Best Loved Black Beans: Free Book Giveaway

Sometimes I hijack this blog for my own greedy purposes. Which is what I'm doing today. Well, sort of. Because this isn't really for me; it's for you.

I'm doing a giveaway of my new YA book, Grey Stone. You get a free copy of the book plus a $10 Amazon gift card.

So hop on my cheapalings. You know you love useful, free things. Find the link for the GIVEAWAY right HERE.

And because you also deserve a recipe, I'll give you a super cheap one in honor of the character (from Grey Stone) Pietre. In Grey Stone, the humans are the lowest of the races, forced to try to live and farm on the most destitute and sterile lands in their world. Pietre gets pretty hungry at a certain point in the book. Bet he wishes he had the internet so he could look up this recipe and make it.

Lucky for you, you do. I'm giving you the easiest tastiest black beans ever. I don't looove black beans. I like them fine. I eat them in certain recipes. But I rarely just make black beans and eat them. Correction: I used to not just make black beans and eat them. Now I do. Because these are delicious, super quick, and super flavorful. They can be eaten with rice or tortillas or chips or thrown into salads or just spooned out and snacked on. Enjoy.

Best Loved Black Beans
adapted from Food Love
makes about 4 C
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cost: $1.70 (that's about $.45/serving)
beans: 1.20, tomato juice: .30, seasonings: .20

2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp taco seasoning
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 15.5 oz cans black beans (drained and rinsed)
2/3 C tomato juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 fresh chopped cilantro (optional)

In a skillet, heat the olive oil, then add all the seasonings (except cilantro if using). When they're fragrant, add black beans and tomato juice.

Simmer for 8-10 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Remove from heat. Add cilantro if using and spoon away.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Enchilada Rice Pot

This seems like it won't be much--it's rice, beans, some sauce, some cheese. I mean, really, every time I assemble it I think, "How is this going to taste good? Won't it just be boring?" No. It's actually kind of fabulous. It's got all the flavors and goodness of enchiladas, but the total hands-on time to prepare it is five minutes. And the total cook time is just about 20 minutes. Who knew that riffing on the rice and beans, beans and rice theme could be so luxurious. And so simple. And adaptable. And leftover-friendly. And cheap, of course. (Also, gluten-free and vegetarian if that's something you need.)

In my experimenting with this, I made it a few ways. My favorite was to make it as a one-pot meal--no need to cook the rice beforehand, just throw everything in.  This is a dumb easy meal for under 30 minutes. It's filling and satisfying. 

The other great way to make this is as a leftover meal with rice you've already got cooked. This makes for a 10-minute dinner. However, since your rice is already cooked it won't be able to absorb as much fluid as I've got listed below, so you'll want to scale back the enchilada sauce by half and maybe cut back on the tomato juices some as well. Also you'll be using twice as much rice since yours is already cooked. The instructions below are for the one-pot meal.

Could this be made with quinoa or barley or something? I bet it could. But I just stuck with reliable white rice. Also, I should note that usually black beans aren't my favorite ones, but they just kick it in this recipe. Try them.

Enchilada Rice Skillet
adapted from Damn Delicious
Serves 4
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Cost: $4.50 (about $1.12/serving)
rice: .50, tomatoes: .60, beans: .60, enchilada sauce: 2.00, cheese: .80

1- 1 1/4 C rice, uncooked
1 can diced tomatoes, not drained
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cans enchilada sauce (red or green or a combination--I do a combination)
1-2 C grated Cheddar or Colby Jack cheese

Add-ons for fabulousness: These aren't necessary, but one or a combination of these make this meal just amazing.
sour cream
squeeze of lime
cilantro
avocado

Add rice to pot. Add all other ingredients, except cheese. [Note: To clarify--You are NOT adding any water to this--the liquid will come from the sauces.]

Cover and cook as you would an every day pot of rice (that means cover it, bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat significantly--to low--and let it cook for about 20 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed). When it's just about done, have a taste. If your rice is just about done, you're good. If it's still a little tough in the center or too chewy, add a bit of water and let it cook a few minutes longer.

When it's about 2 minutes from being done, add the cheese to the top, re-cover the pot, and let the cheese melt.

Serve. You can serve it plain or add any of the add-ons for fabulousness that you choose.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

White Cheesy Bean Dip

Several months ago, I posted a cheesy bean dip, which is super simple, cheap, and which we love. It uses pinto beans (in their refried form). But not everybody loves pinto beans. In fact, I've found in my vast study of people's bean preferences (and by vast study I mean just watching various family members), that pinto beans rank a little low on the bean favorites list. Perhaps you've met these folks--they'll eat a white chili, but won't touch one with pinto and kidney beans. White beans do tend to have a milder flavor and a thin skin (as opposed to, say, a kidney bean). Or maybe it's a psychological thing--those white beans just tend to blend in better. When your loved ones eat them, they don't have to confront the fact that they are eating something from the magical fruit food group; all they see is cheese. Whatever the reason, there was a need for a cheesy white bean dip. I, my friends, have answered that call. I have to say that I like this one even better than our last bean dip (although--in all fairness, Kip says the original bean dip is his favorite, and the truth is we both like both).

I realize that dips often get relegated to the appetizer or "super bowl foods" categories, but I like to pluck them from their aperitif status and knight them into full main course glory (best metaphor ever). Bad metaphors aside, however, dips really are a great, easy dinner. All you need is a bag of corn chips (and maybe something cruciferous on the side if you want to be all righteous about it) and you've got a fairly healthy dinner on the table. Think of it as a casserole if it makes you feel better about things.

White Bean Cheesy Bean Dip
adapted from Heartbeet Kitchen
Servings: 4-6
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Cost: $8.00 with chicken and peppers; $6.500 without (about $1.00-1.50/serving)
beans: 1.25, sour cream: .70, lime: .25, chicken: 1.00, corn: .50, cheeses: 3.00, peppers: .50, salsa verde: .80

2 14 oz. cans white beans, drained (or about 2-2 1/2 C of your homemade white beans)
2/3 C sour cream
2 cloves garlic, minced
juice of a lime
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1 C shredded, cooked chicken (optional--it's good with or without)
1 C corn (1 can, drained works for this, or fresh or frozen)
2 Tbsp cilantro, minced
1 C mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 C cheddar cheese
2/3 C red peppers, diced (optional; I love them, but Kip hates them, so I skipped this time around; they make it pretty though)
2/3 C salsa verde (note: I was running out when I made this and only used about 1/2 C--the world did not stop spinning)

Preheat oven to 375. Brush oil onto the bottom and side of a casserole dish (or a cast iron skillet--about 12-inch or an 8x8 inch square pan)

Add beans, sour cream, garlic, lime juice and cumin to a food processor. Puree until smooth. Taste and salt if needed. Stir in chicken (if using), corn, cilantro, and 1 C of cheese.

Spread this on your casserole pan. Then sprinkle on red peppers (if using) and top with the salsa verde. Cover this with the remaining cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until it's bubbling and just browned on top.

Serve with corn chips or carrot sticks or whatever sounds good to you.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

5-Minute Rice and Bean Casserole with Avocado-Lime Guacomole

And now it's time for another uber-cheap, yet perfectly amazing meal.

When you think beans and rice, you think cheap, but you don't think fabulous, do you? Well, now you can. You probably also don't think 5-minute. And to be honest, the cooking time for this is much longer (90 minutes so I totally drew you in with a gimmick, but wait--don't go...), but the hands on time is straight-up five minutes or less. You throw everything in a dish, then put that in the oven. Then go do yoga or watch your favorite show depending on your moral fiber and all. But whatever you do, well, you can do it. And then dinner will be ready, and you'll forget you're not at a Mexican restaurant (until you have to clean up the little sticky rices your kids threw on the floor; then you'll remember you're at your house).

This is good without the avocado, but it's really amazing with the avocado. If you can find one for under $1, go for it. This meal will still cost you less than $3.00 for 6 people (and it fills you up).

5-Minute Rice and Bean Casserole with Avocado-Lime Guacamole
adapted from Eat, Live, Run
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 90 minutes
Cost: $1.95 without Guac; $2.60 with
rice: .30, chicken broth (made from cubes): .30, tomato sauce: .25, beans: .55, chilies: .50, spices: .05, avocado: .60 (yup, got a sale), lime juice (not fresh): .05

For casserole:

1 C brown rice, dry
3 C veggie or chicken broth
8 oz. tomato sauce (not puree)
1 14.5 oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed (I expect other types of beans would work as well)
1 4 oz can diced green chilies
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder

For Avocado-Lime Guacamole:

1-2 avocados
1 jalapeno, minced (I skipped this since I didn't have one and just used a pinch of cayenne)
pinch cumin
pinch garlic powder
juice 1-2 limes (or 1-3 Tbsp juice)

Preheat to 350 degrees.

In a 9x13 inch dish combine rice, broth, tomato sauce, beans, chilies, cumin, chili powder, salt, and garlic powder. Mix it up. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake 90 minutes. Do not peek. If you do, the steam and heat will keep leaving and this will take longer and maybe be too dry.

During the last five minutes of cooking time, mash your avocados. Add lime juice and seasonings. I also gave it a shake of salt.

Serve casserole with a plot of guac on top. You can also garnish with sour cream or cheddar cheese to good effect, though you really don't need tons of adornment.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Easy Cheesy Bean Dip

There is nothing I love quite so much as a stupid easy recipe. Except a stupid easy recipe that is also super delicious.

Lately I've tried several bean dips--they're super cheap and a quick dinner or fun party food. They've all been decent, but none has been worthy of this blog. This one is. It's just delicious. I must admit that the beans in this dip are sort of a vehicle for cheese. I'm okay with that.

This recipe can be made in the crock pot. But if you lack four hours of foresight as I always seem to, you can throw it in the oven for 20-30 minutes and you're good.

Easy Cheesy Bean Dip
adapted from Recipes that Crock
serves 10-ish
Prep time: 5-10 minutes
Cook time: 20-30 minutes in oven; 4 hours in crock pot
Cost: $5.00 (or $.50/serving)
cream cheese: 1.00, sour cream: .70, beans: .50, seasonings: .20, cheese: 1.50, chips: 1.00

8 oz cream cheese--softened
1 C sour cream or Greek yogurt
16 oz can refried beans
2 Tbsp taco seasoning
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
8 oz shredded sharp cheddar--divided
tortilla chips

Blend everything, but cheese and tortilla chips.

Spoon half cream cheese/bean mixture into 9x13 inch pan. Layer with half the cheese.

Add remaining cream cheese/bean mixture. Add remaining cheese.

Bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbling at edges. Or cook in crock pot on low for four hours.

Eat with tortilla chips. (And maybe a veggie thereby if you're one of those righteous types.)

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Lentil Chickpea Salad with Tahini Dressing

This is the type of salad your mother would be so proud to hear you are eating. (Unless, of course, your mother is the type of woman who believes dinner should come from a can or a box in which case she'll feel you've gone all hippie on her.) Unfortunately, it is often the type of salad that gets passed right over at the church/work potluck as people head towards the pan of potatoes and cheese. It's like one of those foods that has a "nice personality." I mean, it does have two varieties of earth-toned beans in it. It is wholesome and not flashy. And yet it is absolutely not boring or yucky (when frankly, there are many many pans of potatoes and cheese in this world that are both those things). The thing about foods (and most likely people too) with a nice personality is that they often have so much more--a burst of tangy feta you weren't expecting, the brightness of the lemon zest and fresh cilantro, the unusual yet satisfying bite of the tahini. This salad--it just does more than the sometimes-flatness of its flashier, saucier potluck competitors. You should give it a try. (Note: I have NOT ever taken this to a potluck of any variety. I will have to try it to see if it gives those pans of potatoes a run for their money after all.)

The other perfect-for-summer thing about it is that it can be eaten cold or at room temperature. In this way, it's ideal for picnics or work lunches or sweltering summer evenings. 

Also, it's super cheap and perfectly filling. 

Lentil Chickpea Salad with Tahini Dressing
adapted from Smells Like Brownies
serves 4
prep time: 30 minutes
Cost: $2.35 or about $.60/serving (and it can easily fill you up for lunch)
lentils: .20, chick peas: .70, garlic: .05, olive oil: .10, lemon: .30, tahini: .20, feta: .50, other stuff: .10, onion: .20

To cook lentils:
scant cup dry lentils (I used brown; green would work too and be a bit prettier)
2 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 fresh sage sprigs
5 Tbsp olive oil
2 C water

For dressing:
1 tsp coriander
3/4 tsp cumin
1 clove garlic
sea salt
3 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp tahini
2 Tbsp water

Other stuff:
1 Tbsp lemon juice
pinch salt
1 small red onion (mine was quite small--I don't like the onion to overpower everything else; use only 1/2 if you worry about this)
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 C feta crumbles
15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tsp lemon zest

Combine lentils, 2 cloves of garlic, sage, and 2 Tbsp olive oil in a small pot with 2 C water. Cook over medium heat. Let water come to simmer, then turn to low and cook until lentils tender. This will take about 25 minutes. Take pan off heat and drain. Discard the sage and garlic.

As your lentils cook, make the salad dressing. 

Combine coriander and cumin in a small pan and toast until fragrant (this brings out the flavor of the herbs, but can be skipped if you're in a rush).

Mash 1 clove of garlic with 1 tsp sea salt until it forms a paste. Combine garlic paste, toasted spices, 3 Tbsp lemon juice, tahini, and 2 Tbsp water. Mix well.

Put onions in a bowl or on a serving platter. Add 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 2 tsp olive oil, and a pinch or two of salt. Toss this well and crumble in your feta.

Now assemble it all: Add your chickpeas to your lentils. Add lemon zest and another shake of salt (or up to another 1/2-1 tsp salt). Toss this with your onions. Then add the dressing. Taste for seasonings and salt.

Garnish with cilantro or parsley (cilantro is definitely my favorite).

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Green Beans with Pine Nuts and Lemon

(nighttime picture; arg)

I know everybody's all crazy about the green beans with cream of something something something and also cheese. But there are things I like better. Especially on a day when I'm already eating turkey with gravy, potatoes with butter and gravy (and maybe some sour cream mixed in), stuffing with about 12 cups of butter melted therein, that sweet potato casserole that we all know is not a casserole, and PIE. Yes, hopefully lots of pie. As one of my friends said (and a true doctrine of my life as well): If I'm going to have to choose between the beans with cream of something something something and cheese and another piece of pie, well, I'm taking the pie.

But wait, now you don't have to. Because you can now have amazing green beans and eat your pie too. Or maybe eat your pie two. (Ha ha. How clever am I, right? Yeah, don't answer that.)

I got this recipe this summer from Kalyn's Kitchen and it was amazing. Wonderful flavors and even a few indulgent ingredients, but just enough for flavor and texture--nothing that goes overboard and bumps out the pecan pie. Because we wouldn't want that.

Green Beans with Pine Nuts and Lemon
adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen
Makes 4-6 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Cost: $2.40
beans: 1.50, Parmesan: .10, pine nuts: .50, other stuff: .30

Note: It's harder to find perfect green beans in the winter than it is in the summer. Do your best not to get tough, seedy, nasty ones.

1 lb fresh green beans
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic. minced or a light sprinkle of garlic powder
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1 Tbsp Parmesan (I use a bit more than this)
2-4 Tbsp pine nuts

Prepare beans by washing, drying, and chopping off the ends.

Heat oil in a skillet. Add green beans and cook at medium heat. You want them to cook through, but also to get some good color. So after they've cooked through, you might want to turn up the heat.

When they are cooked to the tenderness you enjoy (for me this is not crazy crispy, but definitely not soggy), up the heat a bit, then throw in the garlic powder (or clove, but take care not to let it burn) and stir it in some oil, then mix with the beans. Add the pine nuts and stir fry for a few more minutes.

When it's done, throw the lemon juice and zest into the pan and give a stir. I ALSO ADD SOME SALT.

Remove from heat and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately (this is the toughest part of doing this on Thanksgiving Day). It's still very good if left to sit for a couple minutes, but not as pretty.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Coconut Red Lentil Dal

It might be Dr. Seuss's birthday, but it looks like Christmas outside. What better time to re-do some pictures for a lovely Coconut Red Lentil Dal. Cook it long and slow (or a little faster if you're in a hurry) and pull out the Dr. Seuss collection.

Oh, and look for a recipe for this quick naan coming next week.

Below is my original post and recipe. And just for fun, a picture of the original picture--how could something that tastes so good look so bleh (oh, wait--the reason was me and my photography skills.

So, dal and I are, like, officially on now that the flirtations and flings of the wintery Christmas parties have ended. And not a moment too soon. I know that January is supposed to be an austere and dreary time of year and I suppose that in certain respects it could be. Yet, lately the indulgences of Christmas have started to seem so over-the-top to me that I sort of welcome January with it's shut-in, cup-o-soup sort of way. (Yes, I am an old lady in a somewhat younger body.) And if you're going to be shut in with a cup of soup, this is certainly the way to go.

That said, you can eat this as a soup. Or you can let it cook a little longer and get it thicker and much more like a dal. This is what I recommend. It heightens the flavors of the mixture and justdoes something. Something wonderful. Slow and steady, she always wins the race.

If you've got some Farro around (as recommended in 101 Cookbooks from whence this comes), this is like a dream come true, served over it. Yes, I did just say 'dream come true' in reference to a bunch of mushy lentils (stewed in coconut milk my friends; coconut is sexy, right?) and a whole grain. Told you I was an old woman trapped in a somewhat younger body. What I didn't tell you is that being old in a somewhat younger body is totally the way to go.

Coconut Red Lentil Dal
adapted from 101 Cookbooks (her ingredient list is perfect; her instructions a little fussy to my mind)
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Cost: $2.55
peas/lentils: .20, carrot: .10, fresh ginger: .02, butter: .02, green onions: .36, raisins: .10, coconut milk: 1.30, tomato paste: .20) cilantro: .25)

1 C yellow split peas (I didn't have so subbed in regular old lentils--the greenish kind you find at Walmart)
1 C red lentils
7 C water (I wasn't sure I should trust this and almost used chicken stock instead, but 101 Cookbooks came through for me and the water worked fine)
1 medium carrot, diced
2 Tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 Tbsp curry powder
2 Tbsp butter (or olive oil for a vegan option)
8 green onions, thinly sliced
1/3 C raisins (again, I hesitated here, but went ahead with it--totally awesome. You have to add the raisins. They cook so that they kind of mush into everything else, but add a nice earthy pop of sweetness to the brew)
1/3 C tomato paste
1 14-oz can coconut milk
2 tsp fine grain sea salt
1 small handful cilantro, chopped (this could be optional, but I do love me some cilantro)

Rinse peas and lentils until they no longer put off a murky water. This took more rinses than I expected. I'm not sure it's worth it, but I expect it might lower the gasaciousness of the legumes. Place them in a big pot and cover them in the water. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer. Add carrot and 1/2 Tbsp of ginger. Cover and simmer 30 minutes or until peas are soft.

In the meantime, melt your butter in a small skillet. Add curry, ginger, half the green onions, and the raisins (seriously, don't skip them, even if you hate raisins). Saute for a couple minutes (you should start smelling the seasonings) and then add the tomato paste and saute for another minute.

Add this to the simmering soup (add it after the first 30 minutes). Add coconut milk and salt. Simmer, uncovered for 20 more minutes. It will thicken up and you should give it a stir here and there to be sure it's not sticking to the bottom of your pan (if it is, turn down the heat or stir it more frequently or both). I liked it nice and thick. (How thick you may ask, especially if you're not used to making dal? Well, I hate to use the word pasty here because it's not a word we usually use with food to mean good things, but you'll want to get it less soupy and more pasty. Not so pasty you could make a pinata out of it or anything, but definitely on the pasty spectrum. Hope that helps.)

And I really liked it with some cooked farro thrown in.

Serve garnished with remaining green onions and cilantro.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

And the original picture--scary:

Crock Pot Refried Beans

You know I always thought that refried beans were one of those mysterious foods that just came in a can. Nobody really knew how to make refried beans, right. They were sort of like Spam. Or Skittles. Or margarine. I didn't actually even know exactly which type of bean was used for refried beans--that's how very much I'd thought about their origin. Which isn't to say I never ate them. Once upon a time when I was in college I ate them pretty much every other day and thanked them for keeping me alive. So, yeah, we go way back. It's just that I'd really never taken the time to get to know them for who they really were. A sad story really--those wild college days of using helpless beans for my own selfish purposes.

Anyway, turns out that who they really were/are is the humble pinto bean, and that refried beans are pretty much the easiest thing in the entire universe to make from scratch. Okay, probably lots of you knew that. If you're of hispanic descent maybe you're even weeping onto your keyboard right now. Just forgive me and know that I've changed.

Although I still like refried beans. Only now I like them even better. Oh and from scratch they cost half as much, which considering they're a bean is pretty much almost nothing. And now I can check them off on my little whole foods check list. I have Lisa at 100 Days of Real Food to thank for that.

Crock Pot Refried Beans
from 100 Days of Real Food
Makes several cups
Prep time: 3 minutes
Cook time: at least 8 hours
Cost: $.35
onion: .15, beans: .20

1 onion, peeled and halved
2 C dry pinto beans, rinsed
several shakes of chile powder or an actual hot pepper if you've got one (we didn't, so we went with the powder)
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
pinch cumin
6 C water

Put everything in your crock pot and cook on high for at least 8 hours.

When you're done, take out some or all of the onion and drain off the water (don't forget that--I sort of did and realized it halfway through mashing and then things were a lot messier, though all was redeemed in the end). Then mash the beans until they look like refried beans. Lisa recommends a potato masher, but (after I'd remembered to drain the water) I realized I was not patient enough for that and put mine in a blender. I blended till smooth, though you can leave some chunks in it if that's your thing.

When you're done, taste for seasonings (I thought the seasonings were perfect just as they were) and eat with nachos for a fun Spring Break lunch or on burritos or, heck, out of the pot.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Spicy Crock Pot Dal Masala

It's time for another Secret Recipe Club recipe. This month I had Savvy Eats, which was a lot of fun. There were tons of great recipes--many of them healthy. And Julie also does this fun thing where she makes a big pot/pan of something at the beginning of the week and then shows you how you can use it as the base for different meals throughout the week. And you guys know I have a thing for a good leftover.

I also have a thing for dal, which I discovered last year during our Cheap Eat Challenge. Consequently, I chose to make this Indian lentil dish (though the orange bread with dark chocolate hasn't stopped calling to me either).

I tasted it before adding the butter and milk. It was s-p-i-c-y. Not that there's anything wrong with that... although I must admit that me and mine were happy to eat the more fattening, slightly less spicy finished product. Of course, by me and mine, I mean me and Kip. The kids took one look at this dal (and, yes, I've failed as a mother and my kids are hopelessly picky; it's a struggle), which isn't--admittedly--quite a beauty queen, and just ate the naan. You know what, sometimes things are so good I don't even care. Let them turn up their spoiled little noses because that means more leftovers for me. Ha. However, I must note that Julie's dal is beautiful. She used black lentils, which I could not for the life of me find in Evansville. I'm not sure if that's the reason or what, but hers was golden with colors mixed in while mine was brown.

Spicy Crock Pot Dal Masala
Serves 6-8
adapted from savvyeats
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 4-5 hours on low, 8-10 hours on high (You could probably do it stove top in 45-60 minutes, but I haven't tried.)
Cost: $1.80
onion: .25, ginger: .05, garlic: .10, lentils: .30, beans: .10, tomato sauce: .35, butter: .30, milk: .20, other stuff: .15)

1 Tbsp canola coil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic (this cooks a long time, so it doesn't come out overtly garlic-y, in case you were worried)
2-inch piece of ginger, peeled (about 2 Tbsp minced or about 2 tsp dry if you're in a pinch)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp chili powder (I used about half that; we're wimps)
6 1/4 C water
2 C black lentils (or another type lentils if you can't find black. I just used the regular greenish brown ones you can find anywhere)
1/2 C dried kidney beans (I used kidney, but I bet most varieties would work fine)
1 C tomato sauce
2 Tbsp garam masala (check your Asian market if you want it cheap or can't find it at a regular store)
2 tsp paprika
8 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 C milk
1/2 C cream

Heat a little oil in a pan and throw your onions in. Julie caramelized them, but I was in a hurry so I just let them get tender and a bit brown. I bet if you were in a super hurry, you could just throw your onions in the pot and call it good.

Puree the garlic, ginger, cumin, corainder, chili powder and 1/4 C water to create a paste. [I also threw the onions in here with a little more water. Kip doesn't like the texture of onions, so ours got pulverized.]

Stir in lentils, beans, and oil in the bowl of the crockpot (set to high) and coat it all in oil. Add spice paste, onions, tomato sauce, garam masala, and paprika. Top with remaining water and stir it.

Cook on low for 8-10 hours. (Or on high for 4-5 hours, which is what I did.)

Thirty minutes before serving, stir in butter and milk.

Serve with a splash of cream and some cilantro leaves if you've got them and if they're your thing (they're totally my thing).

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Curried Chickpeas With Greens

I'm not sure what I've done to offend my metabolism, but lately it seems we may have permanently parted ways. If I've had even a moderate sized breakfast (and no exercise), I don't really get hungry again until 1:00 or sometimes later. And yet I don't want to blow my dinner by eating a too-filling lunch since we eat dinner pretty early 'round here. It's times like these we can be thankful for vegetarian cooking. It tends often towards the lighter side and is generally heavy on nutritious stuff like vegetables and beans.

I made this Everyday Food-inspired recipe today. Only I was out of spinach and didn't have cauliflower or fresh tomatoes (who does) and the stewed tomatoes that I thought would be a lovely substitution were not in my pantry--stacks of sauce, puree, juice, and paste sat there staring at me without one single little can or jar of diced or stewed tomatoes blinking at me from anywhere. Besides wanting to kick my already down metabolism, I also wanted to poke my eyes out. Fortunately for me, some wilty bok choy and a bit of frozen tomato puree came to the rescue and turned out a healthy, tasty, almost stew-like meal. If you and your metabolism are still on speaking terms, you can serve it over farro, barley, rice, or a grain of your choice, but I just ate mine plain and, for me, that was just right.

I do have one small confession to make: It was good with chick peas, but I thought it would have been even better with chicken.

Curried Chickpeas with Greens
Serves 4-6
Prep and cook time: 30 minutes
Cost: $4.10
(chick peas: 1.32, onion: .20, tomato sauce: 1.50, bok choy: 1.00, other stuff: .08)

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, mince
1 Tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger (or 1 tsp ground ginger)
4 tsp curry powder
2 cans (15 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 C water
2 C tomato sauce--I used homemade (or two cans (15 oz) stewed or diced tomatoes--could be added with or without sauce, depending on how soupy you want it to be)
3 C bok choy (or other green)
1 tsp salt (and maybe a dab of Better Than Bullion if you are not a strict vegetarian)
1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, optional

A few notes before we begin. You can substitute any green for the bok choy (spinach, kale, chard), though you should know that something soft like spinach will need to be thrown in at the very end of cooking while something like kale, you'll want to put in earlier--probably halfway through the onion cooking time or at least with the chick peas. I'll add tips for adaptations in the instructions below.

Heat in a sauce pan while you dice your onion. Throw them in and stir them around to coat. Let them cook over medium, stirring occasionally until they're nice and golden. This will take about 10 minutes.

In the meantime, cut your bok choy. You're going to cut the thick stems off the leaves and then dice up the stems. Throw these stems in with the onions after the onions have cooked for about 5 minutes. Reserve the leaves and give them a chop. Then mince your garlic and your ginger.

When the onions are ready, add the garlic, ginger, and curry powder. Stir around until fragrant. [At this point if you're using a sturdy green like kale, you can toss it in too.] Add chickpeas, tomato sauce, and water. Bring to a gentle simmer and simmer until everything is warmed through and tender.

Stir in leaves from bok choy and cilantro if using. [At this point if using a soft green like spinach, you can toss it in.] Cook until wilted--about 2 minutes.

Add salt and/or dab of Better Than Bullion to taste. I also added a good sprinkle of black pepper and a dash of cumin just because.

Serve over grain of choice or eat it as is.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Coconut Red Lentil Dal

Cheap Eat Challenge, Part 2: Watch as our family of 6 eats on less than $10/day.

So, dal and I are, like, officially on now that the flirtations and flings of the wintery Christmas parties have ended. And not a moment too soon. I know that January is supposed to be an austere and dreary time of year and I suppose that in certain respects it could be. Yet, lately the indulgences of Christmas have started to seem so over-the-top to me that I sort of welcome January with it's shut-in, cup-o-soup sort of way. (Yes, I am an old lady in a somewhat younger body.) And if you're going to be shut in with a cup of soup, this is certainly the way to go.

That said, you can eat this as a soup. Or you can let it cook a little longer and get it thicker and much more like a dal. This is what I recommend. It heightens the flavors of the mixture and just does something. Something wonderful. Slow and steady, she always wins the race.

If you've got some Farro around (as recommended in 101 Cookbooks from whence this comes), this is like a dream come true, served over it. Yes, I did just say 'dream come true' in reference to a bunch of mushy lentils (stewed in coconut milk my friends; coconut is sexy, right?) and a whole grain. Told you I was an old woman trapped in a somewhat younger body. What I didn't tell you is that being old in a somewhat younger body is totally the way to go.

Coconut Red Lentil Dal
adapted from 101 Cookbooks (her ingredient list is perfect; her instructions a little fussy to my mind)
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Cost: $2.55
peas/lentils: .20, carrot: .10, fresh ginger: .02, butter: .02, green onions: .36, raisins: .10, coconut milk: 1.30, tomato paste: .20) cilantro: .25)

1 C yellow split peas (I didn't have so subbed in regular old lentils--the greenish kind you find at Walmart)
1 C red lentils
7 C water (I wasn't sure I should trust this and almost used chicken stock instead, but 101 Cookbooks came through for me and the water worked fine)
1 medium carrot, diced
2 Tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 Tbsp curry powder
2 Tbsp butter (or olive oil for a vegan option)
8 green onions, thinly sliced
1/3 C raisins (again, I hesitated here, but went ahead with it--totally awesome. You have to add the raisins. They cook so that they kind of mush into everything else, but add a nice earthy pop of sweetness to the brew)
1/3 C tomato paste
1 14-oz can coconut milk
2 tsp fine grain sea salt
1 small handful cilantro, chopped (this could be optional, but I do love me some cilantro)

Rinse peas and lentils until they no longer put off a murky water. This took more rinses than I expected. I'm not sure it's worth it, but I expect it might lower the gasaciousness of the legumes. Place them in a big pot and cover them in the water. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer. Add carrot and 1/2 Tbsp of ginger. Cover and simmer 30 minutes or until peas are soft.

In the meantime, melt your butter in a small skillet. Add curry, ginger, half the green onions, and the raisins (seriously, don't skip them, even if you hate raisins). Saute for a couple minutes (you should start smelling the seasonings) and then add the tomato paste and saute for another minute.

Add this to the simmering soup (add it after the first 30 minutes). Add coconut milk and salt. Simmer, uncovered for 20 more minutes. It will thicken up and you should give it a stir here and there to be sure it's not sticking to the bottom of your pan (if it is, turn down the heat or stir it more frequently or both). I liked it nice and thick. (How thick you may ask, especially if you're not used to making dal? Well, I hate to use the word pasty here because it's not a word we usually use with food to mean good things, but you'll want to get it less soupy and more pasty. Not so pasty you could make a pinata out of it or anything, but definitely on the pasty spectrum. Hope that helps.)

And I really liked it with some cooked farro thrown in.

Serve garnished with remaining green onions and cilantro.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Spider de Hummus

Cheap Eat Challenge, Part 2: Watch as our family of 6 eats on less than $10/day.

Okay okay, before the rude comments (not that you would, but I know you're all thinking it), start pouring in about the utter homeliness of this little guy, (not to mention the slightly embarrassing scratched state of my Fiesta ware), not to mention the fact that this poor fellow is missing no less than 6 eyes and those creepy pincer things and his thorax for heaven's sake... Just first hear me out: Each and every one of my kids knew that this was a spider. And they were all delighted by it. Only one joined in dining on the hummus with me, but one is more than none, one is--by my very low standards--practically a conquest.

I got the idea for a savory spider from a much more stunning example over at Apron Strings. I liked the idea of a non-sweet, yet still thematic snack. But I wanted to make mine completely healthy and I had a purple pepper languishing in my refrigerator. I'd never had a purple pepper before, but when I saw Donna's spider, I just knew that dark purple legs would be just the thing, right? I said, right. Okay, well, maybe if Apron Strings had done it. But they didn't; I did. So I confess it, this snack isn't cute enough to take to a party. Unless of course, it is a party with very loving friends. But it is cute enough to delight your kids. And I was thinking it might be just the right pre-trick-or-treat snack: savory and protein-filled, with some veggies thereby. If, of course, your brood is the type to go for the hummus thing. 

But even if they don't, you can. Because my frumpstress spider tasted awesome and there's no use pretending you're not going to dip into any of the kids' candy after they're in bed.

By the way, purple bell peppers have a stronger taste than I expected. I was thinking they'd be along the lines of the sweet reds, but not so. They have a slightly stronger taste than green bells even, at least this one did.

Spider de Hummus
Serves 1-2
Prep and assembly time: 10 minutes
Cost: $.65
(hummus: .35, bell pepper: .25 (farmer's market for a small one), jalepeno: .05)

Your favorite hummus recipe (here's mine)
Bell peppers (one per spider), cut long (I used purple, but green would work too)
Jalepenos, sliced into rounds, for the eyes (or olives or some carrot rounds or whatever)

Plop 2/3 C hummus onto a plate. Add legs. Add eyes. Eat up.

Note: A recipe of my hummus will make 3 or 4 spiders like this.

Pizza with Garbanzo Sauce and Tomatoes

Cheap Eat Challenge, Part2: Watch as our family of 6 eats on less than $10/day.

Let me start off with a disclaimer: If you or someone you love hates beans, you or someone you love will hate this pizza. 

If, however, you like beans--especially in nearly hummus form, this may be just the thing for you. It's particularly welcome if you are in a bit of a pizza funk and bored to tears with whatever kind of pizza you usually eat. This was the case with me. I wanted something different. I got this idea from Debbi at Debbi Does Dinner Healthy and it got me out of my funk very nicely. This pizza is hardy, nutritious, and tasty. If--I must re-emphasize--beans are something you like. Because there is no escaping the beans in this. I thought that they might just subtly blend in with the tomato sauce. They do not. They are their own layer, not one of those hidden nutritious foods that you can just slip under your kids' noses in order to get more plant proteins and fiber into their diet. The beans are there. You will either embrace them or not. Take your stand. 

Pizza with Garbanzo Sauce and Tomatoes

adapted from Debbi Does Dinner Healthy and Low Calorie

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cost: $3.80

(crust: homemade is about .80, beans: .66, tomatoes--free for me; I'm guessing .80, mozzarella: 1.50, other stuff: .04)

1 large or 2 small pizza crusts

1 14-oz. can garbanzo beans (chick peas)--drained and rinsed

1 tsp olive oil

1 Tbsp water

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tsp Italian seasoning

about 20 small pear tomatoes or 25 cherry tomatoes

4-8 basil leaves

8 oz mozzarella cheese

meat such as pepperoni or sausage if desired

Note: This can be prepared with any old marinara sauce in lieu of the tomatoes listed above. However, if using a marinara that contains salt, omit at least 1 tsp of the Italian seasoning from the bean concoction because it is very salty. In this recipe that's fine because it balances with the plain tomatoes. However, a salted sauce would push it over the edge if you don't reduce the Italian seasoning.

Prepare crusts. Heat oven to 425.

Mash garbanzo beans in food processor or blender. Add olive oil, water, garlic clove, and Italian seasoning. It won't quite be as smooth as hummus, but it will be close.

Spread bean paste onto crust. 

Wipe out food processor or blender and put tomatoes and basil in. Give them a few pulses until they are the texture you wish (I was going for very slightly chunky because I knew this wouldn't be approved by my kids no matter what I did.) 

Pour the tomato sauce over the beans. I used yellow tomatoes because that's what my garden had. However, something red would have been prettier. 

Top as you wish. You can add spinach, olives, meat, or whatever. Top this with mozzarella cheese. 

Bake at 425 for 12-17 minutes.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Falafels with Cheater Sauce

Cheap Eat Challenge, Part 2: Watch as our family of 6 eats on $10/day.

Q: Do you know what I love even more than a recipe that gets my husband to eat a vegetable he normally wouldn't touch? 

A: A recipe that is comprised almost entirely of foods he professes to hate (cilantro: check, chick peas: check, onions: check) that he ends up really liking. How is this even possible? I will tell you: it's all in the cheater sauce. My husband loves a good sauce. And this is a very good sauce (which, for the record, still contains an ingredient he professes to hate; yes, I'm confused about it too).

I never even would have tried to feed Kip falafels. Fortunately I didn't have to. Way back on Easter, some friends invited us over for some "Jesus food," which turned out to be falafels. Yum. And there Kip was eating them up, and not just to be polite. The man actually seemed to be enjoying them.

So as soon as I had a good bit of cilantro in the house, I gave them a go myself. I found a fabulous recipe for falafels on allrecipes and I was careful not to forget my friend's falafel sauce. Normally, you use some type of cucumber yogurt sauce on falafels. This is very yummy. However, my friend just whipped up a packet of ranch dressing per the directions and added a handful of finely chopped cilantro. Wow. It is good. It is so good you will be surprised how very good it is. Should I say good again. Okay, I will. Good. So good.

Falafels with Cheater Sauce
adapted from Sean on allrecipes (thanks, Sean, it was awesome)
Makes 9-12 falafels (enough for 2-4 adults)
Prep time: 8 minutes
Cook time: 10-15 minutes
Cost: $1.00, probably $1.50 if you buy fresh herbs
(chick peas: .66, onion: .10, egg: .10, parsely: mine came from the garden: free, cilantro: again from the garden, but it was on sale at Walmart a few weeks ago for .64/bunch: bread crumbs: .05, other stuff: .05)

1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas
1 small onion
1/2 C fresh parsley (you could probably sub 2 Tbsp dried, but you'll loose a bit of the fresh taste)
1/4-1/2 C fresh cilantro (the original recipe called for 1 tsp ground coriander, but I love fresh cilantro)
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 egg
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1 dash pepper
pinch cayenne pepper
1 tsp baking powder
1 C dry bread crumbs
oil for frying (optional)

Note: I made this in a food processor. It was way easy. I recommend it. If you don't have one, you could use a blender unless your blender is really nice, in which case it will get everything too mushy/thin. If you have to, you can just chop/mash the stuff together.

In food processor, combine onions, parsley, cilantro, olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic. You might have to scrape the edges of the processor a couple times. You want them very finely chopped. Add the chick peas and process till it's mashy (which is a purely scientific term meaning somewhere between smoothy-like and chopped-veggie-like). Add seasonings and baking soda and pulse. Add egg and pulse, scrape the sides and pulse again. Add bread crumbs and pulse. You should have a batter (for lack of a better word--and that is rather what it looks like, only green) that can be rolled or patted into patties. I made 10 or so. I believe they were about 2 inches in diameter.

Heat your oil. I just use enough to create a millimeter or so of oil in a cast iron skillet. Note: Olive oil will smoke. You want some type of vegetable oil (I used canola) or coconut oil. Drop a small tester plop in. It should sizzle in the oil, but not smoke or burn. When your oil is ready, add the patties and cook till golden on each side. Important note: You don't want to flip them until they're good and golden because the more often you flip them, the more likely they will be to fall apart on you. Flip them once, maybe twice and they'll hold just fine.

Put them on a paper towel to drain.

Note: Instead of frying, you can bake these. I did both. Yes, I liked the fried ones better. The fat brought out the flavor and gave them a delightful crispiness. However, the baked were good as well.

To bake: 

Bake the patties at 400 degrees for about 17-18 minutes, flipping them after the first 10 minutes.

And now for the magic.

Cheater Sauce: 

1 packet Ranch dressing mix 

1 C milk

1 C mayo

good handful cilantro leaves (I'm going to say 1/2-1 C leaves)

Whisk Ranch dressing mix, milk, and mayo until combined. 

Chop cilantro until it's really chopped up well. Combine to dressing and whisk.

Serve over falafels. Don't tell your husband the sauce he so adores also contains cilantro.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Dal with Tomato and Cream

Cheap Eat Challenge: Watch as our family of 6 tries to eat on $6/day.

I've had a good streak of people eating foods they claim not to like (sometimes even blissfully).

Dal is an Indian dish whose star ingredient is lentils (or split peas or other dried beans). Lentils are not something my family generally goes quacky for, as they lack the quality of being chocolate. I, however, enjoy dal. And it is really cheap. I make it with naan and I put the peanut butter on the table, so if people cannot bear the lentils, they can slather their bread in a different sort of legume.

I made this dal on Saturday. It was wickedly good. It was, in fact, so wickedly good that I ventured to suggest to Kip that he ought to give it a try. (Lentils are not a place I generally venture with Kip.) And then Kip shocked me by taking some. This is just the type of craziness that keeps a marriage fresh.

He ate it and then he said, "The flavor's good, but I don't like lentils." And then he took some more. Again, it was not a large portion. But it was a second portion. This, it must be noted, was done while the kids were outside playing, meaning there was no pretext even of doing it for good example's sake.  

Perhaps, just to keep my life interesting, he will even stop eating foods he formerly claimed to like. This, I assure you, will keep our marriage exceedingly fresh.

Dal with Tomato and Cream
adapted from Steamy Kitchen
Serves 4
Cook time: 1 hour
Cost: $1.95
(lentils: .50, tomatoes: .75, butter: .30, cream: .35, other stuff: .05)

1 C dry lentils
1 14-oz can diced or crushed tomatoes (I used home-canned)
1 Tbsp minced garlic (3-4 cloves)
1/2 tsp ground ginger (you could also use 1/2-1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 C water
4 Tbsp butter
1/4 tsp pepper
salt to taste
1/3 C heavy cream
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro (didn't have, so skipped. Would have been lovely--for my picture and my palate)

Note for the calorie/fat conscious: You can skip the cream, but not the butter. (Or possibly visa versa.) I tasted it before adding the cream and it was seriously already to die for. Yes, the cream added even more amazingness if such a thing could be, but you could get away without using it. The butter, however, added a smooth  flavorfulness that I don't think you should live without.

Check lentils for stones (I've never found one, but I don't want to either). Put lentils in large sauce pan and cover with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Drain water and return lentils to the pot. You can mash some of them against the side if you will.

Add crushed tomatoes (I pureed my home-canned ones and left the juices in, so it was pretty watery). Add ginger, garlic, cayenne pepper, water, butter, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 hour until dal is thick with most of the fluid cooked out. Check the pot periodically and if your water cooks out before it's done, just add more. Take off heat and stir in cream. Garnish with cilantro if desired.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Did I mention that this stuff was wickedly good? Here's my after-bowl. I mean, who needs a dishwasher. Just so you know, I've been salivating throughout the writing of this post (I'm not exaggerating or joking about that either). Must. Have. More. Dal. Perhaps I'll try a crockpot version tomorrow morning so I can indulge at lunch.

Quinoa Black Bean Salad with Citrus Dressing

Cheap Eat Challenge: Watch as our family of 6 tries to eat on $6/day without perishing or complaining too awfully much.

My sister is always sending me recipes containing interesting grains. She's hipper than I am. Thank goodness. (Of course, being hipper than I am is not a tremendous feat, so don't let it go to your head, Bec.)

Months ago she sent me this recipe for Quinoa Black Bean Salad and at least 2 months ago, I bought the quinoa. I knew I had to make it as a side dish for something or as a lunch for myself. If you've been reading this blog pretty much at all, you probably know why. If you haven't, it's because my husband and kids would look at a dish such as this with a name that cannot even be pronounced in the queen's English and then they would barf, right there in their seats. Or at least they would pretend to barf right there in their seats. And then they would whine, unmercifully. Because there is color in this, and a grain with a name that cannot be sounded out, and little black beans, and teeny tiny onions, and--food felony of them all--chunkies; it is, in fact, chunkiness incarnate. (Would they have liked it better if I had pureed it for them? No. No, they would not.)

But perhaps you enjoy something with texture, diversity, vegetables, nutrition. Perhaps you enjoy something with a pleasing mix of sweet and salty, citrus and grain, Perhaps you enjoy a food that was once such a precious commodity that it was called the "mother of all grains" and the "gold of the Incas." What was so amazing about it? For one thing, it contains all the essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. For another, it is a crazy high source of iron for a plant food. For another, it can be sprouted in just a couple hours by sitting it in a clean jar of clean water (I haven't tried this one at home, so we're trusting the internet here). And for one more thing, the birds and bugs tended to leave it alone, which is why it was so valuable to the Incans who, after all, could not just sprinkle some sevin over all their crops.

However, I should warn you that it was undesirable to pests because it has a soapy-tasting coating. This is easily removed and if you buy your quinoa in a box, you'll most likely not have to worry about it at all. However, if you buy your quinoa in bulk (where it is most likely much cheaper), you'll want to rinse it for several minutes in a fine mesh strainer.

You cook quinoa like you cook rice--2 C water to 1 C dry grain--simmered in a pot until the liquid is absorbed.

And do try to find it in bulk (a health food store of a co-op are probably your best bets) because the little boxes on the little shelves of the store are going to leave you thinking it should still be called the gold of the Incas.

Quinoa and Black Bean Salad with Citrus Dressing
Prep and cook time: 30 minutes
Cost: $3.20
(quinoa: 1.00, butter: .15, orange: .25, black beans: .55, tomatoes: .80--this is a guess; I have home-canned ones; onions: .20, cilantro: .25--guessing on onions and cilantro too--mine were home grown)

1 C quinoa
2 C water
2 tsp grated citrus zest (I used orange and it was great)
2 Tbsp citrus juice
2 Tbsp melted butter
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp sugar
1 14 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes, drained (or about 1 C of fresh chopped tomato)
4 green onions, chopped
1/4 C fresh cilantro, chopped (I didn't have fresh, so used 2 Tbsp dry)

Wash quinoa by putting it in a fine mesh strainer and running water through it for a few minutes.

Put it in a pot, cover it with 2 C water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer.

While the quinoa is cooking, prepare your dressing and vegetables. Whisk together zest, juice, butter, oil, salt, and sugar. Chop your onions and cilantro and tomatoes if fresh. Rinse your beans.

When quinoa is ready, add dressing and toss until it is aborbed. Then stir in remaining ingredients and add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve warm.

Note: The leftovers the next day were pretty good, but after that, I felt like they were mushy and not as good.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Beef Bean Burrito Filling

Cheap Eat Challenge: Watch as our family of 6 learns to eat on $6/day.

This is no beauty queen.

It's barely even a recipe.

But it contains beans and it passed the Kip-nearly-impossible-test-of-beany-approval, so I'm posting it anyway.

It has a sweetness to it and a wee bit of barbeque-y-ness (which is surely not a word to be found by Webster). These things allow it to pass the picky man test.

Also, it's a great way to reduce the cost of your ground beefy recipes because you can use significantly less beef. Many thanks to Cara from whom this idea sprang.

Beef Bean Burrito Filling
Serves 4-6
Prep and cook time: 10 minutes
Cost: $1.55 (That's as opposed to the $3.99 it would have cost me to brown a pound of ground beef.)
(beef: 1.00--I use beef that is more expensive because though not entirely grass fed, the cows are given more space and are more humanely treated than is the standard; pork and beans: .55)

1/4-1/3 lb ground beef
1 can pork and beans
1/2 tsp taco seasoning if you wish (I skipped it)

Brown the beef in a skillet. Dump in pork and beans and heat up. Cook off some of the liquid if it's too runny for you. Throw it in your burrito with any other burrito fixings you enjoy.

If you think this is the cheating-est recipe you've ever seen and you'd rather die before using a can of pork and beans when you just spent your entire Saturday rehydrating beans because you are a pioneer and a true cheapskate (unlike some people), you can probably replicate (though I can't promise because I totally used the pork and beans because I am a shameless cheater, {but I do make my own BBQ sauce, so I bet this will work} [and, yes, I did just use a parenthetical statement within a parenthetical statement within a parenthetical statement because I am also a hopeless rambler]}). Um, where was I?

Anyway, you can use:
1/4 lb ground beef
1 1/2 C rehydrated pinto beans
1/4 C finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic
1 tsp worcheshire sauce
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp vinegar
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4-1/2 C ketchup or tomato paste (depending on how utterly pure and virginal you want this to be--if using the tomato paste, you probably want to double the sauces, vinegar, and brown sugar).

Add the onion to the ground beef and cook. Add the garlic. Add the sauces, vinegar, sugar, and ketchup/tomato paste. Then add the beans. It should have a similar effect (especially if you sort of still cheat and use the ketchup).

Cheaters may not prosper, but they do have shorter ingredient lists.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

P.S. Yes, you do deserve a Saturday sweet, but I didn't post the carrot cake I made this week in an effort to save time by posting this 2-ingredient, er, recipe. (Have I mentioned I'm a cheater.) But worry not, because I have a link for you. I'm planning to try this chocolate chip cookie recipe tomorrow to see if it can compete with either of ours. So if you need a sweet fix, give it a whirl. Or have a look at any of the other recipes on Sweet as Sugar Cookies.