow to a T are still terrible, making one up seems risky. However! I think I've learned the secret: start with a tried and true recipe and then tinker away. I wanted to cook a pumpkin soup Monday night, because I had defrosted a pie pumpkin a few days ago and hadn't attended to it. But I didn't want to make Black Bean & Pumpkin Soup, which, though a favorite, uses precious CSA Hopi beans and we only have 2 cups left in the freezer (the recipe uses 4 cups.) So, I found a recipe that had all rave reviews, plus some suggestions in the comments, and tinkered away. Here is my version of a homemade, all local, delicious yet simple Pumpkin Soup. All ingredients but spices from my CSA.

1 sugar pie pumpkin (yields about 4 cups)
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups veggie broth
2 TBSP peanut butter
2 TBSP ginger
1 TBSP nutmeg & thyme
salt and pepper

Bring all ingredients to a boil and simmer 30 minutes. Puree then add 1/2 cup milk (we used homemade almond milk). Stir to combine.

I served our soup garnished with crispy onion straws and freezer coleslaw on the side. Later in the week (this makes a lot of soup!) we had it alongside Rosemary Butter Rolls and baked squash. I probably roast a squash every other day; I either brush it with butter and sprinkle on brown sugar or brush it with olive oil and sprinkle on some curry. Either way, it's a ridiculously easy, fool-proof and versatile way to use up the squash.

simple yet fast

Tonight's dinner was quick - from fridge/pantry to table in under an hour. That's the way a-huh a-huh I like it. We had Honeybaked Lentils with Carmelized Apples & Turnips and GF drop biscuits (1 cup GF flour (we use Pamela's) ... Cut in 4 TBSP butter ... Mix with 1/3 + 1 TBSP milk - (we used homemade almond milk) ... Bake at 375 for 12 minutes.) Simple and fast and warming and yummy. Happy coldest day of the year from Boulder, Colorado! High of 14 and low of -1 were seen by my van today. Oy! The lentil recipe was pure pantry (i.e. free!) and the apples & turnips were all CSA. I wonder if I'll get through all the squash and turnips this winter - ah, the joy and burden of abundance!

99% local chili

This chili made me very happy. And with my goal of canning tomatoes next summer, this meal will be a frequent one next winter as well! Plus, isn't that the funniest picture? It looks so old fashioned, like it belongs in an old crusty diner that serves really good food. Anyway!

Ellen's CSA Chili in the Crockpot (all ingredients (but spices) from CSA share)

1 large yellow onion (CSA)
2 cups chopped tomatoes (local, frozen last summer)
2 cups Hopi beans (or any dark bean) CSA
2 cups Indian woman beans (or any white bean) CSA
2 cups corn (local, frozen last summer)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup vegetable broth (homemade from CSA veggies)
1 cup shredded cheese, optional (Local)

Put all in crockpot and put on Low for 8 hours or High for 4.

Credit for this recipe goes to Stephanie - without her, my love for my crockpot would never have been realized.

I meant to serve it with skillet cornbread and local honey on the side, but we had a bag of (gluten free - always!) Fritos in the cupboard so we tossed those on top. YUM! I guess that makes this meal more like 95% local rather than 99% - aw, let's just count the chili! It was hearty, warming and delicious. Hooray for chili! (I love dinners that make me look forward to lunch the next day!)

Successful homemade burritos!

Paul and Mae love the frozen bean and cheese burritos. At $4 for 12, they are a good deal. But I decided to try and make them at home, and they are yummy! Less salty for sure, but just as yummy. I used this recipe. The black beans are the Hopi black beans from our CSA. While preparing them, I was struck by how purple they were - beautiful! The onions are also from the CSA and the rice leftover from Xmas' Chinese take out. The salsa is from a jar - another tomato thing to try to can next summer! Shredded cheddar cheese from Colorado and some cumin are also in there. I used to make our own corn tortillas but in my decluttering excitement I gave away the tortilla press. *sigh* The tortillas are from a local vendor, and they are so good I could eat them alone! All in all, a successful creation. Hooray!

French Market Soup in the crockpot

Last week we ate locally but didn't cook. How? Leftovers! It was lovely.

This Monday morning I tossed some ingredients into the slow cooker. A hearty simple soup will be ready tonight at 6pm, using almost all local ingredients. The recipe is here. It includes (all from the CSA) beans, onions, garlic and broth. Non-local ingredients are a can of tomatoes (grrr - hey! is anyone willing to barter? My peach jam for your canned tomatoes?), s&p, lemon juice and liquid smoke. Homemade rolls will round out the meal. Is it dinner time yet? mmm.....

Celery Curry Soup

This recipe and directions are from "my farmer" at Abbo. We'll be having this soup this week! Sounds delicious, and a great way to use up all that celery!

Yummy Celery Curry
Ingredients:
1 super large Abbo onion (I prefer the yellow ones for this recipe) diced
4-6 Abbo potatoes peeled and sectioned
10-12 stalks of Abbo celery with leaves, chopped
2 Tbs Curry Powder
4 cups broth (I like Rapunzel bouillon when I do not have home made)

In sesame oil saute the onions. Once softened, add the broth, celery and potatoes. When a fork easily passes through the potatoes add 2 tablespoons curry powder, stir and let simmer for about 5 minutes.
Get out your blender! Blend to desired consistency (if you like chunky soup for example, only blend for a short time or only blend half, or blend all but your potatoes) and stir back together.

Wala! You're done. Add plain yogurt or sour cream to the top with a couple celery leaves for a beautiful presentation.

I've added carrot to this recipe, and I think squash would also be good. I have not tried freezing, but suspect it would work out just fine. If you find your soup a bit thick, you could certainly add coconut milk as a thinner instead of additional broth. This is a terrific variation! Enjoy!

Yum

There were some very old and sad-looking bok choi languishing away in my crisper. And our squash seems to be multiplying somehow. Tonight I wanted a warm, filling soup that would bring them together. Red lentils proved to be the perfect glue. Lentil Buttercup Soup was a favorite last winter and now I remember why. We didn't have any spinach, but the bok choi subbed in just fine. I roasted the seeds too and it made the perfect Shabbat dinner. This time I did roast the squash beforehand, which made it a simple and fast soup to prepare. We will enjoy this soup for lunch in the next few days, and I'll prepare it again on the 18th with the frozen roasted buttercup that is waiting in the freezer. Yup, batch preparing ingredients is the way to go, if you have freezer space. Why roast one squash when you can roast an entire oven full?

More info on meal planning soon, but I use Tsh's system whenever I can get organized. She is a wonderful source of organization inspiration!

Thanksgiving Lentil-Squash Pot Pie

This recipe has been tweaked off and on for 15 years. It has its roots in my very first vegetarian cookbook, Sunset Complete Vegetarian Cookbook, that I purchased in 1994. The pictures are beautiful and I've nearly worn this copy out, trying and enjoying most all the recipes. This one is a stand-out though. Here it is with my revisions.

2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 TBSP ginger, minced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1.5 cups water
2 cups brown or green lentils, rinsed and drained
6 cups vegetable broth
about 3 pounds cubed squash - keep with one variety. (butternut, banana, Hubbard, delicata etc.)
Pastry for 2-crust 9-in pie
1 TBSP beaten egg

1. Crush 1st 3 spices in mortar and pestle. Add to large 5-6 qt pan with next 4 ingredients + 1/2 cup water.

2. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until veggies are a golden-brown. Add 1/4c water as needed to keep from sticking, up to 3/4 up a cup. This will take 10-15 minutes and is worth it!

3. Add lentils and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, covered.

4. Add squash and continue to simmer til lentils and squash are soft (about 20 minutes). I usually pre-bake my squash and just add it in when the lentils are soft, to make it easier.

5. Pour into a 3-4 qt casserole. (You can stop here and refrigerate til the next day.)

6. Roll out pastry. Lay over vegetables and over pan. Flute firmly against the rim. Brush with beaten egg. Slash top a few times. If you have extra pastry, cut it into shapes like leaves or hearts to decorate the top of the pie.

7. Bake in a 400-degree oven for 30 minutes. Makes 8-10 servings.

This has been our Thanksgiving meal for years. I hope it brings you as much joy as it does us!

Wednesday's Dinner: Veggie Pie

On Wednesdays I have my morning free. Usually I ride my bike, take a spin class or do something in the late morning, before picking Sam up at noon. This morning we are having a blizzard, so Paul took the van with snow tires and I am at home today. This suits me well! A batch of veggie broth is simmering on the back burner (recipe follows - so easy) and root veggies are roasting in the oven. They will be turned into a veggie pie for dinner using the extra leftover pie crust not used for the Thanksgiving pumpkin pie. (Mmm ... pie. I have one more sugar pie pumpkin. Perhaps I'll roast and puree that up today for *just* one more pie...).
This pie recipe could be a pot pie, but we have a lentil squash one ready in the freezer, and I wanted this to be a bit different. Again, use whatever you have on hand. You cannot go wrong!

Veggie Broth
When chopping veggies, save the scraps in a large tupperware. When it's full, make some veggie broth and freeze in 2 cups portions in the freezer. If you don't have scraps, you can use carrots, potatoes and celery for a basic broth. I just add my scraps, a bay leaf, some Italian seasoning and fill the stock pot up with cold water. Let it cook for an hour, turning down the heat when it starts to boil. Simmer for an extra 20 minutes with some soy sauce for extra salt.

Veggie Pie
Chop up whatever veggies you have on hand. I had turnips, beets, celery, potatoes and red onions. Peel and chop and put in a roasting pan (or a cookie sheet lines with foil and sprayed with PAM if you're me and don't have a roasting pan). Sprinkle generously with olive oil and your choice of seasonings. I wanted this to be mellow, so I added rosemary and thyme. Add sea salt and pepper and use your hands to combine, so each piece is coated with the olive oil and has some seasoning. Roast at 400 degrees for 45-60 minutes. It depends on how much you roast, so keep your nose nearby and start checking at about 40 minutes. Stir every 20-30 minutes too, to make sure it browns.
If you don't want to go to the trouble, Stephanie gives a very simple crock pot recipe for roasting veggies.

Bake your pie crust for about 5-7 minutes in a 350 oven, then add your roasted veggies, mashing them somewhat with your spoon to mix them up. Add a TBSP of butter to the top. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool and enjoy.

Monday's Dinner: Crockpot

On Mondays, Paul takes the kiddos to school. I volunteer in Sam's class at 11, so I have approximately 3 hours to myself. Monday is also my rest day, so I don't run (or bike or swim) on Mondays. It is the perfect day to cook. I usually make up a large crockpot meal and a batch of GF pancakes on Mondays. This Monday, I fixed a new recipe for us, but one that used up a whole head of cabbage! It was mild and a little dull, but tasty and filling. I'll make this again, with perhaps a dash of tabasco to liven things up!

Of course, substitute whatever you have on hand. The key for me was using up the cabbage!

All ingredients are from the CSA except the rice, celery seed & enchilada sauce.

1 cup red beans, dried, washed and soaked over night
1 onion, chopped
2 turnips, chopped
4 large carrots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cabbage, chopped
1 TBSP celery salt (or equal parts sea salt + celery seed)
2 cups water.
3 TBSP red sauce (tomato sauce, pasta sauce, taco sauce, enchilada sauce...)
1 tsp butter

Add all ingredients to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. We ate at 6:30pm and it was a bit overcooked.

Serve over rice or pasta or alongside garlic toast or rolls.