Cheap meal ideas. (best, old, money)

[MaryleeII]

Originally Posted by randomparent

Mujadara. There are plenty of recipes on-line, but it's basically basmati rice and lentils topped with olive oil sautéed onions. My family likes it with a little balsamic vinegar and goat cheese, but it's good plain, too. Very satisfying and filling. Another suggestion is Chana Masala, an aromatic Indian chickpea stew. Also very tasty and filling. I see in a prevent post that you have access to inexpensive loaves of bread. These can be the foundation of a strata, which is a bread casserole made with eggs and vegetables. I make one with spinach. You can also toss toasted bread cubes with cucumber, chopped tomatoes, vinegar, oil, and spices for a salad of sorts.

What is your budget and how many people are you feeding?

So, what do you do? Do you cook the basmati 9how), then cook lentils separately then mix? Sounds like a pressure cooker recipie. The olive oil and cheese makes it sound somewhat like a pizza, but cheaper and better for you

[MaryleeII]

meatball soup:

first, you get frozen Italian meatballs, which aren't cheap, so look for sales and stock up

Then sautee chopped onion and garlic in olive oil, salt & pepper

Then, the rest is just opening cans:

Tomatoes, whole, or diced, I prefer the plain, not the Italian flavor, as you can always add spices to your taste.

Canned navy beans, sometimes called Great Northern Beans

Keep the fluid from the tomatoes and beans

1-2 cans of beef broth

Bring to boil, cover, and simmer. For some extra crunch, I sometimes add chopped up squash, like zucchini, yellow squash, whatever .

For more flavor, add oregano, or Italian spices, just remember a little goes a long way as it cooks.

[jetgraphics]

How to have a "slow cooker" meal with no slow cooker - - -
USE a THERMOS (vacuum not foam) jar or bottle

. . .
preheat thermos container with boiling water

prepare ingredients, etc, to be put into boiling water

add ingredients to boiling water, bring to a boil

drain water from thermos container

carefully pour ingredients, stock into the thermos container

close, and wait a few hours

decant and enjoy "fresh" hot meal

SAVE on electricity, fuel

[bornincali]

Not so much cheap as easy...and not horrible for you.

Frozen mixed veggies...ideally with beans along w peas. Thaw somehow...season, and drizzle with olive oil

Bean based stews as mentioned

[dumb]

Apart from rent, my biggest outgoing is food, and I love saving money by living on cheap cooking. What are your budget-buster recipes?

One of my new favorities is simply burger & fries (or chips as we say in the UK). Get some cheap white potatoes and peel them, wash them and dry them out then fry them. While that's happening, get some beef mince, roll it into patties and fry them too, chop up some salad, and that's pretty much it. Meat: £1 for two burgers. Salad: 20p, buns: 10p's worth (I usually buy them discount and freeze/refridgerate them), 30p worth of potatos and maybe 10p worth of sauce. Unhealthy but tasty.

Salads are also cost effective. I typically like lettuce, cucumber, leek, onion, and tomato, then perhaps add nuts. It's a great snack, and add some fruit on the side if you're having it for lunch or a light supper. If you're hungrier and don't mind cooking, you can stir fry the vegetables and add pasta, and a little hot sauce or spices to liven it up.

Maybe not specifically meal related, but if you like juice, I find you can make it last longer by diluting 50/50 with tap water. You get used to the thinner taste, you'll still get one of your 5 a day and your stock will last longer.

Anyway would love to hear more suggestions.

[missik999]

Prepare a pound of dried black beans (soak overnight then cook according to package directions) and store in small containers in the refrigerator.

You can use them in tacos, burritos, soups, casseroles, and in salads. Cheap, tasty, versatile and nutritious.

[Dirt Grinder]

When you start diluting juice by 50% you've lost my interest.

Good food is one of the simple joys in life, I really don't want to just eat to survive.

[gentlearts]

I'm making this super cheap meal tonight...
Roasted Zucchini and Tomato Pasta, 4-6 servings.

2.5# zucchini, 1" dice
8-12 oz sliced mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, sliced
4-6 Roma tomatoes, 1" dice
1/4 c. chopped parsley
5 T olive oil
1# pasta, cooked and reserve 1/2 cup liquid
1/2+ cup grated parmesan

Place the vegetables on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil. You can pile the vegetable up high, because they will cook down. Bake at 450 degrees for 20-25 mins. until they are tender and start to brown. Toss a few times during cooking. Mix warm pasta with vegetables, add parmesan and additional pasta water. Can be served at room temperature.

[dumb]

Originally Posted by gentlearts

2.5# zucchini, 1" dice
8-12 oz sliced mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, sliced
4-6 Roma tomatoes, 1" dice
1/4 c. chopped parsley
5 T olive oil
1# pasta, cooked and reserve 1/2 cup liquid
1/2+ cup grated parmesan

Place the vegetables on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil. You can pile the vegetable up high, because they will cook down. Bake at 450 degrees for 20-25 mins. until they are tender and start to brown. Toss a few times during cooking. Mix warm pasta with vegetables, add parmesan and additional pasta water. Can be served at room temperature.

I will give this a try, thanks! Though I'll probably substitute the zucchini for courgette and leak.

[Dirt Grinder]

Originally Posted by dumb

I will give this a try, thanks! Though I'll probably substitute the zucchini for courgette and leak.

Courgette is Brit-speak for zucchini, and a leak is a hole in a boat.